Is forever too much to ask? - Chapter 3
Thank you again for all of the reviews I recieved, reading them really made my day :) Also, thank you to anybody who put this on Author Alert/Favourite or Story Alert/Favourite.
asucagafan: I'm glad it makes more sense to you now, things may get a little more confusing as the story progresses though. The story line isn't going to follow the route you may be expecting it to. I give you chapter 3, I won't say anything else for now but the next few chapters will probably seriously confuse just about every reader of this story.
Thank you for Reviewing :)
Freyris: No Ace is not Cathryns twin, this chapter should explain a little more about him. As for Milly, you'll just have to wait and see :)
Thank you to everybody else who reviewed and took the time to read this story!
Story info:
Miriam Elsman - 2 1/2 years old
Connor Elsman - 7 years old
Cathryn Athha-Zala - 5 years old
Alexander 'Ace' Athha - ?
Cagalli Yula Athha - 27
Athrun Zala - 27
Meyrin Hawke (Zala?) - 24
Dearka Elsman - 27
Miriallia Elsman - 26
Yzak Joule - 27
Shiho Joule - 25
Lilli-Anne Joule - 7 months
Disclaimer: Gundam SEED/Destiny does not belong to me and no copyright infringement is intended in the making of this story. This is purely a work of fiction in which I like to play with Bandai's characters :)
Tissue alert for the second half of the chapter!
Chapter 3 - The truth.
Cagalli knocked on the door to the Elsman household and waited patiently to be let in. It had been only 45 minutes since Athrun had asked her to leave the hospital.
She wasn't sure what had gotten over him, It wasn't like him to act so short-tempered but, she reasoned, he hadn't seen her in 9 years. That's what he believed anyway... The last time she and Athrun had actually seen each other was a little under five years ago.
He wouldn't remember that though, that was their plan.
Her thoughts were interupted by the door sliding open and Dearka gesturing for her to enter. Stepping into the spacious hallway she was surprised to see that the Elsman's already had guests.
In the living room sat Yzak and Shiho Joule who was cradling baby Lilli-Anne close to her chest. Connor and Ace sat in the corner playing with small mobile suit figurines and Miriam had latched onto her fathers leg - looking like she wasn't going to be letting go any time soon.-
"Here to pick up Ace, Cagalli?" Shiho asked in a joking manner, gesturing to the young boy whom had now been joined by his younger sister.
Cagalli smiled and replied, "Yeah..." She then turned to Yzak, "Did you know that Athrun's in the hospital?" She asked him.
The hot headed silver haired man shook his head, surprise written all over his face. "Didn't he just get married to that Hawke girl, so the plan they set up is finally in motion."
Cagalli nodded sadly but then looked up again, "He met Cathryn though... they won't be happy about that. I just hope that they don't decide to take drastic measures as punishment for my slip up." she said facing the floor.
Yzak shook his head in disgust, "How could they do this!? You and Athrun had everything! A small child, a happy marriage and another child on the way, it disgusts me!" he shouted, hitting the coffee table with his clenched fist.
Cagalli smile fell, her eyes landing on the ring that sat comfortably on her left ring finger, it was gold with a red stone that sat near the top.
She shook her head, trying to clear it of the sadness that had clouded her mind. "It was a small price to pay, his memories or his life... it was the best desicion"
Dearka re-entered the room at that point carrying a tray with mugs of coffee on it. Handing one to each of the people present, he took his seat opposite Yzak and next to Cagalli.
Cagalli smiled slightly as she sipped her coffee, remembering Athrun's last words before he slipped into the coma that had lasted over a year. 'I'll definitely come back for you and Ace...and this little one too. I'll remember you, even if my eyes don't at first, my heart always will'
"Hey Cagalli, you still here...?" Shiho asked, smiling when the blond opened her eyes, a small serene smile gracing her lips..
"Yeah, just remembering my last day with Athrun... It's a nice memory." she said, lifting Cathryn onto her lap a gesturing to Ace to come over and join them. Miriam and Connor had also made themselves comfortable on the couch.
Cagalli ruffled Cathryns hair and said, "I'm going to tell you daddy's story..."
Flashback - 5 years ago
It was valentines day so of course it would only be natural for Cagalli and Athrun to go back to Aprilius and visit his mothers grave.
Athrun was carrying 3 years old Ace in his arms as the three approached the cemetary, "Cagalli, thank you for coming with me, it honestly means the world to me" he said, smiling at his wife.
Cagalli just smiled back understandingly, "Of course i would, I wanted Ace to meet his grandma anyway..." She said, her voice softening at the end. Resting her hand on her rounded stomach, her smile widened.
He put his arm around her and pulled her close, trying to convey how happy he was at that particular moment. They entered the cemetary and the two adults knelt down in front of the beautifully decorated grave, not noticing at first, the shadow that loomed over them.
"Hello, so we meet again..." A menacing voice said from above them.
Both glanced up to see none other than Gilbert Durandal, the chairman of Plant. "What do you want?" Athrun growled, standing to protect Cagalli and Ace..
Gilbert only laughed again, this time lighter. "The only thing i want is you Athrun Zala. ZAFT hasn't been the same since you resigned."
Athrun Scowled, "I will never come back to ZAFT, Not while you're still in charge of it!" he shouted. Cagalli stood beside him, wrapping her arms around his waist.
Gilbert frowned, "I was hoping we could just do this the easy way and get it over with but it seems you remain as stubborn as you've always been. If you don not come with me then I'm afraid I'm going to have to kill you."
Cagalli gasped, stepping back and grabbing hold of their young son. "Athrun go, Don't just throw away your life because of me, I'll be fine. We'll be fine..." she said
Athrun turned to her, a pleading look in his eyes, "If that's truly what you want Cagalli..." She nodded without hesitation
Gilbert laughed again, "I'll give you 24 hours to say goodbye..."
The next day -
'I'll definitely come back for you and Ace...and this little one too. I'll remember you, even if my eyes don't at first, my heart always will' Athrun whispered as he closed his eyes, the drugs where wearing on him and he felt as though he couldn't move his body. "Ace, I'll see you soon okay, so make sure to be good for mommy and help her take good care of your little sister okay?" He whispered to the little boy.
Ace nodded his head, "Yes daddy, See you soon..." He said with tears sliding down his face as Cagalli carried him out of the room. "Bye Athrun, love you," She said, blowing him a kiss before disappearing from sight.
He lifted his hand weakly and caught the kiss, holding it close to his heart as he fell asleep, knowing that he would have no recolection of it when he awoke.
"Love you too.." The words died on his lips as he lost consciousness.
Present day -
Cagalli sniffed and closed her eyes as she finished the story, tear tracks marring her pretty face.
"Yes, we will be together again Athrun..." She whispered.
With Athrun -
Athrun had still not been allowed to leave the hospital despite his insistance that he was in god health. He was worried about how Meyrin was coping, but the better part of his thoughts were occupied by thoughts of Cagalli and the little girl that they apparently shared.
It was obvious that Cagalli was telling the truth, if the birth certificate didn't prove that then then little girls blue hair and amber eyes did.
The thing that was the cause of his vexation was that he did not recall sleeping with Cagalli for a long time prior to their break up.
He knew that he must have, god knows he had taken enough science courses at college to know the means required for procreation but he could not bring up recollection of the actual event in his mind and that worried him.
When ever he tried to think of his past with Cagalli he would get the same thing, a college romance and a tearful break up caused by him having to go back to Plant. If he tried to dig deeper then he would alway come up against a mental block.
He sat up on the hospital bed, hoping to clear his head with a walk through the gardens. Why was he even in the hospital in the first place? Cagalli had been the one whos life had been in danger and yet he had only passed out and he was being held for a longer amount of time.
Standing to leave the room, he was stopped when a doctor entered carrying a clipboard.
"Si'down son, We've found a couple of things in yer blood that we'd like to query with yer." The doctor said in a thick russian accent.
Confused as to what the man was talking about, Athrun took a seat on the edge of the bed. "What are you talking about, I haven't had any medicationso there shouldn't be anything unnatural un my body?" He asked.
The doctor flipped over the page on his clipboard and motioned for Athrun to look at the test results.
"We found traces of Zero deficiancy, Gameotheroputic waves and Hypotension (HPT) in yer blood. None'a those things are normal yer hear?" The doctor said.
Athrun read over the paper again, sure that there was a mistake or that his test results had been mixed up with another patient.
"I think you've got the wrong person, these can't be my results because this is the first time I've ever been on a hospital sir, Coordinators don't get ill remember?" he pointed out to the doctor.
The doctor sighed, realising the blue haired patient wasn't going to listen to him any time soon and left the room.
Athrun shook his head and again stood up to leave the room, this time making it to the gardens without distractions.
'Those couldn't have been my results, I've never had any drugs of any kind put into my body... I guess I'm thinking too much into it.' He thought to himself, taking a seat on one of the benches in between the rows of beautifully trimmed roses.
Thats where the doctors found him later, asleep with his head resting against his palm and a small crease in between his eyesbrows as if he was thinking too hard.
I hope you all liked chapter 3, sorry it took a while to come out but i was working on a birthday fic for Yzak, Happy belated birthday for August 8th.
I was listening to Lightnings theme from Final Fantsay XIII while writing the majority of this chapter so thats where i got my inspiration.
Some things to think about for the next chapter:
Who are They?
Why did Athrun give in so easily?
Why was Gilbert Durandal there?
Where those really Athrun's results?
Find out in the next chapter, Ja Ne,
Saika-Chan Xxx