category: Gundam SEED

disclaimer: I don't own it.

FOUR.

"I suppose you'll be going back to the PLANTs now," Cagalli said one day at breakfast while studying her newspaper in a failed effort at nonchalance.

Athrun eyed her over the rim of his coffee cup. "Well, the conferences are over. The treaty's been signed. I don't think I'm quite that needed here anymore." He set down his drink next to the plate of scones. "I have business to finish up there."

"Such as?" Cagalli couldn't help the edge of anxiousness that crept into her voice. He was leaving again.

"Boring things," Athrun answered easily. "My father's finances. I'll have the funds transferred over to my account. It's nice to finally have access to them again, after being considered officially missing since the end of the first war. And I need to talk with someone about maintaining our properties."

Cagalli finally folded up her newspaper and swallowed hard. "Has Lacus offered you a position yet?"

There was a stumble in the flow of the conversation. "What?" Athrun looked at her strangely. "What are you talking about?"

"I mean in ZAFT, or in her government. She did to Kira, and I hear she's been filling up her military recently. She's promoted Dearka, made Kira a lieutenant general and Yzak the general. Surely she's planned a spot for you." Cagalli stopped and cleared her throat loudly, "Hasn't she mentioned anything to you?"

It was silent momentarily as Athrun stared at Cagalli and drummed his fingers on the table. Unnerved, she reached over and grabbed his hand to quiet the sound. They held that pose briefly, eyes meeting, her hand grasping his.

"Cagalli, I did talk to Lacus. But she didn't present any job opportunities." He shook his head a little, as if clearing away cobwebs inside his mind. "In fact, she and I were both well aware of the fact that I'm not returning to the PLANTs for good." He gestured widely, helplessly. "Don't you know? I'm staying here."

Cagalli's mouth fell open a little but her eyebrows drew together suspiciously. "You're not serious."

"I'm staying here," he repeated. "In Orb. With you."

In an uncontrollable burst of emotion, Cagalli climbed over the table and slapped him cleanly across the cheek. Athrun moved his face back around to watch her incredulously.

"That is for when you left me at the beginning of the second war!" Cagalli leaned over and twisted Athrun's arm behind his chair. "That is for when you left me again for the Minerva after the Battle of Dardanelles!" Finally, she jabbed his stomach forcefully with the heel of her hand and let him double over and gasp for air. "And that is for allowing me to take off your ring and walk away as if I was making the best choice!"

Cagalli glared expectantly at him from her perch on the table as he clutched his front and sat back up.

"I'm sorry I left you at the beginning of the war," he started slowly. "It was stupid of me to think I could make a difference there that I couldn't here." He moved his gaze to the window behind Cagalli. "I'm sorry I left you again after our meeting that day on the cliffs. I thought I was doing the right thing. And I'm sorry for letting you believe that if you wanted Orb you couldn't have me." But the words kept spilling out of him, and his voice began to crescendo. "I'm sorry for walking out on us. I'm sorry I wasn't there when you nearly vowed your life away to another man. I'm sorry you were alone when your country deserted you. I'm sorry you couldn't come into space with us. Most of all, I apologize for letting ourselves become what we are today."

Another pause. Something wet splashed onto the top of his hand, and he looked up to see Cagalli uncharacteristically fighting back tears. "Oh, Athrun," She sniffled and rubbed at her nose with her sleeve, appearing ready to burst with what she wanted to say. "I'm sorry too! For the wedding, and the treaty with the Earth Alliance and pushing you away. We've both made such stupid mistakes."

They sat there, unspeaking. The moment passed, and suddenly Cagalli beamed at him. "I want you to make you an admiral."

Athrun wanted to protest, but he didn't. He didn't want to be second-in-command of the entire Orb fleet, but he smiled back at her because he knew Orb's military command had been decimated and that she wanted him to be close by. Always.

"That means a lot to me, Cagalli."

They were going to be all right.

notes: Athrun was a royal idiot in Destiny, for sure. His battle skills made him sufferable, but boy was Athrun/Cagalli screwed over!

NEXT PHASE: Mu and Murrue and Andy move on with their lives.