Disclaimer: Sunrise

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"Cagalli, get ready. We are going out," Alex said as he cleared his plate and outstretched his hand toward Cagalli's plate.

"Huh?" Cagalli could only stare at him for a couple of seconds. "Going where?"

"We'll stop by to send the form we filled that day, and then we're going to the prosthesis to get you fitted." Alex took the plate from Cagalli's hand and turned his back, walking to the sink. "I'll clean up here. You go get ready."

It was a bright Sunday morning, where they were just finishing their breakfast.

The rest of their 'honeymoon' went by with some tension still lingering in the air between them. Alex seemed adamant that he wasn't going to talk to Cagalli about what was between him and Haro Sweets, or him and the CEO. Cagalli too, could see that Alex wasn't going to open his mouth anytime soon. After Alex made another call that day, no one touched the sour subject about what Alex was actually hiding again. Both of them simply continued what they had been doing before—Alex putting together his own evidence of dating Cagalli, and Cagalli pasting all the pictures she had in one album—in silence. After that Alex handed Cagalli the form that she had to fill for the green card application, minus the questionnaire. They mostly kept to themselves, and Alex didn't even bother her for lounging on the large sofa, where she had intended to sleep from the start.

Even though both of them stayed awake until almost dawn. Alex finally gave in when Cagalli reminded him that he'd have to drive them home since they'd be checking out in the morning and managed to convince him to get some rest. But even after they were back home, there still seemed to be a thin invisible wall between them, and Cagalli decided to let it be. Now that she thought about it again, it had taken some time before she could be open to Alex about her past that he kept nagging about. Alex probably just needs some time to do the same too. So that's what she would do for now, give him some time.

But the thing that bugged her was why he always looked so guilty about it.

It was as if she was being reminded that Alex had actually proclaimed himself as a bad person. But he had been mostly good to her all these times—indifferent at first but he tried to be friendly with her, and now she considered him as a good friend. Cagalli couldn't imagine what kind of connection he had with Haro Sweets that could make him feel guilty toward her.

And deep down, Cagalli wanted to believe that Alex was just a good person as he always is when he's with her, and that there was nothing bad about him. Cagalli wasn't sure how she'd react when she found out what he'd been hiding from her. It would most definitely affect her, judging by the look he showed her last time.

So what would she do when the time comes? When Alex finally reveals what he'd been hiding all these times? How would it affect her? Would it be bad for her? What would she choose? What should she choose?

No, he's a good person, Cagalli insisted to herself. Because if he wasn't, then he'd still be indifferent toward her. He wouldn't bother to feel guilty, no matter what happened, or whatever it was that connected him with Haro Sweets. He cared enough to feel bad for her. Besides, Alex had warned her beforehand, and she still accepted his offer. So when she finally learned the truth—if she ever did, and if anything happened beyond this, then there would be no one else to blame besides herself for agreeing to everything he had offered her.

Also there was also the chance of her not knowing the truth at all during her stay with Alex. He might be able to manage keeping the secret all to himself until she got her green card and left him. If that happened, then they could partway with a clean break. All she had to do was left him, and never look back. It was the mantra she chanted in her mind every time she felt like being too attached to her current life. Even when she started to care for him as a good friend.

So Cagalli tried to act as she usually does, trying to shove away her own curiosity for later, when Alex was ready for her. And a few days after they were back home, Alex seemed to be back to his old self and not as tense. His expression was just a little bit calmer and he started actually talking to her again, not just answering her when asked. And Cagalli was glad for that. She had become used to living together with him, not just merely coexisting with him in the same house. They were starting to accept each other's presence and Cagalli wouldn't want them going back to their previous awkward stance just like when they had just started living together.

And then Alex handed her the questionnaire for the green card application.

It was 8 pages long, with 12 questions, and a LOT of sub-questions. Cagalli easily filled question number 1 on the first page, which basically was her name and mostly Alex's personal data. But she balked at the second question. They were required to write basically an essay on how they first met, until the day they marry, down to the exact date when and where they had met for the first time, who introduced them if there was any, and that person's personal data. Alex repeated the story he had previously made, the same story he had told Miriallia and the others when they stayed at Kira's place.

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"So, we have to fill this 'Existence of Intermediary' part?"

"Give it to me," Alex said and filled the form himself. There, Cagalli saw him jotted down the name he had mentioned at their honeymoon staycation. Dearkka. Dearkka Elthman, Cagalli noticed the full name.

"Who's he?" The question left her mouth before she could stop herself. She had been wondering who this person was, ever since Alex mentioned about the call from home.

"My friend," Alex simply said with his eyes still on the document in his hands.

"Oh, I thought he's your family?" Since he explained Dearkka's call as a call from home, she had thought that he was a family member. So if that's the case, Alex must be thinking of him as a really close friend then. "Is he a friend from your Uni, then?"

But Alex didn't answer her immediately, and she felt a little bit confused at that. If he was that close of a friend to him, then why couldn't he immediately answer? She could see he was contemplating his own answer before finally saying, "Technically, no. He didn't go to the same uni with me, but I hung out with him a lot when I was in Uni so it's not a lie either. But he'll get the story together for us. That's what matters."

"Will the immigration office call him?"

"High chance they will. That's why they required his personal data like this." Cagalli glanced at the paper again, noting the required part of the intermediary person. Other than name and address, they also required their phone number, ID number, intermediary person's relationship with the applicant and the spouse. Cagalli furrowed her brow.

"But I don't know your intermediary person. And that friend of yours had never met me either," Cagalli voiced out her concern.

"Don't worry. He can be trusted. I told you you'll get your green card easier with my connection, didn't I?" Alex smirked, reminding her of the day when they first met. And Cagalli didn't think to ask deeper about it. Alex probably wouldn't tell her anything beyond this about him. And at this point, she was already too deep into this, and complaining about the action he took to fulfill her need for a green card was probably pointless.

They filled the form some more, and Alex filled the witnesses' part with Tolle's name.

"Will they call them too?" Cagalli questioned as she filled in the other witness' detail, who was her employer.

"Probably, so they can be sure that our witnesses are real and not paid actors. That's why we need to make an appearance in front of them at least once. I already met your boss. Tolle and my friend have also seen you, so the preparation on that part should be okay."

"How about this part?" She turned to him again at the 'relationship between the intermediary and the applicant' part.

"I'll fill that," Alex took the paper again.

"They will also question me about it, right?"

"Yeah, so make sure you remember this part. We'll practice together so you won't look awkward when they ask you this."

Cagalli pouted at his lack of trust toward her. But she admitted that she too, wasn't sure about herself not stammering when asked of some made up things like this. So she'd rather take Alex's precaution and do her practice for future reference.

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The form was filled and Alex was the one who kept it. And today came the day when they were going to submit it. And apparently Alex was taking her to the prosthetist again, for her new leg.

"Wait, I didn't know we're going to fit me for a new leg today. Why didn't you tell me anything about it? You already have an appointment?"

"Oh, I didn't tell you before?" Alex turned his head slightly as he started to run the water from the sink. But quickly his attention was back to the dishes. "Sorry, I already arranged your health insurance under my name, I have your new card. You're officially in my insurance now, so we're going to do something with that leg of yours. Your prosthesis is wearing out already, so isn't it best to get a new one before anything happens to it? And more importantly, to you? That leg needed to be donated to a museum. It looks old." He glanced at her for a second before turning to the dishes again.

"Well, I appreciate your kindness, but next time some notice in advance would be much appreciated, thank you," Cagalli rolled her eyes. "I'll go get ready," she added as she headed to her room to get changed.

When Cagalli came downstairs to meet him wearing a long skirt, Alex blinked at her at first. As long as he remembered, he had never seen Cagalli wear a skirt before. Moreover, she had her leg on, but she also brought her crutches.

But now that they were at the prosthetist, he understood why.

When she sat down and got ready to get fitted for her new leg, they asked her to show her leg to get casted. Sitting at the provided chair, all Cagalli had to do was pull the skirt down—fold it neatly and put it in a basket they provided for her—and she could easily take her leg off. Alex could see she was wearing shorts inside. She put her liner in the same basket, showing her bare residual limb.

Of course, Alex thought, this was not her first time. So she knew what to prepare for the casting process. She put her casting liner—the one provided by the clinic—skilfully, took her crutches and stood up, letting the prosthetist wrap her residual limb with a saran wrap. Alex noticed her stoic face as the doc circled the wrap roll around her leg and waist. He remembered that Cagalli had never really let other people get close to her leg, except for doctors, and recently, himself. Now, judging by her face and the parts he was touching her now as he rolled the gauze for the casting—namely her groin and her behind—she probably felt quite uncomfortable right now. But it needed to be done, so she knew she just had to suck it up and go with it.

Cagalli stood for a while with her crutches, while the prosthetist held his position on her residual leg limb, holding the cast in its position. When Alex asked him about it, he told him that they were waiting for the cast to get hardened. After the first layer had hardened, he repeated the process, adding another layer until the form of the socket was made.

When it was done, the prosthetist took the hardened cast to be polished into an actual leg socket, and that was pretty much all they had to do that day. They asked Alex and Cagalli to come again the next week to try the socket first, and to check if it would need any adjustments before it got made into a new complete prosthetic leg.

"So we'll come here again in a week only to try on your new leg before it's finished. I thought you'd be done by then and you can take it home with you." Alex commented as they sat in the car, getting ready to go home.

"There is a lot of fitting with the socket. If I'm lucky, it will be done by the following week after the testing. If not, we'll probably need another week. So three to four weeks in total, probably." Cagalli answered as she fumbled with her seatbelt.

"Are you okay? I mean… You didn't look comfortable back then… You said that not many people touch your leg, so…"

"It was like this too when I got casted the first time. It simply just needs to be done. Some advanced clinics got 3D scanners to minimize the touching part, though—to omit the awkwardness."

"You could've told me that and I'd take you there," Alex furrowed his brow. He could save her all the uncomfortable feelings she had back there.

"No, this is more than enough. I'm more than grateful you are willing to do this for me, so I'm not gonna whine just because I had to let the doctor touch me in some places. It was unavoidable, and I'm okay with it. It's not like it was my first time. So don't be sorry. I'm the one who should thank you instead. Thank you… for doing this," Cagalli mumbled her gratitude. "I'll probably keep my prosthetic leg for another year or until it literally falls apart if you didn't take me here."

"Well… It's something that I'm supposed to do, considering our relationship," Alex put on his seatbelt.

He didn't have to, though, Cagalli secretly thought. Their marriage was only on paper. If she could get her green card smoothly, she'd probably leave him in the next year. She felt like Alex contributed more in this fake relationship, and there was really nothing he would gain out of it. So he didn't have to be responsible to her like a real married couple.

Cagalli wasn't sure if she was doing her part of the charade right. She felt like Alex still had some threads of feelings still connected to Lacus, more than as mere coworkers. The way he dodged the question back then was enough for her to draw that conclusion. But at least there was some progress with Alex's attempt to let Lacus go, even though it was still just a tiny drop in a whole bucket.

"Let me do something for you then," Cagalli turned her head to see straight at Alex with a small smile.

"What kind of something?"

"Let me take you out," she proposed to him cheerfully, even though she was actually sweating inside her mind. What if he didn't really like the idea? Or if she acted too much for this mere relationship?

"Huh?" Alex, who was ready to reverse his car, stopped and turned his head toward Cagalli.

"Well… Your birthday is approaching so—"

"Wait, my birthday?" Alex parroted. "How did you know my birthday? I don't think I've mentioned the date to you."

"Umm… It was in the marriage registration form…?" Cagalli answered in a tone more like a question, while Alex palmed his head inwardly. Of course. "I saw it again in the green card application form, and just realized that your birthday is near. I'm sorry if you're uncomfortable with that…" Cagalli's tone dropped, as if she was feeling bad for doing something she shouldn't have done. Trying to change the topic, she playfully asked him, "So, I take it you don't remember my birthday?"

"I know! I mean I remember," Alex answered, finally threw the car in reverse and drove away from there.

"Don't sweat it, hopefully we'll be able to get divorced next year, so you don't have to worry about making it up to me," Cagalli kept her tone light, and Alex tried to focus on the road and stay steady on his gas pedal.

Next year…

Alex forgot that there would be no need for them to stay together after Cagalli got her green card. Just like what he had said to her before, living with her was easy, comfortable.

He was too comfortable with their current living arrangements. What would he do when the time came for them to go their separate ways? Would he go back to his days of admiring Lacus from afar?

Alex gripped the steering wheel tighter. The thought of separating from Cagalli in a year was…

He shook his head slightly. What was he thinking? That was how things were supposed to be. Especially with what had happened recently… It was best to keep Cagalli far away as soon as she got her green card, to keep her safe.

I have to keep her safe, Alex swore in his head.

"So where are you taking me? For my birthday, I mean," Alex flicked the thoughts away by getting Cagalli to talk more with him.

"Umm… Isn't it supposed to be a secret?"

Alex chuckled. "Come on, do we need that? We are not a real couple after all. No need for that kind element of surprise," he replied, as if telling himself for a reminder.

"Well, at least I consider you as my friend, so I should have some privilege to give a surprise for my friend, shouldn't I?" Cagalli muttered. "But if you don't really care, fine, I'm taking you to a sweets buffet. I'm sorry but I feel like you can literally afford anything you might want, so I'm not sure about giving you a gift. That is all I can come up with, thinking about you and your sweet tooth…" Cagalli trailed off, trying to gauge his reaction. And when Alex stayed silent—not giving her any answer, Cagalli felt uneasy for a second. "You don't like it?"

"No, it's not that…" Alex said in a rush, sounding like he was taken aback himself. "Thank you…"

"Okay then…" Cagalli felt like letting out the breath she had been holding, albeit mentally. "So, make sure you clear your schedule for next Saturday."

"Next Saturday?"

"Yeah, your birthday is October 9th, right?"

"Oh…" Was all he said and he didn't say anything else.

"What is it?"

"No, it's nothing. I… kinda forgot my birthday…" Alex trailed off, his eyes focusing on the road. "You said next Saturday, right?" He repeated again.

"Do you have another appointment that day?" Cagalli bit her lip, she had thought of that, but if they had to reschedule, it was fine. There was no deep meaning in her invitation, she just wanted to give him a gift.

"No, not on that day. Actually, I'll be going on a business trip next week. Three days," Cagalli could see Alex was counting the days in his head. "I'll be home by Friday night, so it should be okay."

"Oh, would you rather we reschedule on Sunday? You probably want to stay at home and rest on Saturday," Cagalli suggested. She didn't know where he'd be going for that business trip, but it probably would be best for him to just stay at home after that trip. "Where are you going, though?"

"Aprilius City. There's an annual big convention that we always participate in, and it's usually me and… Lacus."

Cagalli's brow twitched as she heard that name. "Just the two of you?" She couldn't help but ask, trying to sound nonchalant.

"No, a few juniors will be going with us as we introduce them to our business partners. We'll probably be busy with booth preparation, the actual business matching and a lot of walking around, greeting our clients, and the after-party. Don't worry, I won't have time to deal with her," Alex added the last part with a small smile on his lips.

"That's not my business, honestly," Cagalli scoffed, "But you better do that. People know that you're a married man now. It will be bad if your juniors catch on to your feelings toward her. You wouldn't want any gossip at work." She wondered why she was feeling relieved.

They fell into a nice comfortable silence. Alex was focused on driving. Cagalli watched the road and the surroundings through her window. She was idly thinking that the route they took now was a route that she wasn't really familiar with, having only passed by it once. While silently trying to memorize the way to their home, Cagalli could feel her phone vibrate, indicating a new text from someone.

It was Athrun.

"Cagalli, do you have some time? I want to talk to you"

To anyone who still waits patiently for this story, THANK YOU! Please be patient with me for 10 or so more chapters

It is a filler chapter, so it does feel shorter than usual. The next one probably will be longer, cause things will start to go downhill from there

See you there when the time comes,

Cheers~