Disclaimed.

Photograph

Orb Union
CE 74

It was the sole purpose of Orb to maintain its cultural diversity as a Neutral nation for the encouragement of non-biases and pure and adulterated acceptance. Many long and fruitful years have passed and even before her father had stepped up as Chief Representative of the United Emirates of Orb it had and will never matter whether one was a Coordinator or a Natural.

So to speak, they were still human beings. They felt joy, anger, happiness, love. The changes only came down to the structural side of things. In some cases, especially with emotional dependency, they were entirely undependable.

Cagalli grinned. Take Kira for example, the Ultimate Coordinator and also the ultimate blubber. As a twin sister could only be allowed to say, he was unbelievably weak emotionally and cries often. He never really had that much control of his sentiments, often breaking down when the pressure got too high.

She remembered Athrun sharing the same view and more when they were aboard the Archangel many years back during the First Bloody Valentine War.

Cagalli's smile widened. And of course, the great Athrun Zala.

How could she even begin with this one? Talented beyond his years, has a knack for engineering the most innovative and ingenious machinery of his time and yet, he couldn't seem to find the answers to many of the questions that he continually had asked himself.

Where does my allegiance stand? What am I truly fighting for? Who do I really want to protect?

It had bothered her then during the course of their separation in the second war when Athrun had rejoined ZAFT because he felt that it was right. Thus, though brief, made him an enemy to her.

It was one of the most painful encounters they had shared. His indifference the hardest blow. He probably had thought that she didn't care and that her focus had been about protecting and governing her country, when in fact, she had lost countless hours of sleep and been scolded upon by many Orb ministers during parliamentary sessions when she kept thinking back at his demeanour and face. Defecting from her.

Just as she had done then when she almost married Seiren. She thought that maybe Athrun had understood that decision afterwards. That she was just simply pressured to do so and that she never wanted to marry anyone else but him. She loved him, he knew that. But was his knowing enough?

Cagalli fidgeted with her fingers as she stared out her window. The wind danced her curtains towards her in a fine frenzy. The early morning sun was slightly shadowed by the greying clouds as she sat on her bed, still in her pyjamas. It was her day off and the only one she would be having for the next two weeks and she wanted to savour it by sleeping in later than usual.

She glanced at the clock beside her desk. Eight-thirty. An hour and a half later than her usual routine wake-up. She frowned. She should still be sleeping now but she couldn't seem to get back to it all. Mana entered her room then after three quiet knocks.

"I knew you would be awake," she said with a smile, coming in with a tray of food.

Cagalli still remained entranced with the blowing wind on her face, not noticing the sweet aroma of her favourite breakfast; apple strudel with cream and a cup of coffee.

Mana set the tray down on the table and sat on the edge of Cagalli's bed.

"Have you ever regretted something you didn't do on purpose before, Mana?" she asked nonchalantly.

Mana looked at the young princess tenderly.

"You didn't mean for that to happen, my dear," the young woman turned to look at her maid. "And we all know that he doesn't hold that against you now. He never did."

"He did before," Cagalli said, looking down.

"No, no he didn't," Mana assured her. "He thought he did, but he didn't really. He loves you too much to have held that against you."

Cagalli smiled slightly at her words, wishing that what she said was true. Mana looked at the young girl tenderly and brushed her hair lightly.

"Why don't you go over and have a talk with him today?" Mana suggested as she got up. "It's his day off too, I heard."

Cagalli looked up in surprise.

"It is?" she asked, her eyes widening. The Admiral of the Orb Special Defence Force ever since his reinstatement months before had never taken a day off. Much like her in all her working glory. It surprised her that he would take a day off the same day that she had hers off too. Could it be because he wanted to spend the day with her? Cagalli shook her head. What a ludicrous thought. Of course, he wouldn't!

But then again, her mind couldn't help but wonder why this was so. The coincidence was too much for her…and so were Mana's mischievous eyes.

"You know what, Mana, I will!" she said in a defiant tone. "I'm going to find out what that Zala is really up to."

An hour later…

The Attha residence was quiet. All the furniture set in place, the servants down in their quarters. A few who passed by bowed in subservience. She haughtily told them to address her as Cagalli and not as "Miss Attha."

"You're making me all feel older than what I really am!"

The young maids scurried away with apologies. She glared at them and headed off.

Athrun's room was located on the level below hers for easy access to his office on the same floor. The mansion was three storeys high located in the richer section of Orb; a mere half an hour away from the Capital. Then Representative Uzumi Attha particularly chose to build this home to be away from all his work and to spend more time with Cagalli.

Cagalli thought it ironic how he spent more time working at the house than at the Capital itself, even refurbishing one of the bigger rooms as a Conference room.

She passed by the said room, down a couple more doors, up the steps through the kitchen and walked as slowly as possible towards Athrun's room. Before she began her little trek, she had mentally prepared herself to face whatever it was that may come her way. A little surprised, understandable. Not being there and being someplace else, that's fine too. Rejection through his eyes that would say, "I don't expect you at all and I'm sorry but I'm going somewhere after," would be a blow.

Nevertheless, she expected the worst.

One of Athrun's subordinates, Auel Trine bumped into her just as he spun out of Athrun's office doors. Cagalli yelped as she fell down on the wooden floors, holding her aching head.

"Chief Representative!" he said in fright. Cagalli waved her hands.

"I'm alright, Trine, I'm alright," she said, getting up on her own without the help of the still frozen Trine. Cagalli dusted herself off and admired Trine's face with a cheeky grin.

"Hello there, Auel," she said, waving her hands in front of his face. Auel snapped off his reverie and embarrassed, took a step back with a bow.

"S-sorry again, Chief Representative," he said.

"Auel," Athrun's voice cut through the light-hearted mood. Cagalli's insides froze.

"A-Athrun," Trine stammered. "I..I was just…"

Athrun stepped around him and surprised Cagalli when he touched her forehead.

"You alright?" he asked, his eyes conveying his concern. Cagalli never felt so embarrassed in her life. With Trine at the back, seemingly back to his moving self with a silly, almost teasing smile plastered on his face, she felt herself redden even more. She slapped Athrun's away.

"It was just a little fall, Athrun," she said rather impatiently. "I've been through much worse."

Trine laughed at his young leader's boldness and glanced at the cute couple with a smile.

"I'll take my leave," he said, acknowledging them both with a bow before swiftly departing.

Athrun's throaty laugh made her senses swim and blushing, she turned away.

"It's a little odd for you to be up here when it's your day off, Cagalli," he said, smiling at her stance. She looked like an injured animal who wouldn't give up on its attacker even though victory was not at hand.

She turned around with a glare.

"I heard that it's your day off too, Mr. Zala," she wasn't going to let him win. "And I see you up here too. Shouldn't you be somewhere else much more relaxing then?"

Athrun nodded his head playfully. "That's true. But.." he took a step towards Cagalli. Her eyes widened a bit and her body tilted away from him slightly. "…the real question here is, what are you doing up here? I don't see anything really exciting up here." His eyes twinkled. "Or maybe, you were looking for me."

Athrun loved the way Cagalli's face suddenly contorted in anger. She was going to slap him again but he beat her to it, holding her wrist in a strong grip.

"If you are, then I accept," he said, amused. "I'll happily take you somewhere you'd like. Wait here, I'll just quickly change."

Without waiting for her response, he disappeared, leaving her there like a foolish little girl who had just been asked out by her childhood crush. Not that she had a crush on that jerk of a bastard. She glared at his invisible retreating back.

She wanted to leave then. In fact, she was really tempted, but as she turned around, she noticed the door to his office slightly ajar. She stopped short and tried to remember when the last time she had visited his little work station.

"He came back, said something weird, Kira talking to me, Lacus forcing me to sign some stupid papers and then he's here…" she tried to remember but she couldn't.

You mean, I've never been inside his office ever since he came here?! The thought struck a nerve. Glancing around as if she was doing something prohibited, she slowly slipped inside the room, closing the door behind her quietly.

It was a simply furnished room. There was a bookshelf on the corner filled with books about Orb's history, a couple of magazines, duty books, even some novels whose names she has never heard of. There were some newspapers on a little table on the left-hand side of the room, a couple of chairs, a ceiling fan and a coat hanger.

His desk occupied the middle of the room. His laptop was shut in the middle next to his angled desktop. Pens were neatly placed in a pen-holder; papers were stacked neatly on the side. She admired his organisation.

For a guy, he's not too bad.

She took a turn around the room and decided to have a feel of what it would be like to be a working Athrun Zala for a day, so she went behind his desk and sat on his chair. Her eyes caught something sitting behind his wireless headset that made her stomach feel tight.

She didn't want to believe it. No, her eyes were just fooling around with her, making jokes as usual. Fantasizing at the best of times. She swallowed.

There, sitting on his desk, completely unnoticed by her till then was a photo frame that sat next to his desk phone. She picked it up and looked at it tenderly. It was a photo of her in her green, one-strapped dress, smiling off in the distance. It was a simple shot of her. No one else occupied the immaculately simple frame but her. Not even a picture of him beside her or something or Kira and Lacus. Just her, in all her dressed-up glory.

She recalled the time when the shot of her was taken. It was just after the celebrations between the signage of the peace treaties between Orb and PLANT. Her, Athrun, Kira and Lacus decided to sneak away from the milling crowds of politicians and reporters and lounge about in their own contentment a forgotten strip of a beach.

Kira and Lacus had gone off to buy some food while her and Athrun stayed back.

"Did you just take a picture of me, Mr. Athrun Zala!" she had been angry at him for doing that while she was in her reverie.

"I did and I'm keeping it." He gave her a sly smile. He dodged her when she tried to take the camera from him.

"Give it to me now!"

"If you want to see it then come and find me sometime."

She had given up, simply because she had been in such a jovial mood. She didn't expect him to really keep his word.

She touched the outline of the frame and set it back down. Did he really care for her this way? No one and absolutely no one would just randomly put a photograph of someone they didn't care about in their office. Her visits to many of the other Orb ministers' offices were proof of this. Usually it was pictures of their children, their families and sometimes their wives.

Cagalli bit her lip. How could he still care for her as much as he did now? She was so mean to him. Ruthless, unfair…she didn't notice the tears that started to spill down her cheeks till they touched her upper lip.

"Cagalli, are you here?" Athrun opened the door and saw the young woman clutching the photograph, staring at it intently. He expected her to burst into one of her moods and tell him off for using her as a decoration but she didn't utter a word. He came closer.

"Why, Athrun?" her voice was barely inaudible.

"What do you mean, Cagalli?"

Cagalli set the photo frame down but didn't turn to look at him.

"Why was I such a stupid little fool and tried to make myself believe that I could forget about you and marry that stupid bastard," She had never regretted a decision so much in her life. "I told myself that whatever happens, I will fight for what I believed in. That I will never give up on what I believed was right. What my heart told me to do."

Cagalli let out a sad laugh. "But what I did to you..." She bit her lip and fought her tears from streaming down. "...it was unforgivable. I finally understand now how you felt and why you said it. I was a stupid fool. I allowed them to use me like a puppet, to manipulate me into making the worst decision of my life."

She stood up with his back from him.

"You don't deserve someone like me, Athrun," she reached forward and set the photo frame face down. "You deserve someone who will care for you wholeheartedly, whose loyalty to you isn't divided by responsibilities and expectations. You deserve someone who's not me."

She couldn't take anymore and Cagalli, no matter how much it hurt her pride to do so, started to walk away from him in haste.

But Athrun caught hold of her arm halfway through.

"Let go, Athrun," she said, trying to fight his hold on her. But Athrun didn't let go, He tightened his grip even more and pulled her around to face him.

Calm, emerald pools met defiant, bronze ones.

"I love you, Cagalli,"

Everything went still. The clock stopped ticking, the dancing wind halted in its tracks. Even the autumn foliage crunching in the afternoon sun went as still as a statue. The only noise that could be heard: two beating hearts, one in rapid succession.

Cagalli took a step back, her hazel eyes as wide as a frightened prey caught in the trap. Athrun let her go slowly, allowing his hand to fall down his side. His gaze still lingered over hers. His eyes conveying everything that he felt...and hers.

"I..."

Athrun took a step forward.

"And nothing will change that," he said matter-of-factly, looking deep in her eyes. She couldn't look away. It was as if his beautiful emerald eyes had some sort of magnetic hold on her. She remained still.

"Our relationship was never perfect. There were so many circumstances that came and separated us. You, with Orb and me with..." he sighed in self-deprecation, "...my torn allegiances and my logic. I should've been with you through all that. I should never have left, thinking I could be a hero and change the world for the better. I should've remained with you and fought alongside you instead of fighting against you and everything that you believed in."

Athrun took another step forward, closing in the gap between them. They were mere inches apart and Cagalli thought that she would suffocate and faint.

"I was the one who let you down, Cagalli," he took her icy-cold hands. "Giving you a ring out of nowhere, thinking that it marked you as mine."

"No, Athrun," she stopped him before he could go on. Stuff her stupid pride. She loved that stupid fool. No matter what went between them she knew now that Athrun would always be a part of her. She wasn't about to let her country, no matter how much she loves it, get in the way of what she felt was right.

"I am yours," she finally let out. Biting her lip, she looked down. He pulled her towards him then, enveloping her in his strong arms. She dug her head in his chest, breathing in his masculine scent. She gripped his shirt.

"I'm sorry, Athrun, I am so so sorry," she mumbled against his chest. Athrun rested his chin on the top of her golden hair and gently stroked her back.

"I'm sorry too, Cagalli."

They remained as they are; content to be in each other's arms, knowing full well then that nothing else would be able to separate the bond of the lioness of Orb and her noble knight.

October City, PLANTs

"Kira, Kira!"

The brunette popped his head up from the open refrigerator with a biscuit in-between his teeth.

"What is it, Lacus?"

"Have you seen this?" The beautiful pink heiress waltzed in the room with a newspaper in hand. Kira scanned over the page she pointed to and dropped the biscuit.

"Cagalli and Athrun are..." Lacus smiled at the young Coordinator's surprised face. Who wouldn't be surprised anyway? It really did come out of the blue even though most were expecting or really, praying for it to happen sooner rather than later.

Kira smiled. Good for you, Cagalli. And good for you too, Athrun. I'm glad that both your dreams have finally come true.

A/N: I hope you all enjoyed that! It was a little longer than usual and perhaps even a bit unintentionally Angst-y. Nevertheless, I hope it was worth the read!

I've got an exciting new AsuCaga project that I am currently working on which will be an Anthology of what I label as 'in-between events' that went on that were not included in the anime. This includes something along the lines of little AsuCaga happenings during their time at Orb post-Gundam Seed (or after the First Bloody Valentine War), during the Seed times and also during Destiny.

More romance in those and less angst...hopefully ;)

Drop a review! It would seriously make my day!

ps. The photograph mentioned in the story is also this fic's cover image, for those who may not have guessed it earlier.

Till then,
All Aboard!