Greetings minna! I'm finally back with an update for our fave Athrun Zala mystery fic. Lol...I beat myself up trying to come up with the plot to this chapter and I just have to say that boy am I tired. Lol...This chapter will be mainly LunaMaria X Auel centered and will lightly touch on who the suspects are in this mystery. Chapter 21 will be the one with the questioning, so for now...I bring to you Auel messing with Luna's head for this chapter and I hope it makes you laugh as much as it made me laugh. Lol

Disclaimer: I do not own GS, GSD, or any of the Athrun and Cagalli hotness you are about to witness...it would be nice if I did ne? Lol

-The Zala Files- Chapter 20: DDR pt. I: El Tango de LunaMaria -

-December City. March 11th,CE 75. Location: Archangel Dance Studio. Time: 3pm -

Auel stood outside the dance studio impatiently awaiting Athrun's arrival. He had gotten there just in time to see the police and forensics people removing the body from the office. As expected, this studio was chock full of women...teachers and students; with the exception of one man...the ballet's patron...Lieutenant Mu LaFlaga of the Orb forces.

Stellar, in the meantime; stood not that far away from the light blue haired boy...her eyes all red and puffy as she had obviously been crying. Auel wanted so much to go over there and comfort her, but he knew it was no longer his place to do that...as much as it pained him to admit that. He looked around amidst the chaos that was going on around him and shook his head as his inner-self muttered: "Where the hell is that bastard Shinn?!"... "Why wasn't he here to comfort her as soon as this happened?!" He glanced back over at Stellar's sad face and thought: "To hell with him!"... "If I feel like hugging and comforting her as a friend, then I will." Just as he was about to head over to comfort the shaken up blonde girl in front of him, who else but Shinn came dashing to her side, hugging her really tight and wiping away her tears with his fingers as he gently stroked her hair. It was here that Auel noticed the ruby-eyed boy flash his signature death glare in his direction and heaved a heavy sigh as he ultimately decided to back off, since he was in no mood to fight with idiots today. Just as he was heading back to sit on a nearby bench, he noticed Athrun and Cagalli come driving up into the parking lot. He waved them over to where he was standing and proceeded to go over some things that he had learned had happened with Athrun.

The emerald-eyed sleuth nodded: "I see...so five suspects again huh?"

The blue-eyed boy nodded and pointed to everyone he had gathered outside for Athrun to question, who were now all busy chatting amongst themselves: "Over there is one of the ballet's patrons...Lieutenant Mu LaFlaga of the Orb military, his fiancée, co-owner/teacher, and former Captain of Orb's Archangel; Murrue Ramius...Talia Gladys, dance instructor and former Captain of the ZAFT ship Minerva...of course let's not forget Stellar since she's the one that found the body, and..." He glared in Shinn's direction: "That bastard."

Athrun chuckled and shook his head: "He has a name too you know?"

Auel responded with a huff: "Yeah sure...but he who throws someone in jail, doesn't feed him for nearly two weeks, and then proceeds to steal his girlfriend doesn't seem worthy of any names to me other then bastard and/or asshole." He glanced back over his shoulder at the ruby-eyed Coordinator who was still busy comforting the sobbing Stellar and shook his head: "I really screwed up didn't I?" He plopped down on the bench that was next to them and placed his head in his hands.

Athrun placed a supportive hand on his friend's shoulder and smiled warmly: "You didn't screw up Auel-san, you just waited until you thought she would be more comfortable. She was the one who decided to start going out with him...that was her decision, so you have to stop beating yourself up about it."... "Believe me, there are a lot of people who want to smack the crap outta that loud-mouthed brat...myself included I might add...but you just have to learn how to ignore him when he talks...once you get that down, it's so much more fun to mess with him."

Auel nodded and glanced at Cagalli; who nodded and smirked in response to Athrun's statement: "One day you'll get to see me hit that kid. Trust me...I'll make it worth your wait."

Auel chuckled: "Thank you Lady Cagalli...I appreciate that."

Cagalli grinned mischievously as she asked: "Why don't you get that girl...Meyrin-san's sister LunaMaria to fool around with you again and see if it makes Stellar jealous?"

Auel turned a slight red as he remembered everything that had transpired between himself and Luna that night. He laughed to cover up his embarrassment: "N-No....that won't be necessary. I don't think I'll be seeing too much of her anymore anyways." He delicately fingered the pink silk handkerchief in his pocket that Luna had used to patch up his wound from the last case they'd just worked on. He knew he had to get this back to her, but since he had no idea where to find her or how to get a hold of Miss Meyrin for her sister's current address until she arrived home from visiting her parents, thus he was stuck holding onto it for the time being.

It was in the middle of these fleeting thoughts of his that he noticed Cagalli smirk like a cat that had just caught a bird: "Won't be seeing too much of her anymore huh?"... "Well...guess who just drove into the parking lot?"

Both Auel and Athrun turned their heads in time to notice the Hawke sisters come pulling into the crowded parking lot in Luna's sleek red convertible.

Auel's baby-blue eyes widened in shock as he noticed the necklace around her neck was still there, but hanging a little lower than usual as she was wearing it on a different chain. Along with the necklace, she wore a lacy black tank top and red plaid pleated mini skirt...her black flip flops making a scuffing noise as she walked across the pavement, her sister Meyrin at her heels wearing something similar except that she wore a white peasant top, as she wasn't as keen as Luna was with showing off her chest to everyone. He stopped eying her long enough to notice her stop cold when she saw he was there, briefly gave him the eye as well, blush slightly, then turned her back to him angrily.

Auel, Athrun, Cagalli, and even Meyrin looked puzzled as to why LunaMaria appeared to be so angry. Meyrin decided then to break the icy cold silence by greeting everyone cheerfully: "Hi Athrun-san...Lady Cagalli...Auel-san."... "How are things?"... "I'm sorry I couldn't help out with the last case, but I hear everything went well."

Athrun nodded and smiled: "Yes...we caught the culprit and he's now serving the time in prison that he deserves."

Meyrin nodded, he magenta pigtails bouncing as she did so: "Yup...I heard that from nee-chan. I also heard that he used to be a partner of Auel-san's and that Auel-san used to be an assassin."

Before Auel or anyone else could open their mouths to explain, Luna chimed in an irritated tone: "Yes...he "used to be" an assassin, just like he "used to be" that culprit's partner...my question is...is that all...or are there more secrets he's hiding from us?"... "Apparently someone likes to leave out important details of his life when he's trying to pick up girls."

Auel felt his face heat up in embarrassment as he hissed: "I wasn't trying to pick up any girls...they find me."... "Wait...what am I doing?"... "I don't need to explain anything to you...I don't owe you an explanation of any kind. I didn't do anything wrong...you just assumed that I was that person because you were upset and I...!"

Before he could finish his sentence, Auel felt a big slap across his face from LunaMaria, who looked into his eyes...her own filled with a mixture of sadness and rage; before then taking off inside the dance studio. Once she was out of earshot and in the small back changing room of the dance hall; she smirked at herself in the mirror: "I'm not just good...I'm scary good."... "They didn't call me the best actress in drama club for nothing."... "Now to put my ZAFT interrogation skills to good use. I'll find out for real if he is who I think he is."

It was at this point that Auel came dashing into the back room, out of breath and looking genuinely worried as he asked in an exasperated tone: "What's wrong?!"... "What was that back there?!"

Luna eyed him angrily: "How about you tell me some more stuff about yourself first?"... "Like...are you a high-ranking mobile suit pilot bent on world domination...a spy who sleeps with any woman that happens to catch his eye?"

The blue-eyed boy , fed up with this woman's roller-coaster ride of emotions; slammed both his hands against the wall he had just pinned her up against, one hand near one side of her face, the other near the other side as he spoke in an icy cool tone with a slight smirk on his face: "As a matter-of-fact I am a high ranking mobile suit pilot, but I'm not bent on world domination...I'd see your man Shinn on that one." He noticed her blush slightly as he leaned closer...she probably wasn't expecting this, so he decided to take advantage of this: "A spy who sleeps with any woman who catches his eye?" He casually brushed her bangs from her amethyst eyes, his lips inches away from hers: "That would be nice...but sadly that isn't me. If a woman happens to like me....it's because...I'm me." He whispered that as his lips were practically on hers.

LunaMaria, in the meantime; was struggling desperately to resist the urge to kiss the lips that were so dangerously close to hers. She pulled back slightly and averted her gaze to the floor: "So...you're telling me that girls really fall all over you just because you be yourself?"

Auel eyed her and tilted her chin, bringing their lips close once again and smirked: "That's exactly what I'm saying...plus...it doesn't hurt if you happen to be a great dancer."

Luna, her pulse now racing; raised a curious eyebrow and asked: "A-and why is that?"

Auel simply smiled mischievously: "I think you already know why."

LunaMaria then felt the boy in front of her place a soft kiss upon her forehead...and for some reason, she felt a little disappointed: "Why do you always dodge questions like these?!"... "Is it really that hard for you to admit?!"... "Or are you too embarrassed to admit that you took advantage of an innocent girl that night?!"

Auel, who was just about to walk out the door; took a deep breath to keep from screaming, turned to face her once again, and then began walking slowly towards her.

The cunning LunaMaria smirked, confident that she now had him right where she wanted him, but instead he met her gaze, and replied in a cool and calm tone, an intense look in his baby blue eyes and a slight smirk on his face: "Let's not forget that you took something from me too that night...something I can never get back." His eyes then widened as as he suddenly felt her hands slide under his shirt.

LunaMaria smirked: "So that's how you're gonna play it huh?"... "Well...if you want it back so badly..." She then drew him close and kissed him feverishly, while under his black dress shirt; she delicately trailed her fingers down his bare chest, causing him to shiver and blush slightly. She finally broke the kiss after what seemed like forever to Auel, and finished her sentence: "...try and take it...that is...if you think you can."

Auel watched as she turned to leave, and right before she could, he grabber her arm and spun her back into his arms, giving her the same deadly kiss he had given her the other day when he was trying to make Stellar jealous, his hands too trailed up her shirt and he blushed slightly as he heard Luna moan slightly as one of his wandering hands was now touching her chest. He then broke his devastatingly long kiss, stopping himself from taking things too far. Both now stood there staring at each other and panting for air as he redid the buttons on his shirt that she had somehow managed to undo. He then smiled coolly as he glanced at her flushed and confused face over his shoulder: "I believe I just did."

Okies everyone...that's the end of this chapter. Lol....So...did anyone see that coming?!...we now know that the person Luna was talking about sleeping with that one night that she couldn't remember just has to be Auel. Lol...Poor Luna...Auel is going to have a lot more fun messing with her head before this mystery is over. What kinds of questions will Athrun ask the suspects?... and will poor Luna go out of her mind trying to get the answer she wants from Auel? Lol...Well...you'll just have to wait until the next installment to find out. Lol Anyways..please...please review and I'll never be this late with an update ever again. Lol...Athrun, Cagalli, and this busy little author would greatly appreciate all the wonderful reviews and comments we can get. -lol- Till next chapter then...see ya everyone! -waves and smiles-