Disclaimer: No I do not own Gundam Seed. I do have three dollars if anyone is willing to sell it to me. Oh, and reviews are greatly appreciated seeing as how this is my first Gundam Seed fan fic. And another thing, I'm warning you now that God and Christianity will be mentioned in this story. If you have a problem with that, well I don't honestly care of you have a problem with it. It doesn't change anything. But don't go all nuts on me. That's not cool.

Two months before the attack on Heliopolis

Karalee Zala walked into the plush office and took a seat in one of the over-stuffed chairs pulled up next to the desk. She sat and waited for the man behind the desk to look up, so shelooked down at her nail polish to see if there were any chips. The man looked up after about a minute. "Ah, Karalee, it is good to see you again my dear," Patrick Zala said looking his daughter over. "I see you have been doing well since we last met."

Kara, which was the nickname bestowed upon her as a small child, glared at her father above the rim of her sunglasses. "Cut the crap Daddy," she said spitefully. "You and I both know perfectly well that you never send for me unless you want something." Kara tucked a stray lock of her dark blue hair that had fallen out of her barrette behind her ear and went back to inspecting her nails.

"Really Karalee, I can't just send for you so that the two of us can talk?" her father asked her feigning hurt.

"We don't talk," Kara said glaring at him. "All we ever do is argue. I really don't see why you chose to have me come live with you instead of Athrun. He always was so eager to do your biding. I, on the other hand, still never listen to you."

"You just proved why I chose you my dear," Patrick Zala said with a grin. "You have spirit, quite like me when I was your age."

"I am nothing like you," she said rising to her feet. "If you have no more to say, then I will be leaving now."

"Wait," he commanded as Kara started to turn the doorknob. "I have a present for you." This caused Kara to stop in her tracks. "It's sitting over there," he said pointing to a mahogany table along the far wall.

Kara looked at him suspiciously and walked over to the package. She slowly lifted the lid and inside sat a Zaft uniform. "What's the meaning of this?" she asked, her words laced with venom.

"A war is coming Karalee," he said calmly. "And I'll be hanged if my house does not support it. You are a coordinator and will fight alongside your fellow coordinators. You are already on officer my dear, a second lieutenant at that."

"You sick and twisted…" Kara began advancing towards him.

"I would not defy my commanding officer if I were you my pet," he said with a smirk. "There is a high penalty for treason in the Zaft army."

"I hate you!" she spat and grabbed the box and ran out the door, slamming it behind her. She marched down the stairs muttering curses under her breath. She hardly noticed another blue-haired coordinator walking up the stairs. He also was paying no attention, seeing as how he was staring at a note that had been sent to him from his father. The two collided with each other and both fell to the ground.

"I really sorry about that," the guy said standing up and offering his hand to help her stand as well. Then he got a good look at her. "Karalee?" he asked shocked. "Is it really you?"

"Athrun?" she asked hesitantly. Then all doubt left her. "Oh Athrun!" She flung her self into her brother's arms and clung to him for dear life. "I thought I'd never see you again!" she said. "And now here you are. How is Mother?"

Athrun loosened his grip around his sister. "She's gone Kara," he said softly. "She died in the Bloody Valentine tragedy."

"No…" Kara said softly as tears sprung into her emerald eyes. Then she looked Athrun over and saw his military uniform. "You joined Zaft!"

"I had to Kara," Athrun said softly. "Those naturals killed Mother. I can't just stand by and have them get away with it. Besides, Father is the leader of PLANT."

"I know you Athrun," Kara said staring into her brother's eyes, which were just a bit lighter shade of green than her own. "And I know Mother. She wouldn't have wanted you to join Zaft. You did this to please him didn't you?"

"I just want him to be proud of me Kara," Athrun said softly.

"I know," she said hugging him tightly. "Well, at least you joined by choice. I was forced. He went behind my back and signed me up, as an officer at that! I hate him Athrun. I've never hated anybody like I do him."

"Kara…" Athrun began with a sad smile. "Maybe we'll be together. We can hope for that, can't we?"

Kara gave her brother the same sad smile he'd given her. "Hope is all I have left Athrun. Hope that somehow coordinators and naturals will find peace, hope that I'll never hear news of your death in battle. But even hope is dwindling. We live in dark days and a red sun is rising, a sun red with blood."

Athrun took his sisters hand in his own and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I love you Kara. Now if I don't hurry I'll be late."

"I love you too," Kara said kissing his cheek. "Now go on and see that tyrant."

"How did you know…"

"I'm you twin remember? You always get that sad look on your face before seeing Father." With that Kara and Athrun parted ways.

Kara returned the big empty mansion that was her home and ran to her room. She gently lifted the uniform out of the box. "Red really isn't my color," she thought aloud. "I look so pale in it. Well, I suppose there's nothing that can be done about it. And do I really have to wear a skirt?"

"Miss?" a maid said poking her head in through the door. "Your lunch is ready."

"Bring it up here," Kara said not even looking at the maid. "I'm not in the mood to sit in that big empty dinning room all alone today."

The tray was brought to Kara's room and set on a mahogany table in the corner by the balcony. The maid pulled out the chair for Kara and Kara sat down. She looked at the food in front of her. "I despise meatloaf," she said airily. "Take it away. I'll go out somewhere for lunch." With that, Kara rose to her feet and walked out the door, grabbing her wallet from the dresser on her way out.

As she walked out the front door and down the marble steps, a motorcycle pulled up into the driveway. Kara smiled as the driver slowed to a stop about two feet from where she stood. "Hey gorgeous," the driver said as he removed his helmet, revealing his tanned skin and golden blond hair. "Need a lift?"

"You bet," Kara said with an almost sad smile. "I knew you'd come Dearka." Kara unbuttoned her cotton shirt, revealing the silky blue camisole underneath. Then she removed the barrette from her hair, letting it fall freely around her shoulders. She pulled a dark red lipstick from her pocket and applied a coat.

"Feel better?" he asked with a smirk.

"Much," she replied. "Now let's go. I'm starving."

Dearka Elthman tossed his girlfriend a helmet. He'd met Karalee when he'd moved to the PLANT colony. He'd immediately taken an interest to the beautiful coordinator. Her perfect hourglass figure was enough to make any guy drool. Then there were her stunning green eyes; Dearka swore at times that she could see right into his soul with one glance. Yes, her looks had attracted Dearka's attention. But he found himself falling for her, all of her, hard and fast. She was smart, funny, sassy, and could be as sweet as a ray of sunshine or as sour as a premature lemon. Heaven help the man who broke that girl's heart, and Dearka certainly knew that it wouldn't be him. She was a fifth degree black belt, and could box better than most guys he knew.

Kara slipped on the helmet and climbed on the back of the bike. She wrapped her arms securely around Dearka's waist and rested her head against his shoulder. When she'd first met Dearka she thought he was some pretty boy who thought he was all that. Then she'd caught him putting a baby bird back in its nest after falling out. He was even talking to it in an adorable little singsong voice. She saw past his rough exterior and decided to give him a chance. She agreed to go out with him on a date and she'd ended up laughing like she hadn't since she was ten-years-old. That one date led to another, and then another, and before they both knew it they were in a full-blown relationship. He had managed to fill an empty place in her life, and her heart.

Dearka restarted the bike and they left the mansion behind. He was taking her to their favorite little Italian restaurant that made the best spaghetti on the entire colony. Kara could eat spaghetti until it was coming out of her ears. Suddenly he felt Kara tighten her grip around him. He knew that she wanted to talk about what had happened with her dad. If he could he would have squeezed her hand, but that might result in them getting in a wreck and neither of them would enjoy that.

As Dearka pulled into a parking space, Kara felt tears sting the corners of her eyes. The morning's events were catching up with her. While he climbed off the bike, Kara remained seated and took off her helmet. Dearka took his off as well so he could get a good look at her. He could see the tears course down her cheeks leaving shiny trails. "Baby don't cry," he said gently wiping her tears away with his thumbs. "It couldn't have been that bad."

"Oh Dearka!" she sobbed. "He forced me to join Zaft! And there's nothing I can do about it! And to top it all off I saw my brother again and found out that my mother died, which my father did not find appropriate to tell me! And then they tried to get me to eat meatloaf! And I HATE meatloaf!" Kara sobbed as if her heart was breaking. It hurt Dearka to see her in so much pain. He helped her stand and then pulled her into his arms. Kara accepted his embrace and rested her head against his shoulder.

"It's okay," he whispered soothingly in her ear. "Everything's gonna be just fine. I promise."

"Nothing's going to be the same ever again," Kara said sadly.

Dearka kissed the tears from her cheeks lightly. "Change can be a good thing baby," he told her smiling softly. "And the sun will rise again." Kara kissed him softly on the lips and then took his hand in hers.

"Come on," she said leading him towards the restaurant. "All that crying made me hungry and spaghetti sounds pretty good right now."

Dearka gave her a small smile, suddenly feeling really guilty. He hadn't told her yet that he too had joined Zaft, let alone that he was leaving in two days to join the Le Creuset team. He'd been putting off telling her for two weeks. There were just so many reasons every time he saw her not to tell her. He'd been waiting for the perfect moment to break the news to her. He had to do it soon.

They walked into the restaurant and Kara went to the bathroom to wash her face while Dearka was shown to a table. Kara joined him after about two minutes. "I got you iced tea to drink," he told her as she took her seat.

"You know what I like," she said with a sigh. "So what do you want to tell me?"

"What makes you think I have something to tell you?"

"The way you chew on the corner of your lip when you think I'm not looking," Kara explained with a little smirk.

"Marry me." Dearka said suddenly.

"What?"

"You heard me Karalee," he told her seriously. "I want you to marry me."

"Dearka we're only sixteen," Kara said with a confused look on her face. "We can't get married. We have our whole lives ahead of us."

"Kara, I joined Zaft too," Dearka stated with an alarming calmness. "I'm going to be a mobile suit pilot and there's no guarantee that I'm going to live through this war. There's no guarantee that you'll live through this war. So, why not get married? If we have to die, why not live a little first?"

"Dearka," Kara said quietly. "I can't marry you. When I get married, it's going to be for forever, not just a final fling before I die or become a widow at the age of sixteen or seventeen. I love you. You know that. But I'm not ready to be a wife. It's different form being a girlfriend."

Dearka pulled a ring box out of his pocket. "This is a promise ring," he explained lifting the lid revealing a silver band with a single small diamond. "If we live through this war, I want to marry you and be with you forever. So, I'm going to give you this ring, to remind you of me and my love for you."

Kara nodded and held out her left hand. Dearka slipped the cool band on her ring finger. "I love you," Kara told him as the waiter appeared and set down their plates of spaghetti.

"I love you too," he assured her. But as he was about to take a bite of his spaghetti, Kara stopped him.

"If you're going to marry me someday," she said seriously. "You're going to have to accept my faith. You know I always thank God before a meal." Dearka gave a little sigh and then took her hand and they both bowed their heads as Kara said a simple prayer thanking God for their food. Dearka hadn't expected Kara to be a Christian when he'd first met her. She didn't act all holy or anything. She was really down to earth and she didn't beat people over the head with her faith. He didn't really understand it all, but in his opinion, there had to be a God because Kara was his angel.