Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Gundam Seed.

A/C: This is one of my first KiraRaku stories. Enjoy. (Also, I changed my account from Cedahlia, to The Alice Theory, and finally to this one. Sorry for the confusion.)

This Will Do
She haunted his dreams. Or, rather, nightmares. Because he was always crying when he would mumble her name and clutch the sheets closer to him, knuckles white from tension.

The nightmares always came. No matter what she did to comfort him, his subconscious always turned toward the red-haired girl who had somehow taken such a large piece of his heart that he could never fully heal. Lacus would not voice her pain, but it hurt. It hurt knowing that she could seemingly do nothing to help him.

As she lay by his side, pink hair tangled and itching against her shoulders in the summer heat, she watched him as he slept. She had never known a peaceful Kira as the young woman whom she had met only briefly had. Lacus had only ever known Kira as he was immersed in the war.

Yet the first time she had laid eyes on him, she had known he had a kind soul. Kira was gentle and soft-spoken, and so much more easier to read than Athrun...yes, she had found herself comparing him to her fiancee. And when he was injured and brought to her home, Lacus couldn't deny it anymore: she was attracted to him. He might not have known it, but the talks they had then sparked her determination to help in the war. She couldn't sit by and watch innocent people die anymore.

And when she entered the fight, fate brought the two together again. It had to be fate. They shared the same ideals, the same visions for the future, and she found herself ending up coming face to face with him again and again, fighting by his side, and comforting him when he fell apart. And though she kept her composure and stayed strong for the sake of those around her, inside she was almost scared. The overwhelming feelings he awoke in her were so powerful.

Lacus Clyne could handle war. She could handle death. If you threw a crisis at her, she could see past the suffering and losses long enough to get everyone through safely. But her own raw emotions? They threw her off completely. She reflected on how she felt back then, and turned over onto her stomache, away from Kira. Lacus took care not to move the bed too much. Her eyes stung. Had she made the right choices?

Of course she had, was the automatic answer that came to mind. She loved Kira. Loved him with all her heart and soul. Even if he didn't feel the same way about her, she knew there would be no one else out there who was right for her. No one else could understand her need to appear strong and confident, for security, or her need to reach out and share other's pain. They would never comprehend her overwhelming grief at not being able to do more for the world or for her people. Or her own disgust at herself for even thinking about herself too much right now, when the one she claimed to love the most was by her side and filled with heartache.

She set aside those painful thoughts and turned toward him once more. A deep frown was etched on his face, as if it would remain there for all eternity. He needed her now more than ever. Kira had made no promises; he was still trying to heal. She understood and accepted that. Despite her own insecurities and doubts, Lacus didn't need sweet nothings whispered in her ear, diamond rings or bold confessions of love. There was no need for roses or boxes of chocolates wrapped in ribbons.

All she needed to know was that he wanted her here, next to him. That she wasn't useless. If she knew she was wanted, then Lacus could wait forever for the night when his heart was pieced back together, ready to be given to her.

And as he cried out from whatever hellish image he was facing in his mind, she reached out, gently touched his face and smiled. This would do for now.