Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed and Gundam Seed Destiny.

A/N: Ah. Everyone seems to have their own version. It is because this is the only thing we have. No romance. Eh… I try.

Comments, suggestions, grammar correction and constructive criticisms are also loved. Tnx.

Rated – T for language and themes.

" " for speech
Italic for flashbacks, thoughts, and opinions.

Hero: Chapter 1: Trembling Hands

Vice Foreign Minister of Atlantic Federation, George Allster, had always been a busy man. He was one of those single parents whose job forces him to be rarely home for his family. Working the whole day, traveling the next, and rarely having any breaks; this was one of those perks that came with being a high ranking official in the government.

In order to support his family, for him, this was one those sacrifices, which he just had to do due to his unconditional love for his daughter, his most precious.

Flay, his daughter, happens to be the only family he has left after his wife had passed away. Instantly, after the horrible incident, Flay has become the world to him and him to her.

Thus, it has always pained him for having to leave her home alone mostly everyday, but Flay being a reasonable daughter never complained it to be unfair. All right, maybe she did whine about it a couple of few times. After all, he was her father and she, his only daughter. Would it not be right for them to spend more time together then him always leaving her alone for work?

But the time came when Flay finally came to realize- what he was doing has been for the benefit of them both. Thus, though limited, patiently, she waits for the phone call he makes everyday.

So when Flay had heard the news about her father coming home to see her after a long business trip, the girl just could not help but be excited about being able see him again.

As to every child who loves their parent, she had missed him very much.

Quickly, after lunch, Flay arrived to her room, digging through her wardrobe with giddy. The broach, hair pins, dress, jewelry, and shoes, every little thing that caught her eyes had nearly been bought for her by the loving George Allster, and she had walked around in each several times debating which one to wear.

A signified daddy's girl, Flay Allster has taken upon herself to dress up for her father and look good for him in front of his colleagues to show off and be proud of.

Flay smiled approvingly as she walked around in a little circle, trying to search for any flaw on her dress in the three-way mirror while smoothing the fabric that felt and fit wonderful against her skin.

Seeing nothing but perfection, Flay nodded to herself, and quickly took off with poise in search for George Allster.

Flay had a smile on her face as she walked down the corridors. Occasionally, she reached up and adjusted the frail blue ribbon on her hair.

"…just because of those artificial genes, they act and think they are far superior to us Naturals." A man was saying. Flay froze in mid step and looked around. The voices were coming from the next room, and she paused in front of the door.

"They are monsters. There is nothing natural about them."

"Coordinators and their colonies hovering above us Naturals from space, acting like Gods!"

"Hmph. What else should we expect from those Coordinators?"

Slowly, Flay pushed the wooden door open. Inside the room where five adult males in business attire entering through their front door, one happens to be her dad. Flay lit up at the sight of him at the same time George Allster brightened up at the sight of her. He dropped his suitcase and smiled warmly.

"Ah. Here is my little princess." He smiled, held out his arms, expecting her to run into his loving embrace. He too had missed her so much.

Flay was only too happy to comply and run towards him. She rushed from five meters to seven; from seven to thirteen; and inexplicable, the distance continued to grow farther. "Daddy!" Flay cried, holding out an arm, unable to understand why they were suddenly drifting apart.

Slowly…

In the cold, deep, darkness of the empty space.

The image of her father was soon replaced by an image of a shuttle, followed by an explosion that wiped everything into complete nothingness right before her very eyes.

Allster manor, as to this day, will never brighten up ever again.

00000

Smokey gray eyes slowly flew open. She blinked once, twice as the room's features came into focus. Flay breathed heavily as tears began to roll down her cheeks at the painful reality.

Her father, the one she held closest to her heart, the only family she has left, was now gone. Never again will she be able to hear his voice. Never again would she see his smiling face. Never again would she able to hold him.

Daddy… Flay curved into a ball, grabbing hold of anything she could get her hands on. Her heart took a painful drop. She felt heavy and weak that she could not help but feel an awful pain in her stomach. Suddenly, she felt like wanting to vomit.

"Ah. So you are awake."

Daddy's voice.

It couldn't be…

Flay's eyes shot open so deliberately fast that it hurt. It was at that moment did she realize she was grabbing hold on white sheets, laying on bed inside an unfamiliar room, fully clothed, of course, in earth alliance uniform.

Slowly, she scanned the room, trailing to where she had heard her father's voice from.

From where she lay, Flay decided to pull herself up into a sitting position when she came face to face with a man wearing a mask, sitting on a chair across from her, not too far away.

Calmly, he was staring at her. Flay knew despite the mask covering half of his face.

The man had this creepy smirk formed on his lips, which has stricken immediate fear into her very core, but what had caught her attention most was the white uniform he wore where ZAFT's emblem was clearly visible on either side of the upper sleeve of the uniform.

The enemy!

Flay snapped. Instincts made her scrambled quickly in search for anything that could protect her from him. In the nearest drawer, she managed to pull out a gun. And with trembling hands, quickly aimed it at the man, who made not a single move to stop her.

Despite the fact that he could have a bullet inside his head any minute, the guy wearing a mask was surprisingly calm. Was it the fact she was obviously inexperience and had never actually shot a man before? Or could it be that he was simply unafraid of death? Flay couldn't have cared less.

"There is no need to be hasty, my dear. I have no intentions of hurting you."

That voice. There was no mistaking it. The tone of this man's voice sounds so much like her father's that it disgusted her!

Just by hearing this man speak never fails to remind her so much of her beloved father. It was utterly painful; a direct jab into her heart, remembering how the shuttle he was on exploded in front of her. Unable to stop the hot tears that have been forming in her eyes, Flay held onto the gun tighter.

Still with trembling hands, half scared- half daring, "T- Take me to…. the archangel!" Flay demanded. She was either stupid or really determined to be asking something, which she already knew was impossible. "I- I beg of you…"

Commander Rau Le Creuset, though unnoticeable behind his mask, raised a curios eyebrow. Who is this girl? What is her connection to that legged ship? Why had he found her wondering around Josh-A? Could she be the key that he has been searching for? Le Creuset smirked at his luck. It was a just matter of time and the simplicity of playing his cards right.

Deciding not to move from his place, "I'm afraid that is not possible." He answered the frantic girl calmly. He was trying not to startle her, but strangely enough, she kept fidgeting every time he spoke.

Slowly, Flay made her way across the room with caution, hoping to reach the door with gun still pointed at the man's head, though partially impossible to be done, all Flay could think of was- wanting to get out of there; out to where ever; just away from this place; away from this man!

However, before she could have reached it, as of on cue, the only exit on the room slid open when another ZAFT military solider entered the room.

"Commander, you wanted t-….." A male about her age entered before stopping on his tracks. His brow furrowed. The look he gave was a mixture of anger and disbelief at the scene taking place in front of him.

Another one of these filthy coordinators!

Frantically, "Don't- don't step any closer or I'll shoot!" Flay threatened, cautiously circling the room. Eyes on the younger ZAFT soldier; trembling gun aimed at the ZAFT commander.

Watching Flay trembling in fear, "My dear, there is no need to be afraid." The ZAFT commander stood up from his chair and took a step closer towards Flay, which she took a step back.

"I- said stay back!" Flay yelled.

How could something so filthy have the same voice as her father?

"It's all right. Calm down."

Daddy's voice!

"Shut up!" Flay shook her head.

It's her daddy's voice!

NO! IT'S NOT! HER FATHER IS DEAD!

Then whose voice is this?

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!"

Unable to stand it no longer, "You have no right!" She yelled at him. Impulsively, Flay rashly pulled the trigger, aiming right for the ZAFT Commander's head. Unlike now, perhaps he would shut up when his dead. Her hopes were dashed, however, when the bullet had missed by approximately six inches from the man's head.

Furthermore, what she had done has proven to be a big mistake, Flay soon found out, when the other soldier took this opportunity to lunge at her.

When Flay tried to escape, she felt her self being yanked back and then forward again, thrown by the aggressive ZAFT solider.

He was able to catch her wrist with little effort and twisting it just enough to cause her mild pain to loosen the gun that she felt being pried away from her fist just as she felt her body being pushed back, and then slammed against a solid wall with the young man in front of her, pressing a blade to her throat.

That was when she finally woke up and fear broke in. She had come face to face with the enemy! His face was so close that all she took notice was the large horrible red ugly scar against his pale skin and the blade, which was so close to slashing her throat.

One false move… Flay breathed hard…. And it would be the end of her.

All of the sudden, in Flay's eyes, everything seems to be running in slow motion. Frightening guy with an ugly scar holding knife so close to her throat. Knife so close to her throat… knife in her throat…. Scar… knife… She could no longer think clearly.

Deep breathing. Inhale. Exhale. She could hear nothing else, but her own breathing echoing through her ears.

What had happened next, Flay was not sure because the guy with the scar had roughly released her. Ordered by his superior, perhaps, because he looked angry, pissed beyond belief, and definitely intimidating. He threw a hard glare at her direction with those piercing blue eyes of his full of disgusts before following his Commander out from the room, leaving her alone.

The moment the two ZAFT soldiers had left.

Catatonic, Flay closed her eyes. Suddenly losing her all strength, her legs gave in, and her back slid down, accordingly, against the solid wall behind her until she was sitting on the cold steel floor, completely shaken. The painful truth was finally sinking in.

She was now in inside enemy territory, taken as a prisoner. No longer was she inside the Archangel. No longer was Kira there to protect her. Her father's gone. Sai would no longer take her back. Even Miriallia disapproves of her. And now, she was alone, completely helpless, in the mercy of those who killed her father.

What have she ever done to deserve all of these?

Doing the only thing she could do. She cried.