I do NOT own Gundam Seed/Destiny

Protecting Freedom

Chapter ONE- Target Established

His fingers drummed impatiently on the hard surface of the table and after a moment his dark eyes glanced at the clock in the corner of the room. He sighed checking its accuracy against his own wristwatch and discovered that the clock was actually behind by two minutes. Glancing at the fourteen other people gathered he quickly took note of their impatience and in some cases nervousness. Wolf seemed particularly impatient while Lace seemed to becoming angered at the lack of punctuality of their final member. Finally Wolf snapped and stood pointing a meaty finger at the clock.

"Where is that bastard! He's twelve minutes late! Twelve!"

"Ten actually." Atlas corrected. "That clock is incorrect."

Wolf glared at Atlas who calmly leaned back in his chair knitting his fingers behind his head. Atlas was a young coordinator who had been a pilot in the past few wars. Not that they were all pilots. Wolf was actually a man more comfortable behind a desk and Lace was a famous novelist. Suddenly the door opened and a man walked in seeming not to be the least bit uncomfortable about the fact that he was late.

"I'm here. We can start."

"You're late Fasts!" Fasts pushed the bridge of his glasses up and examined the fourteen faces of everyone seated.

"I won't apologize. If I had left any earlier my absence would've been noticed." Wolf was biting the inside of his cheek his face darkening to a red.

"Whatever!" Lace shouted "Lets start! I want to get this over with!" Everyone nodded in agreement and Atlas stretched grinning. Fasts took his seat at the table and Wolf recomposed himself straightening his suit. Monarch, the man who was seated at the head of the table, stood his hands clasped behind his back.

"Please do not write anything down. Keep everything we discuss and learn up here." Monarch tapped his temple and gave everyone a brief glance "This being our seventh meeting I don't believe I have to tell you this but just in case… We mustn't be found out. Do not breathe a word of what we're doing to your family, friends or people you believe can help. The more people the greater chance of being discovered…" Monarch took a deep breath and nodded to them before seating himself.

"Atlas what do you know about the Freedom?"

"The mobile suit?" The young coordinator asked though he didn't wait for a response. "Well I know that I personally can't beat it. That and if you so much as breathe the word 'Freedom' people will know what your talking about." Atlas yawned and cracked his fingers. "It's become quite the legend." Monarch frowned at Atlas.

"How long would you be able to hold off the Freedom if you engaged it in battle?" Atlas laughed.

"I may be good and I may be an ace but the Freedom takes such sudden and breathtaking leaps in power, experience and skill that I simply can't compete anymore." Then Atlas froze. "Why are we discussing this?"

"Our first target." Monarch hissed. "Is the Pilot of the Freedom…" Monarch slid a file down the table and into Atlas's hands. "Kira Yamato!." Atlas pulled out a photo of a skinny, late teens boy who looked nothing like he'd imaged the Freedom pilot to appear. He had expected someone older, rougher and more built… but this kids eyes, Kira Yamato's eyes, were…

"How recent is this photo?" He asked

"Four days old." Monarch said grinning broadly. "And he's going to be the first of many to fall."

"He looks so…" Atlas felt his enthusiasm die as he stared at the photo. Wolf yanked the photo away from him.

"Since we can't beat the Freedom…Just kill the pilot while he's not expecting it? Simple. I like it. I'll hire someone right away." Atlas blinked at where the photo had been in his hands a moment before.

"Kira."

Kira leaned on the windowsill enjoying the nice cool breeze that had found its way from the ocean and through the window. Today had been a hot day and while he wasn't quite sure if he liked it or not he did however know that he enjoyed the treats like ice cream and lemonade that accompanied the scorching heat. However as nice as that all was he only got to stare outdoors for a little while longer before someone grabbed his arm yanking him away from the window. Stumbling and slightly off balance he regained his footing only to receive a glare from Athrun which he kindly returned.

"What's with you?" They both said simultaneously. Shinn who had been passing the room froze in mid-motion only to realize that he wasn't the one they were talking to. Looking relived he went about his business only now he wore a slightly guilty look. 'He's up to something.' Kira thought following the boy with his gaze till he was out of sight. Athrun however had completely ignored the young pilot.

"Kira. Have you looked at yourself lately? Everyone's getting worried?"

"Worried?" He asked "Worried about what?"

"You look like you were hit by a bus." Athrun growled "When's the last time you've slept? Lacus is really getting concerned and I can see why."

"Lacus? She's getting-" He cut himself off to stare at Shinn as he was passing by the room. This time however he was avoiding them and Kira watched almost disbelieving as he tried to sneak past them without being noticed. Wasn't he trained on how to appear inconspicuous? That was when he noticed the ice cream in his hands. 'That's mine isn't it?' he thought sighing "Shinn you can have it." Shinn paused and opened his mouth several times before saying a subdued 'Thanks' and carrying on. Athrun frowned at the sudden change in topic.

"Kira!" Kira looked at his best friend.

"Did you want ice cream too? Unfortunately I believe that that was the last bowl." He knew that wasn't what Athrun wanted and yanked his arm away walking to the living room. He watched out of the corner of his eyes as Athrun gave him 'the look.' The look that said 'Get serious or else you'll regret not taking who I am, what we're talking about and what I care about seriously.' Yeah you wouldn't think there's a look for that but Athrun had found it and Kira hated that look. Walking to a near chair he threw himself in it closing his eyes.

"You can't ignore me." Athrun stated remaining standing.

"This again. You did this all the time when we were younger"

"Yes because you always tried to ignore me!"

"Tried…" He whispered keeping his eyes closed. "But I don't want to talk about it."

"Well that's too bad. What's going on?" Kira opened his eyes staring at his childhood friend.

"I don't want to talk about it but seeing as you wont leave me alone…" He sighed when he heard laughter outside and a sharp playful scream that was followed by bubbling giggles. Trying not to get distracted and leave Athrun standing there in silence for too great a time he said slowly "I have that… feeling." Athrun narrowed his eyes trying to understand.

"Feeling?" Kira ran a hand over his face. He didn't want to elaborate and he decided not to. Lowering his eyes and his voice he said. "You'd look after Lacus right? If anything were to happen to me."

"Of course." Athrun said his tone taking a softer edge "But nothing is going to happen to you." Kira opened his palm when Birdy flew in through the window allowing it to land. Athrun watched him for a while and Kira raised his eyes to stare at the Justice Pilot.

"I'm not feeling well…you should go outside. Cagalli came with you right?" Athrun nodded and he continued before his friend could say anything "She doesn't have many days off…Especially on nice days like these…you guys should go have fun." Athrun sighed and rubbed his temples before taking a seat nearby. He sounded weary when he spoke next.

"I barely get the chance to hang out with you anymore…I see Cagalli every day...Though I love her there are days, like these, where I just want to sit back and relax...with my best friend nearby." Kira sighed smiling.

"That was a tad sappy…especially for you." Athrun grinned grabbing the remote.

"Someone had to say it."
Shinn stared at the empty bowl where the ice cream had been not even a moment ago. He looked at Cagalli as she licked her lips happily a broad grin on her face.

"That was mine." He growled

"No. It was mine. You lost the bet so you had to pay up with something."

"I would've given you money."

"I didn't want money." Shinn sighed putting the bowl in the sand.

"Tomorrow I'll try again and this time if I win you're going to buy me ice cream" Cagalli nodded agreeing.

"And you'll have to buy me some if you lose!"

"I'll win." Cagalli laughed out loud.

"Why don't you just admit it? He intimidates you!" Shinn felt himself stiffen.

"He does not! He's just hard to piss off!"

"Not if you know him." Cagalli taunted. "Which you don't! Which is why I know that come tomorrow you'll fail to provoke him. Again! Resulting in me getting Ice cream!"

"I'm not intimidated by him." Shinn said after a moment. "And just you wait I'll get him angry." Cagalli sighed patting his shoulders.

"You can try. You can try. But trust me you wont."

"He's a human being! There's bound to be something to make him angry!"

"My brother." Cagalli said standing and brushing sand off her shirt. "Is a pacifist." Shinn sat there watching as the head representative of Orb marched her way to the house.

"I don't know if I quite agree with that." He muttered to a near crab. "In fact I don't quite agree with that at all."

Athrun glanced at Kira a few times trying to see if he could figure out why his friend hadn't spoken in the last half hour.

"Kira? Did you finally fall asleep? Kiiira?" Not getting a response he hauled himself up out of the chair to check. Kneeling he could see that Kira's eyes were closed, his limbs had relaxed and the steady rise and fall of his chest indicated that he had indeed dozed off. He straightened and turned when Cagalli called his name her voice echoing throughout the house. Wincing and checking to make sure that Kira hadn't awakened he went to find Cagalli before she created more noise. He found her by the front door removing her shoes and complaining about the sand.

"Why didn't you wear sandals?" He asked curious. Cagalli glared up at him and he had to put forth an effort not to take a step back.

"Where's Kira." Cagalli bit out ignoring his earlier comment and he pointed to the living room over his shoulder.

"He's asleep so don't wake him."

"I wont." Now that she was done removing her shoes she proceeded to take off her socks. Athrun glanced out a window spotting Shinn standing brushing sand off his shorts.

"Were you and Shinn talking?" He asked curious and Cagalli smiled nodding.

"I made a bet with him that he couldn't get Kira angry." Cagalli beamed up at him. "I won." Athrun frowned at her.

"Why would you want Kira angry?"

"I don't." Cagalli replied rolling her socks into a ball. "But I wanted to make a bet I'd know I'd win."

"What made you think that Shinn wouldn't be able to do it?" Cagalli leaned close to him and whispered the answer like it was a secret.

"Shinn's intimidated by Kira." Athrun stared out the window watching as Shinn made his way along the beach his eyes staring out at the water.

"Shinn's intimidated by Kira? Our Kira?" Cagalli shrugged making her way to the living room obviously not understanding it either. Athrun glanced over his shoulder and out the window once more before following her grumbling to himself.

"Well he wasn't intimidated by me that's for certain."

Kira realized that he had dozed off when he glanced at the clock and noticed that six hours had passed without him noticing. Staring out the window he also noticed that the sun had set and that the atmosphere had cooled considerably from the afternoon. Standing, stretching and suppressing a yawn he went to the front door slipped on his sandals and headed outside. Cagalli, Athrun and Shinn were still awake and he heard them in the kitchen arguing about what they were going to eat. Leaving them to continue arguing he went for a walk to clear his head.

Atlas was loyal. Something he prided himself on. So he was nervous when he took out his binoculars and checked to make sure that the individual walking alone outside was indeed the Pilot of the Freedom. He had never done anything like this before and he could only cross his fingers and hope that Wolf hadn't already hired the men to hunt Kira down. Putting the binoculars away and releasing a long breath he stood and made himself known walking and standing directly in the path of the Freedom Pilot.

End of Chapter ONE: Target Established

Next Chapter: GEMS of Fraction Rise

My first Story! YAY! Please review! I'm really Nervous about this story and what people will think but hopefully you'll enjoy it.