Author's Note: Okay, I know this is a very odd pairing. Got an inspiration from random GSD forum surfing. I know there are lots of Luna haters out there, but I still like her anyway. It never crossed my mind that Luna and Auel could pair up together, and we obviously know the outcome from the anime, but I just thought it might be interesting. A bit OOC because I'm not made to be a writer, but here you go, hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer: Too bad, but I don't own Gundam Seed/ Gundam Seed Destiny.

Friend, Foe, or Something More?

Lunamaria sighed as she wiped her forehead with the back of her sleeves, dragging her aching legs to move ever so slowly down the dusty rundown town in the middle of nowhere. Even someone normally as energetic and nosey, according to Shinn, as her wouldn't last all alone in some shabby place like this. The high temperature was getting to her worst than ever, and she could feel her whole body being toasted under the immense heat. No clouds, no rain, no shade. It was dry and overheated. 'And I was complaining about not being able to shower during the time we had water shortage on Minerva… At least there was water to drink… But now…' It'd be a miracle to find water in a desert like this.

Flashback

"Like hell you're going to get past!" The burgundy haired pilot shouted, pulling her Zaku around to aim at the approaching Abyss with her beam assault rifle. She fired three times, and missed all three. "He's fast!" The pilot cursed as she tired to follow the Gundam.

It was yet another battle of Earth Alliance vs. ZAFT, except this time it was nowhere near water. In fact, most of the mobile suits are up in the air fighting, and Lunamaria's job was none other than to defend Minerva from being attacked.

She was so caught up in getting her aim closer and closer to the leg of Abyss that she didn't even notice it getting nearer.

Bang

She brought down the leg. "Yes! Wait" Before she could go on cheering for her success, her cockpit beeped loudly and a warning started flashing on her screen. "What-?" And by the time she knew it, she was falling, crashing straight into the desert…

End of Flashback

She couldn't take it anymore. Two days of no food or water and walking in sand was too much even if she's a Coordinator. The girl leaned against a half torn down wall and slumped to the ground, panting. "What's with this place anyway? There's hardly anything here, let alone people." She scanned the area, and then tilted her head upward facing the blinding sun. It wasn't too long ago since she stepped foot into this place, and yet she doesn't seemed welcomed. Perhaps it was because of the obvious ZAFT uniform she's wearing.

"Aaahh… I wonder if anyone had even bothered looking for me…" She thought, images of Athrun, Shinn, and Rey appearing in her head. The only thing she could do was wait to be rescued since her Zaku was thoroughly destroyed, and burnt everything she had in there. She barely made out alive herself before the thing exploded. "If only I had my emergency device chip."

"Well well well, look what we have here, A ZAFT soldier!" She looked up to meet face in face with a group of young men, the oldest looking around 30 and the youngest probably around her age.

"And a woman at that too." One of them added with a smirk on his face.

"She must be a survivor from that battle not too far from here. Pa said something about them retreating too." Another commented, leaning over her.

"What do you guys want?" Lunamaria demanded, trying to give the best threatening look she could afford while backing up closer to the wall.

"Oh, giving out orders now are we? Well too bad you have no power here, Miss ZAFT soldier." The largest one spoke, then waved his hand to the group. "I think we deserve a bit of compensation from the war we suffered before, not to mention the one you're all trying to stir up again."

Her eyes widened. 'They wouldn't…' But another thought in her mind told her she was wrong. She got up and tried to escape, but before she got even a step further, a strong pair of arms forced her back down.

She screamed. "No! Help-"

"It's no use. No one will save you around here unless they've got the nerves to deal with us."

It didn't matter, there's no way she's going to give in a fight without causing some racket. She threw a punch, but was easily caught, and as a result ended with her arms above her head pinned to the wall. "Let me go!" She jerked her body forward, trying to free her arms from the firm grasp.

"God, someone shut her up already!"

"Ow shit! She bit me!"

After several attempts, one of them finally found some old rags and shoved it in her mouth before taping it shut. With her arms and mouth disabled, she could only use her legs. And she kicked anyone who was in range. But she was only able to deliver so many blows into their stomach when her legs, too, were locked down to the ground. She struggled and tried to open her mouth in desperate need. It was no use, she didn't have her gun, she was weak, and there are just way too many of them. 'No… no… Athrun-taichou… Rey… Shinn!'

Two of the younger boys stood guard and three others held down Lunamaria, while their leader, the 30 years old, started to unzip his pants. "Get ready to serve me and my boys."

Her heart raced. She had never expected something like this to happen before. Of course she knew the dangers of being in battles and the chance of dying, but to be raped? She'd rather get shot in the head. Maybe it would've been better off for her to have gotten blown up with her mecha partner.

She could feel her ZAFT jacket ripped and a hand reaching up her legs. 'Why did it turn out to be like this!' Tears gathered in her eyes as she frantically tried to wrench away from the assaulters.

Right when she was about to give up struggling, a loud bang was heard. And another, and another… She couldn't see anything due to her having been tossed to the ground with too many hands over her, but she could hear everything happening.

"What the-!"

Bang. Thump.

"Who the hell are you!"

A punch, two strikes, another thump.

"You're in my way. Get lost."

"Why you-"

Smack, smack, kick, thump.

Lunamaria blinked and sat up, quickly ripping the gag before her hands pulled her now torn clothes close. Her short hair was now messy with many strands out of place hanging in front of her face. Everything happened so fast she could hardly react. A minute ago, she was being harassed by a group of thugs, and now all of them lie dead in front of her.

"Tch, damn locals made me waste another bullet" A boy, blue haired, couldn't possibly be older than her, stood in the middle of 6 bodies with only a handgun in his hand. He checked their bodies and pocketed a knife before turning around to Lunamaria, and their eyes locked. Wine-red met cerulean. "Oi oi, you've got to be kidding me. I just saved a red uniform!"

Her mouth hung open in shock as she stared up and down her savior. 'That uniform… it can't be… Earth Alliance!'

But even if he is from the Earth Alliance, it was still a fact that he saved her, and it would be rude to not even thank him, even though she really doesn't think any EA soldiers deserve any appreciation at all. "Th-thank you…" She said, while dusting herself off and standing up.

"Don't get me wrong, they were just in my way. And if I knew you're a ZAFT soldier earlier, I wouldn't have bothered."

Lunamaria scowled at his comment, "as if I wanted help form some Earth Alliance drug abuser." Actually, she wasn't sure of this. The only rumors she's heard were how in the last war, the EA had created some artificially enhanced soldiers to pilot the Gundams.

The blue haired glared at her, already pissed as he was for having met and saved a ZAFT pilot, who was probably the pilot who he failed to have killed earlier in battle despite having shot her mobile suit down. "What the hell is with that attitude, woman? Is that how you thank someone who just saved your sorry ass?"

"Hey, you're the one who wouldn't accept my gratitude to begin with!" She shot an equally annoyed glare back at him.

After what seemed like an hour of glaring contest, both being too stubborn to give up, Auel was the first to break up the lock. "This is stupid. I'm just wasting my time with a useless wench." He shrugged and stuck his hands in his pockets then walked off without looking back at her. "You're lucky you endured that crash, if you don't want to experience that again, get the hell out of my face."

Luna's eyebrow twitched. 'I knew it! He was that pilot that shot me down!' She could feel heat rising up in her. Her face was probably red by now, not from embarrassment, mind you, but from anger. If it wasn't for him, she wouldn't have almost gotten raped, nor would she have had been stuck in the middle of nowhere with no food or water. She curled up her fists. There was nothing else she'd like to do more now than to smack him square in the face. But seeing as he has the advantage in this town, and the one having weapons, not to mention having just beaten up a group of gangsters that she couldn't even fend off herself…

'Wait, but I did some damage to his Gundam too, so that means he's stranded as well. No wonder he's lingering around here…' She bit down her lower lip, thoughts processing through her head as she debated with herself. As much as she doesn't want help from the enemy, she didn't seem to have another choice if she wants to live to see another day.

Auel stopped in his tracks and closed his eyes in irritation. "Why the hell are you following me?" He demanded, his voice low and threatening. "Did I not tell you to get out of my sight? Is that too hard to comprehend for you?"

Lunamaria gulped and stepped out from behind the corner of the wall. "Well, I-" A click cut her off. Before she hardly started, Auel's gun was already aimed at her head.

She raised both of her hands up as if surrendering, something most people would do if pointed with a gun. "Err, well, since we're both stuck here, I thought we could help each other out a little…"

"Hah! Are you out of your mind? What good are you to me? You'll just be a burden."

"I'm, um, a girl! You never know, being female might come handy."

He gave her a suspicious look. "Such as…?"

"Such as… um…" What was there that she can do that he can't? She was trying to think of something… anything. She's a pilot, but so is he. She's a ZAFT, but that's not so useful in this situation. 'I can cook! Wait, what's that got to do with being stranded in the desert?'

"Well?" He was starting to get impatient.

And now she was getting desperate. 'Come on Luna, can't you think of anything!'

"If you can't even give me a reasonable answer, I mind as well just kill you here like I was supposed to."

'No way…' She panicked.

"I… I…"His finger closed around on the trigger. She shouted, her eyes shut tight. "I'll do whatever you want!"

Bang.

To be Continued… maybe.