Disclaimer: Gundam SEED, and the characters Kira Yamato, and Flay Allster belong to Bandai. "Hero" belongs to Chad Kroeger. Sebastian Connor belongs to me, and will be introduced and fleshed out more in a later story.

Intro: Flay Allster's death in Gundam SEED Phase-50 was probably the most tragic of the entire Gundam saga, even more than Lalah Sune's death in the original Gundam series. Flay manipulated Kira and she later truly regretted it and never was able to tell him how she really felt. This story is how things could have and should have been if someone had been able to prevent Providence's DRAGOON pod from destroying the Dominion shuttle. So first off let me apologize to Kira/Lacus fans, I have nothing against you, but this is something I had to write. Kira/Flay fans, this one is for you, enjoy it.

How Things Should Have Been

By Storm Wolf77415

With every amount of genetically enhanced speed that he could muster, Kira Yamato pushed his ZGMF-X10A Freedom Gundam well past its operational limits and barely deflected the beam blast that was meant for a shuttle off the EAS Dominion, he looked toward the shuttle window to see a certain red-haired girl with azure eyes, sitting in the copilot's seat looking right at him.

"Flay," Kira breathed, and in that moment, he realized just how much he truly loved her. Flay stared right back at him.

"Kira," she said, happy tears in her eyes.

Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw one of the ZGMF-X13A Providence Gundam's DRAGOON pods appear from above and fire a shot right at the shuttle, and the Freedom was in no position to stop it.

"FLAY!" screamed Kira, closing his eyes, and expecting the worst for his love. But when the explosion came, it seemed farther away that he expected. Kira opened his eyes to see the shuttle just fine, and a bright explosion, signifying that the DRAGOON pod had been destroyed.

"Flay, Flay are you alright?" said Kira frantically.

"I'm okay, Kira" said Flay, "We're all fine."

Kira sighed in relief, "I thought for sure you were dead." Then the haunting howl of a timber wolf rang through the comm channel. And on Freedom's screen was another Gundam. It was a light grey, almost white, with the torso in dark green and a massive double barreled beam rifle in its hand. To Kira, it was the most beautiful sight in the world, for he knew the pilot of the machine very well.

The ZGMF-X01A Gundam Storm Wolf, hovered over the shuttle like its namesake protecting a young pup. On the screen appeared a young man with dark brown hair, cobalt blue eyes, and dressed in a ZAFT style flight suit in grey, the shuttle's savior was Sebastian Connor, The Storm Wolf of Jachin Due, ZAFT's Supreme Ace, and Kira's teacher in the ways of mobile suit combat.

"Whew! That was a close one! I didn't think I would make it in time!" said Sebastian.

"Why don't you be a little slower next time!" Kira said dryly.

"Thank you Sebastian, you're my new hero!" said Flay.

"No need, I'm a romantic at heart, and as such I've developed a soft spot for you two. We're not out of danger yet. GENESIS is still a threat and Le Creuset needs to be stopped. I'll escort the shuttle, Kira. You take on Providence, I'll join you later."

"Got it, you had better take good care of that shuttle!" said Kira.

"That's a guarantee!" said Sebastian.

"Wait Kira!" said Flay, tears forming in her eyes, "There's something I have to tell you…"

"We can talk later" said Kira gently, "Right now I have work to do. Take care of her, Sebastian."

"Kira, good luck" said Flay softly, blowing him a kiss, and causing Kira to blush slightly.

"I'll come back, that's a promise" said Kira, hitting his thrusters and flying straight for the Providence. One thing on the young Coordinator's mind, protect Flay Allster.

'I got Flay back! She really loves me! I will not lose her again! I will not let anyone bring sadness to her eyes! I will protect her with my last DYING BREATH!' with this new resolve, a purple seed fell behind Kira's eyes, and exploded. His pupils dilated, Kira was ready for battle.

After returning to the Archangel, Flay immediately ran for the bridge. After a repeated three-way pummeling from the Archangel, Eternal, and Kusanagi, GENESIS was destroyed. But the most important battle of the Bloody Valentine War was still playing out in front of Flay and the rest of the Three Ships Alliance. Freedom, Storm Wolf, and Athrun Zala's ZGMF-X09A Justice Gundam had joined forces against the Providence, fighting as one against the demonic machine and its deranged pilot, Rau Le Creuset. Suffice to say, the boys weren't having an easy time. As Storm Wolf took on Providence directly, Freedom and Justice were destroying the offending DRAGOON pods, but those that remained were still mercilessly hammering on the three mobile suits.

"I hate to say it boys, but we're getting pounded out here!" Sebastian said.

"You don't say?" Athrun retorted, "I would never have known that!"

"Kira, I want to help you so much, but what I can do?" Flay said to no one in particular.

As she watched the man she loved fight, a song came to her mind, a song that she had heard long ago, and fit the occasion perfectly, for three heroes were doing battle with an unthinkable evil to save the entire world. She only needed Kira to hear it.

"I'm going to protect Kira. My true feelings will protect him! And this is how!" She put the headset on and hailed Freedom, "KIRA!" she cried.

Kira was shocked when Flay's face appeared on his screen.

"Flay, what are you doing! This really isn't the time!" Kira said.

"This is important! I want you know that…that you're my hero!" Flay said, eyes watery, "I promised that my heart would protect you, and now I'm going to live up to my promise! The only I way I know how! I love you so much!"

"I love you too, Flay" Kira said.

"Lacus, Cagalli, sing with me! Athrun and Sebastian need your strength as well!" Flay cried out to the other two girls. The images of Lacus Clyne, on the bridge of the Eternal, and Cagalli Yula Athha, in the cockpit of the MBF-02 Strike Rouge, appeared to Sebastian and Athrun respectively, and the three began to sing.

I am so high, I can hear heaven.
I am so high, I can hear heaven.
Oh but heaven, no heaven don't hear me.

And they say that a hero can save us.
I'm not gonna stand here and wait.
I'll hold on to the wings of the eagles.
Watch as we all fly away.

The three girls' voices were loud and strong, hoping that they were giving the three knights their strength, as well as their love.

Someone told me that love would all save us.
But how can that be?
Look what love gave us.
A world full of killing, and blood-spilling, that
world never came.

"You're an abomination to the world!" Le Creuset said in a delirious rant, "All the more reason for it to be annihilated!"

"You're wrong!" Kira snarled, "This world is worth protecting! Flay is worth protecting!" A purple seed fell once again, this time turning gold and exploding. Kira let out the screech of a bald eagle.

"Cagalli as well!" Athrun added, a green seed spinning once and exploding.

"I'll be damned if I let you get anywhere near Lacus!" Sebastian concluded. A blue seed fell, spun twice and exploded, and he let off the howl of a timber howl.

The resolve to protect the three girls lead them to intensify their assault. Freedom and Justice finally destroyed the last of the DRAGOON pods and all three of them went in for the kill. Rau Le Creuset was indeed one of ZAFT's best pilots, but not even he could overcome the force of the three heroes, fueled by the love of their three princesses.

And they say that a hero can save us.
I'm not gonna stand here and wait.
I'll hold on to the wings of the eagles.
Watch as we all fly away.

The three girls' voices carried over the entire fleet, hoping that their love through song was helping their heroes. It evidently worked, because Kira, Athrun, and Sebastian each sent a message to their princess.

"Don't worry Flay. I'm not going to die! After all, I just got you back!" said Kira, a cocky grin more suitable for the Hawk of Endymion present.

"Kira" Flay smiled, tears running down their cheeks.

"You're my reason for living Lacus! You make me strong!" Sebastian said.

"Sebastian", Lacus' reaction mirrored Flay's.

"Cagalli, you showed me the real reason to fight. And that reason is for you!" Athrun said.

"You jerk!" Cagalli choked out smiling, "Kick his ass!"

Sebastian, Kira, and Athrun could only return the smiles that never left the three girls' tear-filled faces as they sang the line that put their feelings best to the ones the loved.

Now that the world isn't ending, it's love that I'm sending to you.

It isn't the love of a hero, that's why I fear it won't do.

All other dogfights stopped, as ZAFT and Earth Alliance forces alike focused on the three-on-one duel between Providence, and the team of Freedom, Justice, and Storm Wolf. The battle was broadcast to everyone on Earth and in the PLANTs. Flay, Lacus, and Cagalli's impromptu concert was on every radio frequency.

People everywhere could only gaze on at the apocalyptic battle that raged between the three young warriors and the masked psychopath who sought nothing but destruction for the world, and know that who won this fight, won not just the war, but saved humanity in the process. The whole time Flay, Lacus, and Cagalli continued singing.

And they say that a hero can save us.
I'm not gonna stand here and wait.
I'll hold on to the wings of the eagles.
Watch as we all fly away.

And they're watching us (Watching us)
They're watching us (watching us) as we all fly away.
And they're watching us (Watching us)
They're watching us (watching us) as we all fly away.
And they're watching us (Watching us)
They're watching us (watching us) as we all fly away.

As Flay, Cagalli, and Lacus sang the last bars, Storm Wolf sliced off Providence's legs with its 10 meter long SG-1 Anti-Mobile Suit sword, Justice's beam boomerangs relieved Providence of its arms, and Freedom moved in for the kill.

"Do the honors, Kira!" Sebastian yelled, tossing the retractable katana to Freedom.

"End this nightmare once and for all!" Athrun concurred. And with an animalistic cry, Kira swung the massive custom-built katana and cleaved Providence clean in two.

"We Win! You Lose!" Sebastian said holding his thumb down, as Providence exploded.

Flay, Lacus, and Cagalli simultaneously burst into tears of joy, joy that the danger was over. A stream of cheers rose up on the bridges of the vessels of the Three Ships Alliance, and also throughout the entire Earth Sphere. But for Sebastian Connor, Kira Yamato, and Athrun Zala, only three young women mattered to them. Kira had made a beeline for the Archangel, and Sebastian and Athrun had followed close behind. When the arrived they found Lacus, Flay, and Cagalli waiting. Lacus and Cagalli had run for Sebastian and Athrun's arms immediately, and they shared tender kisses, but Flay stood there for a few seconds. She then launched herself across the deck, and let off the loudest wail possible before she threw her arms around Kira's neck and began crying uncontrollably.

"I'm so sorry for the way I treated you!" she wailed, "Can you ever forgive me?"

"I forgave you a long time ago. All that matters is that you're safe" Kira said, stroking her long soft red hair.

"I love you Kira Yamato, and my heart and love will protect you now and forever more" Flay whispered, so only he could hear it.

"I love you too Flay Allster, and I promise that I will always protect you with my heart and love, and never let you come to harm."

And with that, Kira Yamato, the Eagle of Freedom, kissed Flay Allster, the Ballerina Princess, and both were determined to make it last as long as possible.

Author's Notes: Now THAT'S how it should have been. As for Sebastian Connor, he's an original character in a story I've been working on, but after seeing Phase-50, I just had to give Flay and Kira and their fans a happy ending, so I figured he could lend a hand in saving the day for our lovebirds.