"Kira?" Lacus turned her head out of the kitchen door where Kira was currently playing with a few children in the Reverend's living room. He turned to the pink haired girl and smiled. "Kira, I'm going to give this water to the flowers outside." She lifted up a bowl of dirty water from the salad she had washed and Kira nodded.

"Sure thing, Lacus."

"Come along, Mr. Pink," Lacus turned to her pink mechanical Haro, who bounced up and down, rather excited by the menial task.

"Haro! Haro!"

Lacus walked out of the kitchen, opening the door that led to the backyard. Lacus had taken the opportunity while living at the Reverend's to plant a few of her favorite flowers. She smiled as she looked at the large garden of mostly pink, red, and yellow flowers, stood in front of her. "Now let's see," she said to Mr. Pink. "Which ones should we feed today?"

"I don't know! I don't know! Haro, Haro!"

"The pink ones on the left are looking a little dry."

Lacus turned around suddenly, almost dropping the bowl of water until a strong pair of hands caught the bowl, his calloused fingers gently touching hers as he lifted the bowl back into her arms. "Hello there, Lacus," he smiled, his navy hair barely gliding around his sharp chin. His emerald gems of eyes were half smiling, half sad, she thought.

"Athrun, what are you doing here?" Lacus asked, her voice turning into a hushed whisper. "Kira's in the next room!"

"Can't a man come visit his friends now and then?" Athrun asked her, looking at the garden. "Kira doesn't know anything about us." A pause between the two. "Or you, for that matter."

"Athrun, I'm asking you politely to leave," Lacus said, turning around, trying to not let him see the tears that were threatening to gather in her eyes. "You know…you know that I broke it off last time…"

"That's what I'm here about," Athrun said, stepping forward. "Lacus, you don't love Kira, do you? He doesn't understand you--"

"You didn't understand me either, for all those years that you had your head stuck in answering your never-ending questions," Lacus replied harshly, not daring to turn around. Athrun fell back, obviously feeling slightly defeated. "You had no time for me Athrun Zala."

"Then why?"

Athrun moved behind Lacus and slowly, with a motion resembling the movement of silk, slipped his arms around her slim waist, pulling her close to him. Lacus didn't resist, but her face looked pained. "Then why did you come to my place that night, crying so hard, crying out for help?"

Lacus became tense.

"Crying out about how he didn't love you?"

Lacus didn't reply to Athrun's comments as he held her tighter. "And I helped you in the only way I could. And the next night you came to me in tears. And the next…"

"Athrun, please…"

"Until I realized that it wasn't just pity," Athrun said. "I had fallen in love with you, Lacus Clyne. You came to my home every Saturday night, and I made love to you every Saturday night… It was then I realized how much I was in love with you.

"So why didn't you come last night? I was waiting for you…I had everything ready, you know."

"Don't make this to be my fault," she said, shaking her head. "Athrun, I'm happy with Kira. He treats me well. He pays attention to me!" She looked up at Athrun and frowned at him. "He doesn't push me away like you did."

"Lacus, you know that I'm so horribly sorry for everything I did to you!" Athrun said to her. "You know that I'll never do it again. So why…why is it that you can give me a second chance to prove how much I love you?"

Lacus turned around in Athrun's arms, putting the bowl by the feet and placing her hands on his shoulders. "I can't leave Kira."

"Why? Is it because you're dedicated?" he asked. "Or you don't want to hurt him? Or you're not a quitter?"

Lacus was silent. Athrun's eyes flashed with a look of fear. "O-Or…or is it…" he looked at the ground, his eyes dark. "Or is it because you love him?"

"Athrun…" Lacus moved her hand to Athrun's ear and caressed his cheek, only to have him shake his head and pull back suddenly.

"Stop it!" he snapped, tears in his eyes. "Just stop it! Don't touch me, or say anything to me if you love him!" he snapped harshly. "I'm tired of being a distraction! I'm tired of being a place where you can take out your frustrations! I'm tired of being used!"

Lacus gasped, looking at Athrun with wide, frightened eyes. "N-No! Y-You're wrong!"

"Tell me you love him."

Lacus looked up at Athrun, confused, her eyes wide. Athrun was holding out his hand to her. "Tell me you love him, and I'll put my hand down and walk out of your life forever," he said, a distinct seriousness in his voice. "If you tell me that you love Kira, then I'll never bother you again."

"A-And if I don't?" Lacus asked, her expression soft.

"Then take my hand," he said, looking at her. "Tell me you love me, and I'll take you away again."

Lacus looked at the door behind her, and then at Athrun's extended hand. She looked down at her feet, where the water bowl was still sitting on the grass, Mr. Pink bopping happily around it. Lacus smiled up at Athrun, raised her hand, and slowly took his fingers in hers. And her voice, barely above a whisper, mouthed lightly, "I love you."

In one fluid motion, Athrun drew her in and kissed her passionately, Lacus completely succumbing to the form of passion. He grabbed her hand and began to run towards his car with her, Mr. Pink on their tails. "Ath-Athrun! Wait!" she said as the two ran towards the black car. "We can't just run like this! Athrun, wait!"

"Wait for what?" he asked, a true smile on his face. "The past? Never! Let's go somewhere Lacus! Somewhere where we can forget everything!" he laughed.

"You're a changed man, Athrun Zala!" Lacus smiled at him, shaking her head, tears at the corners of her eyes. "What ever made you change so much?"

"Falling in love with you," he said as he helped Lacus into the car. He jumped into the driver's side and began to back out of the lot. "Do you not like the new me?"

"No," Lacus smiled, shaking her head. "I love the new you. But…"

"But what?" Athrun asked as they began to speed down the road, the wind spreading Lacus' long hair out.

"Don't change again, all right?"

Athrun smiled at her, then returned his eyes to the road. "Never."