A/N: Post GSD. Anyway usually for an AxC fic, Cagalli was usually in denial this time I switched it.

Disclaimer: I don not own Gundam Seed/ Destiny.

A Leap of Faith

'Athrun Zala a 21-year old career oriented person, aiming for the Zaft Council. A heartthrob among female and even males, single or married it didn't matter. A calm, cool, collected person in front of crowds that added more to his appeal. He refuses to answer personal questions regarding his life during interviews. What is he hiding? Some say he's a playboy others say he's gay. Who is Athrun Zala? Is he a playboy or just gay. Or is he someone hunted by a bitter past?'

He shut the television off. He ran a hand through his midnight blue hair and gave a sigh of exhaustion. He turned his chair around and faced his two best men. "This is what you wanted to show me?" his emerald orbs flashing.

"That's what he wanted to show you." The platinum haired pointed to the grinning blond, "I was just dragged into this."

"Aww, come on Yzak. We need some boys' time. You spend way too much time with Shiho already." He teased at the blushing Yzak.

"Very funny, Dearka. We're friends, besides we do spend time with each other like what we're doing now. Yehey! Lots of fun!" he rolled his eyes as Athrun snickered.

"Dude, I'm like the only normal guy around here, I wanna have fun! You!" he pointed to Athrun, who returned his gaze with a bored look, "all you think about is work, no wonder people tend to think you're gay and you!" this time he pointed to Yzak, "You're too bipolar, I don't know what Shiho sees in you." Yzak glared at him while Athrun rolled his eyes at him.

'Damn I don't know what's worse, here without Milly or being here with these two' they had this discussion before but they always had the same reaction. He stood up, "Orb's going to have their annual Orb anniversary thing, it's a week from tomorrow. We're all invited. I don't know about you guys but I'm going," he started walking out the room. "You know what ever since you left Cagalli you're as cold as Yzak—"

"Hey!" Yzak protested as Athrun visibly flinched

"Fine, let me rephrase that, you're colder than Yzak and the news wasn't wrong, you've become a playboy, a new girl every week. I wouldn't be surprised when I hear a scandal concerning you." He walked away leaving Athrun and Yzak staring after him.

"You do know, he's right" Yzak turned to face him.

"Whatever." Athrun muttered back as he sifted through the piled papers on his desk.

"What he said was also true, a new girl every week, hell, you're worse than the 'old' Dearka. Sure, you are good looking, cough but is it alright with you screwing their hearts let alone yours?"

"I want to go back, but I just can't." He and Yzak became close. They told each other their problems only when alone. After all appearances needed to be kept up.

"Why?"

"I…I just can't okay? Now stop with the questions you're getting nosy, Yzak." He said hoping his voice showed that this discussion is over.

"Nosy or not. Even if I hate to admit it, you are my friend. You're weird you know that? You used to beat me, dignified, the next thing you were head over heels over Cagalli then you drowned yourself with work, now you ttok over my reputation as being cold. I don't really understand how your mind work." He said frustrated.

"You don't have to. I don't need a shrink." He answered back.

"Shiho and I are going to this Orb thing. You coming?"

"No." One word. Just that. Yzak gave off a sigh. Nothing he said was going to change his mind. Or so he thought. He stood up and headed toward the door. "Dearka had the right to b frustrated with you, hell, I am. Lately all you think about is yourself. She's waiting for you."

"Who?"

"Cagalli."

One word, his heart hurt all over. His past. A past that he couldn't bring himself to fight for. A bitter past that led him to what he is now. It wasn't bitter actually, it was the happiest years of his life but leaving her made a scar on his heart, he then drowned himself with work, changing girls every week, hoping it would ease his pain. It never did, soon, he felt numb…until now.

"Cagalli's waiting for you." Yzak repeated

"How do you know that?" he fingered the frame on his desk. His picture of Cagalli and himself. Both smiling happily. It was the photo that he couldn't bare to throw out.

"I have my sources and I have common sense. She is still single, even after all those proposals she's received. You might have a second chance."

"I won't go. Have fun!" he smiled at Yzak. A smile Yzak could see through. A hollow smile. A dead smile. He was never the same after the incident. His soul followed, it died.

"You don't have to try so hard to smile." He said quietly but Athrun heard

"Oh. Okay." He replied, dropping the phony smile, "It's hard to jumble feelings, you know?"

"I know but your feelings, I doubt I understand them at all. You think too much sometimes all you need is a leap of faith." Yzak said

"Wise words." Athrun ran a hand through his hair, he didn't need a sermon but one coming from Yzak was quite shocking.

"Thanks. I'm a man of hidden talents." He smirked, "by the way, this is the place. When you feel like coming we're there. You should visit Kira and Lacus, they're eager for you to meet their baby, your godson, Takeshi, for god's sake you haven't seen him have you?" then he was out the door.

"I have." He said, 'in a photo at least.'

Athrun stared at the piece of paper that Yzak handed him, "Leap of faith, huh…"

Cagalli stepped out of the room. Sure, people were having fun, so was she. She wanted to scream that out loud but for some reason people could read her like an open book, which pisses her a lot. Anyway, the view was overwhelming. The party was held atop a cliff, which gives view to the ocean. Calm and cool, this is what she loves about the ocean, it was like him. She straightened the wrinkles on her dress. The damn party had made her wear a dress! She sat down on a rock. Staring at the ocean. She loves the ocean, it was where she met him. She smiled at the memory

"Is that a blush I see on you?" a voice teased, knocking her off her trance and off the rock, falling on her ass and giving an unladylike grunt. "Dumbass" she cursed silently, lifting her head to see her beloved twin stifling his laughter.

"Getting married has made you an ungentlemanly I see…" she got up and patted the dust off her dress. A glassof champagne was handed to her.

"Here makes you think deeper." He winked at her in result, having a smack on his arm. "Thinking about him again?"

"…"

"I guess I'm right. Why don't you forget about him? You may be happier."

"I am happy Kira. I just can't forget him. He may not be beside me now but he made me what I am today." She explained, at last someone listened!

"I guess so. But aren't you slightly mad? He left you then all you hear is his girls on the news." Kira asked. Athrun is his best friend but sometimes he just wants to smack him in the head to bring him back to his senses. He was also mad at him because after so many invitations, he hasn't visited his godson.

"I don't care. After all I have a few flings of my own." Kira's jaw dropped open. Cagalli gave him a side glanced then burst out laughing. "I was just kidding" she pushed his chin up.

"Good. I don't want a play…playgirl is that what you call it?...For a sister. By the way have you seen Takeshi?" His smile beamed like a proud dad.

"Yeah. Like a thousand times." She rolled her eyes heavenward

"Now that's an exaggeration." He frowned back

"Not it's not. I see him morning, noon, and night, not to mention the daily pictures you email me, and also the ones that you send to my phone. Now I think I saw him about a thousand times." Lifting her glass as a gesture of agreement

"I'm going to look for Lacus and my son, you coming or are you gonna be lost in your thoughts again?"

"I prefer the latter. See you." She waved at him

"Fine think about him, don't think about jumping off the cliff though. The dress would be a waste, you look good by the way…"

Cagalli was suppose to thank him, when he continued, "…like a girl." She picked up a rock and threw it at Kira who was laughing his head off.

'Jump? Now who in their right mind would do that?' she stood at the edge of the cliff, glancing down at the shore, 'footprints? A walk on the beach wouldn't be so bad.' She thought happily as she proceeded to climb down the cliff. Not a great idea I know.

Athrun arrived. He didn't know why he came. His body just moved on his own. Partly he may be a little curious. For some reason though, he didn't go to the party, he wanted to see the ocean. Take a stroll in the beach. The ocean always calmed him down. It holds memories. Deep in thought, he sat down on the sand. Taking a handful of sand then dropping them the same. He watched the clouds stroll by when a shadow blocked his view. A lady's underwear. Then it hit him, he was looking inside a lady's dress. He dropped his gaze as a blush stained his cheek. "Uh…miss…your underwear is showing…" he called out.

Cagalli flushed red. She knew what she was doing was crazy but she expected the beach to be empty, the people were all suppose to be in the party, after all it is a private beach. "Perv" she muttered to herself, "don't look up until I'm down." She called out, hoping the guy isn't a perv to sneak a peek. She stepped down on the crack of a rock when she lost her footing. "Eh?!" she screamed

Athrun looked up to see what was happening. He was dead, the girl did tell him not to look up, just to see her falling. He braced himself to catch her, but the impact was to hard that he was brought along. He fell himself, letting out a muffled groan.

'Wasn't sand suppose to be hard? No it's soft-hardthing, but its not suppose to be warm this time of hour right?' she cracked an eye open and heard a muffled groan. The guy! She sat up and started apologizing, saying 'I'm sorry' all over again bowing her head at the same time.

Athrun braced himself on his elbows. "I heard you the first time now would you mind getting…Cagalli?"

Cagalli faced him with equal shock on her face. "Athrun…hey….long time no see." She didn't know whether to smile, laugh or even cry.

"Yeah. Long time no see…I…I—ooff!" he was cut off by a hug. Her hug. It was awkward at first, but he returned the hug. Missing the feeling of her against his body. She was perfect in his arms. They enjoyed the feelingbefore letting go. Cagalli, still atop him, smiled. He smiled back, his usual hollow smile.

"You know, there's something wrong with your smile." She observed

"Now would you mind getting off?" he said, changing the topic

"Oh yeah, right." She stood up and offered her hand to him. He first stared at it, as if debating with himself whether to take it or not. He took it. Predictable…When he stood up, Cagalli noticed that he has beome taller, his shoulders broader making him into a man. His midnight blue hair still as silky, and his emerald green eyes still as piercing. He was wearing a white long sleeved that showed his well built body.

"You look great. No wonder people worship you." She teased, "but you've changed in the inside, you seem—"

"Aren't you mad at me?" he asked abruptly cutting her off

"huh?" she looked at him questioningly as he shifted his gaze to the ocean.

"Aren't you mad ate me? I left you and now the girls here and there and all the stuff I did?"

She made her thinking face, which he always thought was cute, "No…well yeah…not really…yes…by the way as I was saying before you cut me off, you seem cold."

"Yeah. I was told. What kind of answer is that?"

"Fine, no and yes. I'm not mad after all we were young, unstable. And yes, after hearing what Dearka and Yzak said I didn't believe it, but they were right. You've changed and not for the better, It pisses me off to see how pathetic you've become."

"So you're angry because I'm pathetic?"

"Yeah. The Athrun I knew is not here anymore. The image you're giving off is like…ugh…like that, you know?"

"No. I don't know. Why do you care anyway?"

"We may have a past, Athrun" she poked him in the chest, "bu that doesn't mean we're not friends anymore. We still are."

'Friends' he smiled in the inside, all this time all he needed to hear was that they were still friends. He could feel himself melt. "Thank you" he murmured

"What? I didn't hear you." She asked but was answered by a hug, "Athrun?" she asked slowly

"Just let us stay like this for awhile." He whispered on her ear as he hugged her closer. Cagalli raised a brow but said nothing instead she hugged him back. Athrun pulled away and smiled a real smile. The first in a very long time.

"Oh, so just one hug from me, the old Athrun's back" she teased, "Must be my charm"

"Must be it" he played along, "by the way, as a friend, you look so much like a girl today." He winked at her as he started running away.

Cagalli stood there, sure she was in a gown, a spaghetti strapped green dress that hugged her figure, that showed all her curves at the right spot. Even her hair was fixed. It took some time for what he said to be absorbed. This was the first time they've seen each other in a long time and that was all he could say?

She chased after him, "Very funny, Athrun!" she yelled.

Their laughter filled the air as the played along the shore even on the water. They didn't care if they soaked their thousand dollar clothes, they were happy.

"Now will you look at that!" Dearka have a whistle, "He's laughing.

"It's been a long time" Yzak agreed

"We've been entertaining people, and those two were playing here like a bunch of kids." Kira complained

"But they look good together." Lacus said, clapping her hands together. They couldn't disagree after all they did.

Cagalli was on Athrun's back, like a little gir; enjoying a piggy back ride back to the party. They were doing their catching ups.

"So any boyfriends?" Athrun asked, suddenly he felt Cagalli slide down off his back. He turned to see her eyes blazing.

"Any boyfriends?" she repeated, she grabbed the front of his shirt, "Why would I have any boyfriends? I was waiting for you damn it!" Athrun was surprised at her sudden outburst but that wasn't all he was surprised at her sudden bold movement. She kissed him squarely in the lips. He was stunned, but he could feel her smile against the kiss. He wrapped his arms around her in return responding to her kiss. They really were meant for each other.

What they did not know was somewhere far away, they had an audience.

"So what happened?" they asked all confused except for someone.

"He had a leap of faith." He smirked, "A leap of faith."

A/N: pls. review