Hi, I am Emily Yamato, I am 18 years old and I am a senior student; I belong to the 'Great' Yamato household. I am the eldest in my family, my brother Kenneth is 17 and my sister Abby just turned 15. My mom is lacus Clyne the Supreme Chairwoman of the PLANTS, my dad always said that I looked exactly like her and I don't blame him. And finally my daddy Kira Yamato was the Head of ZAFT, the ZAFT Commander.
Exactly one year ago today, my dad died protecting Orb during an invasion by the Atlantic Federation. That battle alone is what many consider "The Third bloody Valentine" that battle brought down most of Orbs and ZAFT's soldiers one of them was my dad... He died when he was 37. So today I'm going down to Orb to visit where my dad rests, sometimes deep down I believe that he is still alive because they never found his body but sometimes others tell me otherwise. Never the less I am going to visit him today because today. This is my story.
I walked into the terminal like I usually did every second Saturday, and as usual I was greeted by my escort "Good Morning Ms. Yamato, are you ready to go?" I nodded and he led me to the Yamato shuttle where I waited until they gave us the all clear to head down to Orb. I walked to where I usually sat near the back and scooted over taking the window seat like a usually did. I would always go with Abby down to Orb but today she had a sleepover with one of her friends.
Sadly we had to wait 5 minutes until we could even take off, so I waited and placed my elbow against the window frame and stared out at the people who walked through the terminal, my mind raced with memories of when my dad and I strolled through the terminal. That alone was enough to spark that memory of the time I watched my dad die to save us.
We ran and ran until we made it to the loading dock, my dad yelled "Hurry get it!" and started pushing us into the shuttle, I remember the conversation that he had with Uncle Athrun. "Kira come on!" he reached out and tried to grabbed for his sleeve by my dad simply pulled himself away from his grasp "Make sure you guys get out safely"
He turned and faced Kenneth who was crying like the baby he was, he yelled "Remember what I told you" my brother only nodded and wiped the tears from his eyes, then he turned to my mom, Abby and I, we watched him mouth "I love you" before he gave one last push forcing us all inside. I watched him close the door behind him as he looked on from the other side.
I forced myself onto the glass, I screamed, cried and yelled, I begged him through the glass to not go, to stay and come with us. My dad placed his forehead on the glass and I heard him say "I'm sorry, daddy's got to break a promise" an explosion went off in the background and my father flinched but stayed firm like always, I watched as a hand reached behind him and turned him around; I watched my dad talk to him before he let out a sigh.
He turned back to me and yelled "I love you" I simply shook my head violently I yelled "Please don't leave me!" Suddenly I heard a very loud bang, I looked up and say a gust of air hit my dad but he still held firm, he violently started banging on the side of the shuttle and it slowly started to take off. I looked at my father as he started running, I started banging on the glass trying to get his attention I yelled "I love you daddy!" my dad turned towards me and smiled "I love you too" he mouthed back before he disappeared inside. Never did I ever think that this was the last time I would see him, never did I know that "I love you" would be my last words to him, never did I know that I would never get to feel his warm embrace again.
I felt nasty inside, the shuttle took off and behind us everyone has a clear view of the Defense Headquarters we were just in. I dropped to my knees and cried my heart out, I felt arms wrap around me and instantly I hugged back, yelling "Daddy please don't leave me!" my mom stroked my head as she too cried "Don't worry everything will be alright" And suddenly the unthinkable happened, the building which my father was in blew up, outside was my dad's Strike Freedom it's cockpit opened as it waited for its pilot to return.
Everyone stood quiet, every military personnel that were on the shuttle took off their hats in sorrow, and seeing that sight made something inside me snap. I hugged my mom as tightly as I could my face digging into her chest as I cried uncontrollably crying the words "Why daddy! Why!" my brother dropped to the floor as he covered his head with his hands as he tried to hold back the tears. My sister Abby did the something I did, Auntie Cagalli held her tightly as she too wept. My mom didn't sleep well after this, she was depressed and couldn't sleep, she wouldn't eat she seemed completely lost, Auntie Cagalli and grandma Caridad tried to comfort her to no avail.
Her depression became worse, when they 'confirmed' that my dad died but they couldn't find his body. When it came to the funeral my mom just lost it, not being able to bury her own husband hurt her so much. She cried every day for the next month until she finally showed improvement. Eventually she got back to work no one dared mention my father because they knew she would do, and no one mentioned it to me, my brother, or Abby because they knew we watched our dad die and they knew we wouldn't take it either"
I closed my eyes as tears started to flow from them, I quickly wiped them away, "Why did you have to go?"
I sat in the shuttle for a good 15 minutes before we finally got down to Orb, when I disembarked I was escorted to my awaiting car before they drove me to the cemetery. When I got to the cemetery I got out of the car and walked inside, I walked to my dad's resting place and placed the flowers I bought from the airport onto the gravestone. I sat down as I started fiddling with my fingers "It's been hard dad, we all wouldn't stop crying especially mom. You'll be missing everything" I lowered my head even the thought of not having a father to speak to really hurt, I stayed silent for a bit not knowing if I should continue because I knew I told him enough; my dad always liked it when we were straight to the point.
I stood up and let out one big sigh, I turned around and saw a man who was dressed in an unusual attire, he wore army boots, dark green cargo pants, he also had a green vest of some kind, covering his body was a very long torn up black jacket, he wore black gloves the finger tips were cut off exposing his skin to the air, and finally he wore a black 'cowboy like' hat that covered his face. I watched him walk up to the gravestone, he knelt down and placed something on the grave. I stared over his shoulder and my eyes widened at the thing he put down.
"Seems like these people missed this" I stared at the thing that the person placed on the floor; it was a piece of my father's uniform jacket "How did you?" I said hesitantly to him, I saw him smile "He must have been a good father?" How did he know that I was visiting my father, my mind spun a full 360 degrees as I wondered, all I did was nod. I saw him smirk again "I take your silence is a yes" I watched him rise to his feet; he turned to face me his face still covered by his hat "I also presume that your family is doing fine?" I nodded and the last question sent shivers up my spine. "Did they ever find his body?" I took a deep breath and said "No" but I noticed the hesitance in my response.
That voice... I recognized the voice but I couldn't quite pin down where I heard the voice before. "Aw that sucks, sorry for bothering you" He turned and started walking away, and that's when I saw it. I turned and ran towards that figure, I chased after him- I chased him with tears rolling down my face. I tugged on his jacket causing him to flinch, I wrapped my arms around his waist hugging him tightly I buried my face into his back and I stayed like that. I felt him place his hands on mine and slowly removed my arms from his waist. I watched him turn around and slowly wrap his arms around me drawing me close, I placed my arms back around his waist and buried my face into his chest and I cried. "Long time no see" he said quietly. I closed my eyes and whispered "I missed you daddy"
During my time of need, my mind spun; I started asking questions but I never did blurt them out because I wanted to enjoy this moment. This moment was one thing I would truly treasure for the rest of my life. I felt my dad sigh as he uttered the words "I'm sorry pumpkin but I need to go" I tightened my grip, "Please don't leave I don't want to be alone" I whispered as tears started falling from my cheeks. He ran his hand through my hair "I know that, but I need to go" I quickly lifted my head and looked at him in the eyes "Then take me with you! I lived one year thinking that you died and now you're going to leave us again?" I examined his facial expression, it showed sadness, happiness, and love. That wasn't the only thing I noticed, like Uncle Mu he had a big scar that ran diagonally across his face.
My dad bent down and stared me straight in my eyes, he reached around his neck and pulled out a necklace and grabbed my hand and placed it in my hand "Take good care of this" I shook my head "No!" I watched his hand come up and rest on my cheek "I promise we will meet again" I shook my head "Please don't leave me" I whispered to him but he simply shook his head "Just make sure everyone is doing alright, okay?"
I tilted my head to the side "Can I tell?" he shook his head "It's our little secret" I nodded and whispered the words "I love you" he smiled "I love you too" before he straightened himself out and gave me one more embrace before he backed off slowly, I watched him smile at me before he vanished as if he was never there; as if everything I experienced was all just a dream. I closed my eyes as a gust of wind passed through the cemetery; I slowly opened my eyes and examined the area to make sure I was totally alone. After confirming I wiped my eyes and walked towards the entrance, where I was greeted by my escort "Ms. Yamato your mother wants you home right now" I frowned "Sorry" I entered the car and I was quickly driven to the terminal where I boarded my shuttle and was brought back to PLANTS.