I hope this story doesn't seem to random. I'm trying to set the story up a little before I get into the full blown plot, so please bare with me :D Trust me, this story will be going somewhere soon.

It's finally spring break, and Anime Detour is in a week! Yay! I hope everyone is having a wonderful St. Patrick's Day and White Day (march 14).

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed or Seed Destiny

Revised Note: No worries. I just revised it. Forget the note above. :P


The bar was quiet that day, the bartender thought as he cleaned the top of the counter, when the door opened. There were a few other regulars in the lobby, but this was a newcomer that had just entered the bar. He was tall, wearing a long, brown trenchcoat, with a thick black scarf wrapped around his neck and most of his face. The bartender could tell he was a young man, probably 20 or 21.

The stranger sat at the counter.

"Whiskey, please."

"Right away, sir."

Out of the corner of his eye, he watched as the visitor pulled off his scarf and pushed his hood off his head. He was indeed young.

"What's your name, wanderer?" the bartender asked, pouring him a shot of whiskey.

"Athrun." he said.

"Sounds familiar." the bartender said, "Where you from?"

Athrun stopped a moment, "I'm from around."

"I see. What are you doing in the area?"

"Just passing through on the way home. My wife will not be please with me if I am gone much longer." Athrun pulled his gloves off to grasped the glass. There was a golden wedding band on his hand.

"Married? Eh...it's been years since I've been to a wedding. All the young people in the area were drafted or killed in the raids."

Athrun had a sad look on his face for a moment, and then nodded.

"Of course." he took a sip of whiskey, and the downed the whole shot. He tapped his glass on the bar counter again, and the middle-aged bartender poured him some more.

"Did you have buisness in a nearby town?"

"I came from the front." Athrun said, "I'm bringing reports back to my superior."

"Yer' must be a higher up then. The military doesn't let anyone leave these days unless that are pretty important. Your not wearin' any uniform. I couldn't tell."

"I suppose you could say that." Arthrun smiled, taking another drink. After a few moments of silence, he set the glass down and paid for it. "Well, please excuse me."

"Good luck." the bartender said, "Out on the battle field, kid."

Athrun smiled at him, and nodded slightly, tying the scarf back around his neck.

Walking down the street, it was dusty. Since he had grown up in PLANT and space, his lungs had always been sensitive to the dust. He would always cough a lot. Walking through the only, dusty town, he disappeared into the trees. Or rather...they had at one time been trees.

It was not uncommon to see dozens of acres of the dead trees. The dead leaves still attached to the branches would rustle loudly, but sometimes they would fall in droves like a dead snow. Athrun walked through the dead, ghostly forrest towards the thicket ahead.

"I hope you were alright by yourself, my friend."

The Inifinite Justice sat in the cave, powered down and quiet. Athrun had been able to clean it up after the long battle. Glancing at the symbol on the right shoulder of the gundam was the crest of the royal house of Orb. It was half and half his own Zala family crest, and the other half was combined with the Atha crest.

He was not just a higher up in the military, he was the leader of Orb. Although, he had not been totally lying when he said he had to report to his superiors.

Reports from the front were due to be turned in, and after almost a year, he finally had received permission for leave from the high council. Ellieen Canaver, who had been the sit-in as chairwoman of the ZAFT supreme council and who had been a friend of Athrun's mother, had actually pulled in a few favors to get him the vaccation time. It had been such a long time since he had seen his wife.

Athrun opened the cockpit door to his gundam and after closing it, he pulled his scarf off his neck. Taking off the jacket, he activated the OS system. His eyes caught sight of something on the console, and a smile crept across his face. There was a letter sitting on the controls, and he picked it up, reading it for the fourth time since he got it three days ago.

Dearest love,

It's been such a long time since we were last together, and so many things have happened. Every night I lay awake in that empty bed of ours and I miss you. I hear more and more reports for the front, and more people are suffering and dying, and I am afraid for your safety. I do not know would I would do if I lost you. I would most certainly loose myself.

Only a few things have happened, but all of them are big. Lacus just had a baby boy yesterday, and the council gave Kira permission for a 2 week leave. 2 weeks is not nearly enough in my opinion. It is a healthy boy with Lacus's bright eyes. Kira is having so much fun taking care of him. You'll get to see the new baby when you come back.

I pray every day that you are well. You are the only thought in my mind.

I want to see you, I need to see you.

I love you.

Cagali

Athrun read the letter over again before he stuck it into his jacket pocket. The red necklace sat on the outside of his shirt, and he gripped it slightly. The last year had driven him insane from being away from her.


Lacus took a drink of water.

"You should remain in bed and rest." Caridad smiled at her, "You are young and strong, but you are too weak at the moment to work."

"Alright." Lacus smiled at her, "Thank you so much for taking such good care of me. I don't think Kira and I-"

"Lacus." Caridad laid a hand on her face, "You are the mother of my grandson, and Kira's son. You are one of our family, and you are MY daughter. Do not thank me for something that I take joy in doing. Do you understand?"

Lacus nodded at her.

"Now, sleep." she said to the young woman. Closing the door silently behind her, she let out a sigh.

"You sound exhausted." the blind priest stood in the hall, "Delivering a child, protecting the rest of the orphans, taking care of the house...you have been working hard. I can only think, are you working this way as payment for loosing your husband-"

He stopped as he felt her grab ahold of his sleeve. She was leaning against the wall.

"It's not like that."

"Oh?"

"Reverand?"

"Yes, Caridad-san?"

"Shut up."

He frowned, looking in the direction of her voice. She moved over to him, and leaned on his arm.

"Caridad-san-"

"Stop hiding it. I know that you're trying really hard not to bother me. But you're not fooling me."

"I have no other intention other then to help you."

He yelped as she grabbed his shoulders and shoved him against the wall. Even though she was so tiny and fragile, she was strong when she wanted to be. Although he could still sense her exhaustion for being up for days taking care of Lacus and the other children. Kira had taken over caring for the baby, so at least she was exempt from that.

Malchio stared right at her face. He could not see her, but there was not a doubt in his mind that she was deathly pale, and that she was in a terrible need of rest. Her husband had died at the end of Jachine Due from cancer, and it was then that he had come to know this woman. Caridad Yamato was strong, gentle, and kind. After being the adoptive mother of the most powerful mobile suit piolet ever known, she was also pretty well known herself for being the head of Orb's research deparment. Erica Simmons had temporarily took leave because she had just recently had another child herself.

So Caridad was pulling twice as much work then normal.

"What is wrong?" he asked.

He froze.

The woman sunk into his arms, she was shaking. He gripped her arms, "Are you...alright?" he asked, "Are you ill?"

She looked up at him. Right then, she did not care that someone might see, or that he was a priest, or where they were. She was tired of just pretending. If she was going to be punished for doing what she was about to do, may she be sent to hell for it.

"Malchio?"

He was startled. It was the first time she had ever called him by name.

She slid her smooth hands over his face, his hands tightened around her arms.

"Caridad, stop-"

She kissed him. She had not kissed a man in 3 years. For a second she was worried that there was something wrong, and then those thoughts rushed from her head as he kissed her back. His strong arms wrapped around her shoulders.

Back in the bedroom, Lacus lay on her side, staring at the door. She smiled to herself, and then fell asleep. Her husband would berate her if she did not rest.


Cagali stared at the morning horizon. She could still see the dusty haze of the sky in the sunlight, and the ruins of Orb. Her people were rebuilding, and everyone was doing the best they could. Looking to the east, she saw the ruins of the old mansion that her and Athrun used to live in.

CAGALI? Damn it, Cagali speak to me!

Wake up! At least tell me your alive! CAGALI!

She still remembered staring weakly at his horrified, bloody face as there were sounds of explosions and screaming in the background. The explosion from Requiem and narrowly missed Orb, but the country had been so close that the after shocks had leveled everything. She would never forget it for as long as she lived, and she would never forget the look on Athrun's face.

They had woken among the ruins of their own house, and although he was critically injured himself, Athrun had carried her limp form a mile down the hill to the makeshift medical center. Blue Cosmos had completely taken over earth and ZAFT. By now, Orb had managed to re-establish itself as free, and had allied with the Carpentaria base who had survived the initial blast.

The world was thrown into chaos, and over half the population perished in the blast. Countries were leveled, cities and capitals destroyed...it was terrible. Now, all they could do was take what little resources they had and fight Blue Cosmos. Who were trying to kill all Coordinators, and those who associated with them.

The next day they had found a priest, and married in the medical tent.

Back then he had given her a simple gold band. It was the only thing that Athrun had at the time, and she still had the ring he had originally given her. Since then, he had managed to travel back to Orb, and she was now wearing his mother's wedding ring. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.

Cagali was working around the clock every day with negotiations and the military that she barely had time for herself. By many people she was viewed as the leader of earth, sometimes even called a goddess by the soliders when she visited the front.

Athrun. She rest her head on the cool window.

Cagali missed him. She missed Athrun.

She gasped, opening her eyes.

He stood there in the courtyard, staring up at her. She saw his lips move.

"Cagali."


yawn

Too late, must sleep.

Thanks for reading!

Arigato

Lilith