Previously: It's been four years since Gundam Seed Redemption and in that time a new government has formed. The UCN is a united government formed by the nations of the earth and the PLANTs to bring peace to the earth. The government is formed of officials elected by each nation state and the economy has been globalized. The government military known as the WMPO keeps the peace on earth.

Problems have arisen since the government instituted a compromise to deal with the problem that ROW posed in taking many nations. The UCN chose to section off those nations into the X territory where the WMPO has ran operations to hunt down ROW officials and bring them to justice. Angered by injustices done against the people of the X nations, Ben Peters has started a rebellion to demand that the X territory gets the same rights that all other nations have as well. In this many people in the X nation have joined the rebellion and they made their first large play on the world by attacking the WMPO Carpinteria base. In response the WMPO sent out It's best team of pilots under Shinn and Lunamaria Auska; Kiran, Skye, Oran and Alicesia fight to stop the X nationalists from ending peace in the world.

Their first attack on the X nationalists went wrong with Ben Peters showing that he has wasted no time on building his military. The young WMPO team only got out based on the quick thinking of their captain Lunamaria as she struck a deal with Ben Peters to stop the battle. The deals drawbacks were that the world saw an honorable side to the rebels leader.

Phase 6 - Splitting Paths

Faster, faster, harder, harder. She pushed herself as she felt like she was flying when she was running. It was the way things had to be as she was a natural who was trying very hard to keep up with the coordinator pilots on her team. Alicesia had woken early to run the track on the London WMPO base. Their ship had docked their in the night and they were awaiting further orders. After all the commotion she wondered what was going to happen. The world had gone crazy. Right after Leyas's speech X rebels had attacked and captured a WMPO outpost in X territory; the incident wasn't widely publicized because of how easily the WMPO had been defeated again. Apparently the X rebels had a new mobile suit that was more powerful than their previous two. She wondered if that was true.

She looked ahead of her and saw someone else running, she recognized the person as Herai. The new girl was a coordinator as well and the military seemed to think she would be a strong addition to the team. Alicesia wondered about her because she seemed so cocky and most of the time there were reasons for people's behavior. It was then that she heard someone behind her as well and turned to see Kiran. There was a look of determination as he swept past her with his fast pace. She hadn't seen him this worked up since the Minerva crash landed on earth over four years before and she knew exactly why. She sped up her pace to catch up with him but he was moving too quickly. He blew by Herai and continued down the track as if nothing could stop him. Alicesia was forced to slow her own pace back to a jog for lack of strength to catch him, let alone to keep up with him. She didn't like her inability to help him right now. Herai seemed to turn her nose up at his pace and Alicesia shook her head as she wondered what that girls problem with Kiran was.

It was then that as Alicesia looked around the track she saw Skye and Oran also coming onto the track. The whole team was out now and Kiran's pace still had not slowed. She tried to push herself again to no avail. Then Kiran was close to lapping her and she watched him do it rather well. He went around the track five more times at the same fast pace before finally collapsing to his knees near the exit. Alicesia who had started walking long before ran to him while the others continued.

"Kiran!" she shouted his name as she reached him. She was on her knees before he could respond, her hands were on his shoulders as she saw he looked exhausted. She also saw one of his burn wounds which had not fully healed had reopened because of his run. The others seemed oblivious as to what was going on because they didn't want to get involved. They knew he was not happy over what was going on with Leyas but no one knew what to say to him. She saw a deeply rooted bitterness in him now in this moment that would never have been apparent to her before. He had been so good at masking his true feelings with his happy demeanor but inside something was hurting him.

"Come on," she spoke softly helping him to his feet, he leaned on her as she led him off the track. She sat him down on a bench nearby as he tried to smile but found himself unable to. She was trying to figure out what to do about the wound in his side which was bleeding when he finally spoke.

"I don't know what got into me," he said shaking his head, "I just couldn't stop myself." She understood his frustration now, he was dealing with too much.

"We need to get you to the medical center now," she responded quickly trying to figure out what to use to stop the blood. He saw what she was thinking and took off his shirt and handed it to her. She quickly tore it into strips and tied them around him as she was careful not to put too much pressure on the wound. She didn't want to cause him pain.

"Can you walk?" she asked him as she tried not to stare at his well built form which was glistening from his workout. He nodded to her question and stood up. She still offered an arm. He placed his arm around her shoulders then and she helped him away. Once they got to the medical center the workers were able to bandage him up properly and give him some water for hydration. He felt a lot better than before and was on his feet like nothing had happened but she was still concerned about him and stayed with him when the doctors released him. They walked together back to the dormitories.

"How are you Kiran?" she asked him softly and shook his head.

"I'm fine really," he spoke rationally, "I was just thinking too much about everything so I reacted. I mean it's a lot for me to process that she's back and now placing herself in danger so quickly. I wish I could talk to her but I know that getting a leave from our missions is near impossible at this point." She nodded. Sometimes she wished she could take some time off to visit her younger sister in ORB.

"It's a lot for anyone to handle Kiran," she shook her head, "but you don't need to act out. If you ever need to talk I'll listen." He was grateful for that. She was a trusted and loyal friend that he could rely on. No matter what years had come between them they were able to pick back up right where they had left off. It was as if no time had passed at all except for one thing. The friendship between them was much deeper than before as if they were being drawn together by some powerful force. So she acted on that force and slipped her hand in his. He looked at her for a moment with shock, he had just been thinking about doing the same thing. He gave her hand a slight squeeze and they stopped walking. She turned toward him and wondered what he was thinking but the gravity between them was obvious to both of them.

He looked at her for a second before they both moved at the same time. Their lips connected in a deep kiss and her arms quickly made their way around him in a warm embrace as the let themselves get lost in their emotions for one powerful moment.

When they broke apart they simply looked at one another and smiled. They both felt the same way and no words were needed to describe that because in that moment they both were too happy as well as too confused and nervous to say anything. So she wrapped her arms around him and rested her head on him in a warm embrace and he held her close. He knew in this moment their relationship had changed and no matter how scary it was, it felt good to take that leap.

Just go, go run and see Leyas.

It was all the message from Meiko said as Trey walked out the front door of the house. Shock filled his face as after all that she gave into what he wanted and he hated the reasons that she did it for because he understood her. He knew she did it because she was upset with the things he had said and because of that she would not be able to see him. He knew he had been angry but he had no right to lash out at her like that and at this point the damage was already done. His conscience told him he should follow her original orders and return to the Phoenix base but his heart was jumping to run to Leyas as the message said. So he was going to the capital with the Yamato's now.

He turned back toward the house to inform them. Still there was a nagging in his mind telling him to stay with Meiko. She was now damaged by his words, and since he knew her better than anyone he knew how deep those words would run. He was her closes ally and with that he had more power to break her. That still didn't stop him; he had waited four years for Leyas and nothing was going to stop him from seeing her now.

So he ignored his conscience and told Kira he was going with them.

Meiko watched as the car drove away. Lacus, Kira and Kayla were all going to see Leyas. She stood there with Jaden in her arms waving after them. Kira and Lacus had an easy answer for her problem of who should watch Jaden; they simply replied that it was her turn. She couldn't really argue with them after all that they had done for her in taking care of him and she knew they needed to go see Leyas now. So she had decided that she didn't trust anyone else with Jaden and she had to return to the Phoenix base so she was going to take him with her.

She shook her head as Jaden was silent. He just held onto her once again scared that she was going to disappear. She walked into the garage and opened the door to her car to put Jaden inside. This would be his first time in the base and it was going to be quite odd for her. She had always wanted to keep him away from there but she understood her parents needed to go to Leyas and she would not send her son to that capital. The last thing she needed was some politician figuring out who Jadens parents were and exploiting everyone because of it. Then there was the media to contend with. Yaro was their golden boy with his heroic act and if anything would attract their attention it would be a story about Yaro having a son. This attention would be bad with Cerrian at large and her identity would be hard to hide at that point. So the base, though not a desirable option, was the safest place to have him at this time.

She moved to put him in his car seat but he old onto her with his strong grip. He looked at her with a slight worried expression before finally speaking.

"No," he spoke, "I stay with you." She let herself smile at this though to her it was a very sad statement. She couldn't expect him to easily understand things so what he did understand was that his mother was not around often and he had to hold onto her when she was cause she would leave soon.

"You are going to stay with me Jaden," she spoke softly to him, "I'm not leaving you this time, you're coming to my home now. You just have to let me put you down so I can drive us there. I promise I won't leave you behind if you let me put you down." That seemed to calm him. Of the things he had been taught he knew what a promise was and he knew his mother would never lie to him. She had never promised him she would stay before so it gave him hope. He let go of her then and she strapped him in the seat. She walked in the house briefly to grab his things. She put them in the trunk and climbed into the front seat.

She started the car, left the garage and drove out the gate. She locked everything behind her and glanced back to see the house was empty for the first time in a long time. She drove down the road and watched as Jaden was fascinated by everything around him. He had never left the confines of that home before. He saw her face in the mirror and smiled at her and she saw Yaro right there inside him.

She had made the right decision again. That expression was so apparent in Jaden; there was no doubt that he was Yaro's son. The only thing that was different were his eyes which were the exact same as hers. It made her so sad to think of Yaro but his memory was kept alive by his son. She wasn't going to loose that. She then realized what she should take the opportunity to do now. She needed to refresh her vows of letting go of it again. It wasn't as if she wasn't allowed to remember, it was just she couldn't over think things and spend time wishing they were different because they weren't. But she needed to remind herself of this often.

"How come I don't have a daddy?" Jaden asked out of the blue as if he had been reading her mind. She was shocked at this. He was very young yet he still came up with this question. She was ready to answer that now, for the first time she would speak to him about his father.

"You did have a daddy," she responded to him thinking of it with a fondness. She remembered their last days together very well, it was a memory that would never leave her. How they had overcome so much and realized that they were made for each other.

"Where is he now?" Jaden asked innocently. She looked toward the horizon before pulling her car toward a bend in the road and down a different direction. She stopped the car abruptly and stepped out. Jaden was confused as to what was going on as she walked to the back of the car and opened the door to take him out of the car seat. He held onto her tight as she walked and carried him down the hill and toward a cemetery. His eyes widened at the many rows of stones that he saw but she was going for one that was a little larger than the rest. Once she reached it she fell to her knees in front of it and put Jaden down beside her. She traced the outline of the name with her finger and bowed her head in reverence.

"This is where your daddy was laid four years ago," She said softly to him, "he was a hero to the world. He gave his life to stop the great war and in doing so he went to heaven." Jaden looked at the stone with a puzzled look then he understood; he had watched enough movies with Kayla to get a little bit of what happened. What he understood the most as that he would never see his daddy because of this.

"Daddy's in heaven," he spoke as if reasoning it out with himself.

"Yes Jaden," Meiko said turning toward him, "but if he had known you he would have loved you as much as I do. You look like he did, you're strong and brave and you have a good heart. Don't ever loose that Jaden. Don't ever let anything take your joy and innocence away from you. This world is full of narrow lies but you will be stronger than most. I will always be here with you." She fully meant every word. Because of Jaden she would do everything in her power to live; because she could never bear to see him left alone in the world.

"What was his name?" Jaden asked as he could not read the stone in front of him. Meiko smiled at that as she imagined Yaro before her now.

"His name was Yaro Yamato," she said softly. Jaden seemed in awe of all the new information. Meiko smiled at his expression and she was happy. Though she couldn't share this life with Yaro she could keep his memory alive in his child and in a way he would never really die.

"Yaro," Jaden spoke his fathers name.

After leaving the cemetery Jaden had fallen asleep and Meiko put him to bed when she got to the base. She looked out of the window of her room after that and wondered what was ahead for her. She had told the story she had once thought would be impossible to tell. She had thought Trey was right about her but then she realized that it wasn't a bad thing. She never needed to forget and never needed to get over because Yaro was still here with her. It was just different than Uzumi. He was here in his child and in that way she would never loose him.

She opened her drawer and took out a photo. Apparently Kayla had taken in in the hanger the day of the battle. It was of Yaro and Meiko, both facing each other with their arms in each others arms. It was the last day of his life and they were together. No matter what anyone said she would never let this memory die.

Jeffery stood in front of Athrun aboard the OBR ship that was bearing them all to where the UCN council met. Athrun had called Jeffery off patrol and into the ship to speak to him as he hadn't seen his son in quite some time. The boy seemed to spend all his time in the base and when he wasn't there Athrun had no way of keeping track of him. Jeffery was very much living his own life and it distressed his father a little; to see his son pull away as if there was something that kept him preoccupied. He had failed to leave a report a week before on where he was going, though Athrun had no doubt that his normal reports were total BS. Jeffery stood before him as if there was nothing wrong and that he could just keep going on.

"You failed to leave a report of your leave of absence last week," Jeffery's expression hardened at this. He had deliberately failed to leave his report because he knew his father was the one who went over them and he felt like slighting that authority for just once. Their relationship had gone down in the last two years as Athrun and Cagalli became increasingly involved in the UCN and Jeffery was left behind. He felt as though he were very much the second son and was to an extent less than what Uzumi had been. The nation of ORB had looked at Uzumi as their prince and Jeffery got no such honor. He was their fighter but he was different.

"I didn't think my ever move warranted a report," he responded by shaking his head, "I mean you'd get bored reading my life over and over. It's the same every week." Athrun knew his son was lying to him and that hurt.

"Don't play dumb with me," Athrun said looking him squarely in the eye, "I taught you how. I'm your father Jeffery, not your commanding officer. You can't write me off as easily as everyone else. They may be blind to you but I and most certainly not." Athrun leaned back in his chair now with a slight smile as Jeffery's expression became softer.

"I'm sorry father," Jeffery spoke to him, "but I can't explain to you what I've been doing." Athrun didn't like that. His son shouldn't be forced to keep secrets from him but no prying would get anything out of him. Jeffery had advanced quickly in the military and was head of one of the best teams in ORB. Because of this there wasn't much Athrun could do to punish him without looking simply like a concerned father. That would be bad form to the military in general. Jeffery deserved to be treated as any other solider would because of his status.

"Jeffery I am not asking you I am telling you that you need to be honest with me," Athrun spoke more forcefully.

"Why father?" Jeffery asked, "you've ignored the bull in my reports for over a year now. You don't really care that much about what I do as long as I do my job right." Athrun hated hearing those words. He knew better than anyone how his son felt about his standing in ORB.

"Because I'm your father," Athrun replied as if he needed no other reason, "and I care about what it is you do, no matter what you believe because I care about you. I'm your father and I love you." Jeffery's expression softened even more as he thought about his whole life and everything he was devoted to now. He couldn't break that devotion not even for his father but he couldn't let his father worry.

"Then I ask you to trust me," Jeffery spoke now as the son Athrun remembered, the loving and devoted child who only wanted his parents approval. "I'm not doing anything wrong, I'm just involved in some things that are bigger than what any of us really understands now. I'm trying to make a difference in the world in the best ways that I can and because of that I can't give you all the details but I can say that It's something that you would do if you could as well." Athrun looked at him and saw his son was telling as much truth as he could and Jeffery continued. "Please just don't worry about anything, I promise you I'm fine and that I'm still living responsibly." If there was anything Athrun could get out of this is that Jeffery was telling the truth. He was never one to lie to his father, especially not about something like this. there was a conviction in his voice that made Athrun realize that whatever his son was involved in, it was the right thing for him to do.

"I trust you Jeffery," Athrun finally conceded, "but I won't stop thinking about it or worrying about it and you know why." Jeffery nodded. "Just be safe Jeffery, and if you ever need anything you know you can come to me. Don't even hesitate."

"Thank you father," Jeffery replied turning toward the door.

They had arrived at the capital of the UCN in a timely fashion and they were happy to have this chance now. Lacus was quite overcome with a giddy sort of nervousness as she thought about what was getting ready to happen. After four years apart they were about to see their daughter. Cagalli had spoke to the president extensively on the matter and he had made arrangements with Leyas as to a time and place of where to meet with them. As they walked down the halls of the building Trey couldn't help but wonder what she would be like in person.

"It's all going to be fine," Kira said putting an arm around Lacus as he read her nervousness. Lacus nodded to him. The attendant in front of them opened the door for them and they entered the room slowly. Leyas wasn't there and the four of them were told to wait. Kira, Lacus, Trey and Kayla waited and wondered what had changed and what would remain the same.

"So it would seem though time has past the only one of you that looks any different is Kayla," Kira knew that voice as did the others, but what he heard now was only a bit different. It was the voice of his daughter but there was an edge to it that had never been there. He stood up from where he sat and turned to see her. She was dressed in a simple black dress and her hair fell in curls around her shoulders. It was shorter than before and her bangs had grown out to join the rest of her hair. This took away the innocent girlish look she had once had and instead made it absolutely clear how much she had grown. Tears filled his eyes as she smiled slightly at all of them. Lacus was the first to run to her and wrap her arms around her. Leyas hugged her mother back with tears filling her own eyes.

"My baby girl," Lacus said holding onto her tightly. When they released Leyas wiped her eyes and smiled at her mother who was crying.

"There is no need to cry," Leyas spoke putting a hand on her shoulder, "It's really me. I'm alive and I'm safe; I'm so happy you are all." She turned to Kayla and rushed to hug her younger sister. "You've grown so much, you're almost as tall as I am now." Kayla laughed at the true statement and threw her arms around her older sister.

"I missed you Leyas," Kayla said.

"And I missed you," she spoke sweetly looking around, "all of you." She smiled at Trey then walked over to her father.

"Daddy?" she questioned at his expression, "what's wrong." He shook his head at her before hugging her.

"I can just barely believe you are here," he said squeezing her tightly, "I thought we lost you. All those years of searching and finding nothing. I couldn't really believe it was you when I saw you on our screens but it's true. You're here." She let go of him and smiled up. HIs eyes were tearing up. She reached up to wipe them away.

"You mustn't cry," she said looking at all of them and wiping her own eyes, "we're all together for now except for Kiran and Meiko but I already know they made it out safe; the president's been so kind to me. He's given me a job here and filled me in on everything that's been happening. He told me not to worry about all of you and that you would come up as soon as you heard and he was right. I'm so happy to see all of you." She then directed a comment to Trey that confused him.

"And you my constant friend," she said with a smile as she floated over to him and gave him a quick hug, "I'm glad to see you're still alive." That was it, the only exchange she gave him; nothing that reminded him of the past. Nothing to suggest she ever felt anything for him in her life.

"You must all be tired from your trip," she said seeming more demure than ever. She looked around the room and knew every word to say. "The attendants will show you where you will be staying. I've heard you will be here for four days as long as the council meeting. Of course you all must have dinner with me tonight and the President. I mean it's all so exciting; I'm taking after you mother with my interest in politics." Lacus smiled at this, she loved seeing her daughter safe and happy. No matter what was happening around the world she knew Leyas's smile would fight her battles for her.

"Yes we would love to have dinner with you," Kira responded with a smile.

"Great," Leyas replied, "we will have so much more time to catch up then. For now I have a press interview and my stylist Valiery will go crazy if I don't get myself to her on time." With a last round of hugs and comments on how she was so happy, Leyas left. She walked out the door and her smile faded into her blank expression as she walked down the hall without looking back. She knew she was doing a great job.

As she walked she saw a mirror and avoided it; she didn't want to know how she looked now. Seeing them was a relief because she knew she did love them but a huge part of her still felt like she should blame them for everything. Her father and mother were once two of the most powerful people in the world and because they abdicated no one came for her. She freed herself, fought herself and made it here now without them. No matter what they thought about her, they all had no idea what it was like to be had no idea what it was like to suffer as she had for so long and without any hope for anyone to come. And Trey, she had once loved him so dearly and she knew part of her still did but she blamed him again. He was supposed to be the one protecting her but he had failed in that mission.

When she reached her dressing room she knew how she needed to go for the interview and the story she would tell. One of a little girl lost and with no hope of ever seeing her family again. For she had grown distant, she knew her father would be the only one to really see it.

"It's incredible," six said as he rushed around the computers pulling up information from the book drive, "I forgot how detailed everything was. I really recorded absolutely everything that I ran into." He stopped and turned to Meiko, it was odd for her to see the solemn old man so happy. She laughed a little at him. She looked at it all amazed as well; he had done so much work and in an instant it seemed like everything was lost. But here it all was again, unscarred by time and it's trip around the world. She wondered what other scientific discoveries could be made from all the information that was in front of her now.

"You really did work," Gren Trias said leaning back in his chair. He had just come off his leave of absence a few days before. Meiko had recruited him into the Phoenix squad because of his previous connections with Redemption and his skills in tracking down information. It was funny to Meiko when she arrived back to the base to find him sleeping at his desk in front of a screen that held a video game. He could be so focused at times but other times he was just a normal person.

"Yes," six said, "and I'm nowhere near done deciphering it all, much less setting up facilities to use it." Meiko smiled and sipped some of her tea before walking up to one of the monitors to read what was on it.

"Anything you need just let me know," Meiko responded, "I have unlimited resources as I'm sure you are aware."

"We're all aware of that by now," Gren responded with a smile, "as if limited resources could build a base like this." He was right about that. The base was underground one of the smaller islands near to ORB. There was a location in ORB that she could enter and drive a car through to get out here into the ocean. It was all very well hidden and top secret. The guys were much more impressed with it's design than she and the girls in the squad were. Redemption had designed and built it for her under the radar and they were the only ones besides her family who knew of it's existence. She owed a lot to her mother on that which reminded her at the moment that she should go visit her sometime soon.

"Well Gren you better get used to being around this base for the time being," Meiko responded on that note as she turned to face him and Six. "My family went to space to visit Leyas so I brought Jaden back with me. He's sleeping now but when I'm out I"m going to need both of you to keep an eye on him." Six took the information in stride and nodded in understanding, Gren on the other hand threw back his hands.

"Meiko you know I"m terrible with kids!" he responded shaking his head.

"Just introduce him to some of your video games and I'm sure he'll be happy," Meiko responded with a smile as she turned back to Six, "now I need a real report on how far you've gotten and how much farther we have to go. The time bomb in my heads not slowing down for anything."

"I have isolated the data I need to create a treatment that could help reverse this," the man said pulling up more files, "I am sure I've figured out what exactly Liene did to you and how he did it." Meiko's eyes widened at this, she never expected he could find that much. "We're going to fix you Meiko, I have answers now which means we can start treatments soon."

"It's amazing news," Gren spoke with a smile, "I'm sure now we can all stop worrying about the idea of you just dropping off the face of the earth." She smiled at his enthusiasm. Yes, it looked like things were going to get better.

"Well reports say there are five of them now, and after our daring takedown they are going to try and retake their base," Kyle spoke to Ben as they both stood by a map of the European area. They were with the main pilots of X and some of their best strategists at this moment trying to come up with a plan. Ben was known for thinking of some of the most daring plans when it came to defeating the enemy but what information he had hear concerned him at this moment. "The enemy ship did enter the London base which is the prime area for them to target from. The main concern is that they add to that force. If we just have to deal with Shinn Auska and the five younger pilots we could try and split their ranks but even then…" Ben held his hand up to silence Kyle as the wheels in his mind began to turn.

"So what we know about the pilots is that they have one natural girl and four coordinators, one of which is Kira Yamato's son and who has so far not been that impressive on the battlefield," Ben said thinking about everything, "I mean the boy is gifted but not as experienced…" He trailed off as he thought about the strength of arms he possessed as well.

"I can take Kiran, I have already," Darren spoke up and Ben shook his head at that.

"You firebombed him and revealed that are weapons are not all legal," Ben replied with an edge to his voice. The kind of firebomb Darren had used was based on a nuclear power core and had been made illegal in the Gibraltar treated 20 years before. X found plans to them and decided to build a few. The fire was extremely hot and dangerous making it obvious why it was part of the weapons ban.

"But it stopped him," Darren said, "isn't that what we want? To win the battles through any means necessary?" Ben couldn't believe those words had just come out of his brothers mouth. Any means necessary would imply they could break even more rules. If they did go down that dangerous road they wouldn't have a world at the end of it and X didn't want to destroy the world just to change it so that everyone could live fairly. He had already ordered firebombs removed from Darren's weapons system to prevent him from using them again.

"No," Ben finally spoke, "that is far from what we want." He walked a few steps away from the map and faced the pilots there, "if we loose sight of who we are then we will loose everything. Darren has expressed an idea that is the opposite of what we stands for. Our enemy has no standards as to how far they will go therefore we must. It is our job as people seeking change in the world to set the standard of what change we want. We will fight but we will fight fair because we want the world to exist when we are done, we are just asking them to change it enough so that we can live in it fairly. We are taking extreme measures but we don't want to because anarchists." This Darren and the others were able to fully understand; they wanted to make it out of this.

Ben then walked over to Kyle and picked up a small white board that was there. He wrote down the enemy machine names then wrote down the names of his three machines. The Dawn, The Covenant and The Reckoning. The last one caused Kyle's eyes to widen, Ben would reveal their weapon to fight off these guys when they had beat them once before.

"We beat them because of our strategy and their inexperience," Ben spoke as if reading his mind, "if we want to beat them again we need an element of surprise. Their team is better than ours without the Reckoning but with it we are clearly stronger." Kyle nodded, it made sense even if he didn't want it too. The Reckoning was the best mobile suit X had ever built and even they weren't sure how strong it would be on the battlefield but that depended on it's pilot. Darren and Tabrett were good with their machines but the pilot that was in charge of the Reckoning had not been in the field up to this point.

"Are you sure he'll agree with this?" Kyle asked.

"Yes," Ben responded thinking about it, "he has as much to loose as we do if we fail. At this point we don't need to focus on our holdings near London; let them fall. If they do then the WMPO team will get cocky and that will play to our hands. After that we'll make sure to defend our territory." Everyone understood that.

"But what about Leyas?" Darren asked walking toward them, "she's causing trouble with the media. Part of this game is convincing the world that we aren't the bad guys and she's undermining that."

"There is nothing we can do about her now," Ben spoke angrily, "we let her slip through our fingers before and that was a mistake. Now we can't touch her. She is too well protected in the capital and if we tried anything it would just work against us. We let her continue with her pretty words and search for dirt on her to stop her by defacing her. That is the only way we can proceed." With that Ben left the room leaving Darren confused. How could they ever hope to find dirt on Leyas Yamato? She was from the worlds most perfect family. Was there anything anyone could hold against her?

He walked down the hallway, it was dimly lit because it seemed the whole place was getting ready to sleep. He didn't understand it but he guessed that Meiko had been right all along. He just had to know for sure, because it didn't make any sense. So he walked into the room where he knew she would be, recording songs is what she had said at the dinner table that night. When he saw her, she was sitting on the ground with papers scattered in front of her. Her long hair hung in soft curls around her as she smiled at some idea she seemed to have. She was songwriting, he had no doubt; it was something that she could never escape.

"Leyas," he said her name fondly and she looked up at him, there was a joy in her eyes that made it seem to him like four years had not passed. Time had not distanced them and she was the same as she ever was, but that smile faded into contentment that he didn't understand.

"Trey," She said his name softly and she turned back to her work scribbling something on the paper in front of her. That single act made his heart race with sadness, she didn't see him as the same anymore.

"Leyas I need to talk to you," she looked up at him again this time there was a sadness in her eyes. She stood up from her work and walked toward him. She then looked down and motioned for him to follow her. She led him out to a balcony where she knew she wouldn't wake anyone with this conversation. She didn't know what to say to him; she didn't know how to let him go.

"I know why it is you want to talk to me Trey," she spoke first turning toward the view which was very small in the darkness of the night. She then turned back to him, "We had something special back then, a long time ago. You were a great friend to me but it was so much more; things that I didn't really understand back then. I was just a little girl and I believed in so many things but the truth is that things have changed in my heart. I don't know how to be the person I once was, and that includes what ever I felt for you." He heard reasoning that she must have thought a lot about. It was something that she had been training herself to say, he had no doubt about that and he didn't believe a single word of it.

"No," he spoke now quickly, "you can't mean any of that Leyas. We were more than friends, I loved you!" He clenched his fists, "I spend four years leaving my life behind because I couldn't imagine a world without you." This caused her heart to beat as tears involuntarily came to her eyes, she had been practicing and preparing for this but she was having trouble doing it. She had to do it. She reminded herself he never did anything to help her in her darkest hours but now hearing that he put his own life on hold when she was missing; her heart warred with her mind and her dark desires resurfaced.

"It's not enough," she responded as tears spilled from her eyes at her own words. She breathed in trying to hold herself together and he saw her emotions rapidly changing in her eyes.

"Why is it not enough? Tell me Leyas because I don't understand!" Tears filled his eyes now as he stood there before her, wanting them to pick back where they left off. But for some reason she was frozen before him, unbending in some ideas she had about the future. He didn't understand this but by her tears he knew something was wrong.

"Well I don't understand why it took you so long to finally find me," she replied angrily, "I don't understand why you failed to protect me that day! I don't understand why the hell I had to go through all that alone! You have no idea what I had to face and fight every day! I was unsure that I would survive and I would have welcomed death because at least that meant I would be free." More tears came from her eyes. "You weren't there, you have no idea!" She could not give into him, she was fighting for something that he would never be able to see eye to eye with. No matter what she felt now she knew she had to let him go.

"But I never wanted any of this to happen!" he exclaimed, "I never wanted to loose you! I fought the world for you and nothing came of it. Now you are telling me that nothing ever will?" She looked at him and he saw confusing warring in her. There was something wrong, she did feel the same way but she was fighting herself. He knew she would never admit it so he did what he had to. He pulled her in and kissed her. She kissed him back as her head grew hazy and her heart told her to give him. She loved him; she always had and always would. But it wasn't right; she was descending into darkness to stop the world and she had no right to drag anyone down with her. As she felt his arms tighten around her and her emotions were on overdrive. She kissed him more passionately and he kissed back. She wasn't strong enough to let this go, but she had to be. In that instant she pushed him away, pulled herself back and turned away.

"No Trey," she said anger in her now, "damn it, stop it!" She pushed him back again as he tried to put an arm around her.

"You feel the same why I do Leyas!" he exclaimed, "why are you fighting it? What is happening to you that you can't admit to me that you still feel like things can pick up." She shook her head.

"You'd never understand Trey," she responded bitterly as more tears streamed down her face, "I'm not the same person I was, I can't be that person anymore. I need to be different!" That just didn't work to him; she was fighting the past and trying to hard not to be the same but part of her still was there in the past.

"But you still feel the same way!" he yelled now, "I don't understand! I still love you and you still love me." She was silent, there it was hanging in the air between them. A truth he held onto and a truth that she denied. She had prayed a thousand nights that he would come for her and it never happened. She was rescued by others, and he was gone from her. But still she had always hoped he would be here and now that he was here she had made a vow. She had made an unbreakable vow that he was not a part of and no matter how much his kiss made her want to change it she would not.

"I don't love you," she spoke the lie that she knew would change him, "I never will love you." His heart was broken in that moment for it would change his path forever.

Meiko awoke in the darkness as she heard something stir. She stood up and saw Jaden was fast asleep in his bed as if nothing had happened but she definitely felt something. She looked at the window and saw that dawn would break soon and looked at the clock to see it was 5:07 in the morning. Nothing was off but this feeling in her mind. She reached under her bed and clicked the button that opened the wall, she then grabbed the gun from there and took off the safety. She crept down the halls holding the gun down and scanning for activity.

She heard someone stir down the hallway and moved closer She then leaped and pointed her gun at the person as the lights were on and Gren was on the other side of the room doing the same thing. They both were shocked as before them was Yzak Joule, his hands in the air.

"Don't shoot, we're still on good terms," he said with a cocky smile, "or at least I think we are."

"What in the world are you doing here?" Gren asked in shock.

"I'm wondering the same thing," Meiko responded with an angrier expression, "Sneaking here in the middle of the night! I could have killed you idiot!" She then put her gun down as they all laughed.

"Well I'm on urgent business and I knew if I phoned beforehand no one would answer cause of how late it was," he responded, "so I figured since I knew how to get in that I would just enter and wait for you to all wake up." Meiko shook her head, sometimes she wondered what her mother saw in this guy.

"That still doesn't answer why you are here," Gren said.

"Well I hear that you are going to enter negotiations with X," Yzak responded but before Meiko could say anything he kept speaking, "Trey told me, he called yesterday and seemed very upset that you to argued or something. Just get over it because we all need to be at the top of our game. Redemption is awakening because the world is changing once again. I'm here to report to you some valuable information that has to do with the past, the present and the future."

"I'm in what's up?" Meiko asked. She was curious as to what her mother had gathered. He then tossed her a picture frame and she did not recognize the person in it but Yzak seemed to think it was of great importance. He then tossed her something else she didn't recognize.

"That is a piece of the Dreamer that Redemption analyzed for traces of Seed energy Yaro could have used," Yzak spoke before she could, "and that man there is Tieran Cerrian, Gryser Cerrian's son." Her eyes widened as she finally had a face to put with the name that often floated in her research.

"It can't be," Meiko spoke in shock.

"Yes it can," Yzak replied, "Redemption has been on the same page as you the whole time. We're ready to start joining forces again. The old alliances will stand and we will defeat the enemies of this world."

Teaser Roundup

1. ***** is taken captive at some point.
2. I'm currently flipping back and forth between a sudden character death and a brain damaged coma from which said character will never wake.
3. ***** will change physically and unnaturally into a very powerful person.
4. Cerrian hopes to drive ***** insane with his cat and mouse chase.

So sorry for the lack of action in the story so far. I did say it was more character driven. I think that really can be justified as the large wars are all over and the threats are more underground this time so there really won't be as much fighting as in a normal Gundam story at this point. It will kick in later then slow down again then kick in. So we'll see. A lot of the battles will become more mind games too.

I kinda took a step back to think about some of the more tragic elements of my story and I'm going to say I think things are going to get pretty grim. I mean I am going to try and put some more lighter moments but forgive me if it gets really heavy and dark.

With that I want to say.

I came back for all of those who have stuck with this story! So please let me know what you think and leave a nice review! Thanks!

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-Winterchill