Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Seed or Gundam Seed Destiny

Authors note: Yea! An update. And boy have some of the reviews been rough. Next time I decide to kill a main character, I'm going to think twice about it.

Thank you to everyone who has reviewed. I really do appreciate all the kind words and encouragement. Your reviews make my day ;)

Now on with the story.

8-8-8-8-8

Looking around the corridor, the silent figure made sure that they were alone before entering the empty office. Locking the door after entering, the figure moved quietly towards the communicator and waited for the message that they knew was coming.

"Did you have any trouble getting in here?"

"No Sir, the Commander is out doing runs in his MS and it was a piece of cake getting around everyone else."

"Good. So is it her?"

"Sir, not to counter you, but why do you believe it to be this photographer?" the figure asked the other person on the line.

"Because, my person on the Minerva never returned and then there is that little trip that Athrun Zala made to the Voltaire. He and one other person left to go there but only he came back. Very interesting. That and from what you have told me this Mira Koenig, looks exactly like the photographer. Now is it her?"

"I do believe that it is. A couple of weeks ago, she and Major Elsman, left the Commander's office and she was crying. I found out that she was crying over the death of Orb's Princess. A regular ZAFT soldier would not care about the death of a ruler like Attha, but the photographer would? She fought with the Princess and is close friends with the Princess's twin brother. Also, I snuck in her room a few days ago, and she had tons of photos in her bathroom, some of which were of you, Chairman Dullindal, and Lacus Clyne."

"Well, I knew she would turn up. Very smart of Athrun hiding her on the Voltaire. It's just a shame they did not cover their tracks better. Anyway, keep a close eye on them and keep me informed. I do not want you to act just yet, I have somethings planned that can not be messed with."

The figure nodded their head and saluted. "Yes, Chairman. Anything for you and for ZAFT."

8-8-8-8-8

"Dammit!" Came the scream from the inside of the ZGMF-1001/K Slash ZAKU Phantom. The silver coordinator just smirked from his spot behind the pilot's seat. "Why can't I do this?"

"Maybe because you are a Natural?" Came the taunt.

The golden-brown haired pilot turned around and shot a glare at her tormentor. She refused to let his taunts get to her.

"You know, you would be dead if this was a real battle."

"I know that! I don't need you pointing it out to me." came the stiff reply.

"You were the one that wanted to learn to pilot a Mobile Suit." He did not want to admit it, but the girl was doing a good job at trying, though she would never be able to do it. She was just to slow and inefficient at piloting. If she tried it on the battlefield she would be dead.

Miriallia narrowed her eyes as she tried working the Mobile Suit again. It was harder than it looked and much more involved than she ever thought it would be. Kira and the others made it look so easy. Hell even Cagalli did well on her first time out. She instantly regretted thinking about the lost Orb Princess. It was to much that she had lost another friend to war, and it had taken her weeks to not be emotional about it. Dearka had called her to soft. Saying that she was still a crybaby and that she needed to pull herself together, because there was nothing she could do about it now. Maybe he was right, but it still pissed her off, that he would be so callous about it. Especially after the way he had taken care of her right after they found out.

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she put all her energy on getting the unit to do as she wanted it to.

Not two minutes after she started again, did the computer system come on saying that she had been shot down. This time the scream that came out was deafening and was followed by a long and colorful stream of curses.

"Alright move so we can head back in. Dearka should be done soon with the work I gave him, and will be looking for you soon." Yzak resumed his position as pilot and expertly and smoothly returned the Slash ZAKU Phantom to it's rightful place.

Both quickly existed and went to the pilot's locker room to change back into their uniforms. Neither said a word once they left the cockpit. It was like the had an unspoken truce to be civil to one another inside the MS, but normal indifference and coldness outside it. In fact it had taken a lot of courage to ask him to teach her how to pilot. He had been hesitant at first but then had given in once she laid her reasons out for him.

He had wondered why she did not just get Dearka to teach her, but she had explained that Dearka would never want her to be inside one of those things. That he was to protective by half, and she needed to learn to use a Mobile Suit encase she needed to leave the Voltaire to save herself and them. Dearka would never had agreed to that, and told her that it was Cagalli's death that was making her want to pilot. Which was partly true. She had envisioned herself piloting a powerful Gundam and striking down the machine that had taken her friend away. Then she would remember that killing him would not bring Cagalli back, but deep inside the thought still made her feel better.

8-8-8-8-8

Dearka clicked the file close and stretched in his chair. He could not understand Yzak's sudden whim of assigning him paper work to do. Usually Yzak did all the paper work himself since he was so anal retentive as to how he wanted it completed, and Dearka never did it the 'right way'. But for the last three weeks he had been given the joyful duty. Whenever he would ask Miriallia if she wanted to help, Yzak would cut him off, saying that she was doing something in his office and could not be bothered. Needless to say he was overly curious as to what she was doing in there. Especially since her and Yzak did not exactly get along and they usually tried to stay away from one another.

Standing up, he picked up the disk and left the room to go collect Miriallia from Yzak. He nodded at the people he passed in the hall, yet did not really pay attention to them as he thought about Miriallia and the last few weeks with her.

She had been so emotional, almost reminding him of when they first met. It seemed that nothing he did could make her happy right now. Except for that first night, when they learned of the Princess's death. He had slipped in bed with her and held her while she softly cried into his chest. He had a feeling that she was exceptionally sad over the Princess's death, but that she was also thinking about her boyfriend's death. It had not been long before she had fallen asleep. But he could not bring himself to leave her. So he had pulled her closer to him and stroked his fingers through her hair until he had fallen off to sleep himself.

When she had woken up, she pulled away from him and pretended that they had not spent the night wrapped around one another. Her cold attitude had made him so mad that he had lashed out at her. He could not understand how she could be so indifferent, after what was the best night's sleep he had ever had. And they had not done anything other than hold one another. Which was a first for him. When she started crying again he had called her to soft and a crybaby. He regretted calling her those names, but they were still out of his mouth. If only he could remember that phrase that his mother had taught him as a child, 'You never have to take back, what you don't say.' After those words had left his mouth she had turned even colder on him, and started working closely with Yzak.

Coming upon the door to his friend's office he paused when the sound of soft voices came through the door. They were to soft for him to clearly understand what they were saying. Though the voices were unmistakably Miriallia's and Yzak's.

8-8-8-8-8

"You know I was being serious before. The reason you can't pilot, is because you are a Natural. Now listen to me before you go getting an attitude," he said cutting off any comments she was likely to make in response to his. "These machines are created for the use of Coordinators. The operating system on them is designed so that a Coordinator can use it. It is too advanced for a Natural. Hence you can't pilot my MS, because you are a Natural."

Miriallia thought about what he said. He was right. She remembered Sai trying to use the Strike once and not getting anywhere with it, but in trouble. She also remembered the talk of Morgenroete needing Kira to help them design some kind of operating system. She guessed that the OS he designed was one for Naturals, because how else would Commander La Flaga been able to pilot the Strike?

"Fine, your right. But I still want to practice. Because if I ever get the chance to pilot a machine that is Natural friendly, I will. That way I can finally be of help and not a burden."

Before more could be said between the two, Dearka opened the door and strode in. He looked at the two suspiciously but refrained from saying anything. He gritted his teeth at how closely the two were standing and pulled Miriallia closer to himself. She shot him an annoyed look but did not say anything.

"Here is the reports you wanted. If there is nothing else then we are going to be off to lunch." He gave a quick salute and pulled Miriallia out after him.

She turned and saluted Yzak before allowing Dearka to pull her along. Once outside the office, she tugged her hand out of his and stopped following him. "What is your problem now?"

"What are you talking about Mira?"

"I'm talking about the fact that you just walked into the Commander's office, gave both of us a dirty look, were rude to your friend and just acted like I belong to you by pulling me out of that office. Dearka, we are partners here. Lose the attitude with me."

"That's funny Mira. Because you are the one who has been having attitude with me. But fine I'm sorry. I just had a lot on my mind. Now can we please go to the cafeteria. I'm starving and you have to be since you were running late this morning and didn't have breakfast."

Her stomach growled answering his question for her. She ducked her head to hide the blush covering her face, but nodded her head in agreement. He laughed at her, and draped his arm around her shoulder, pulling her along with him.

They sat down and were in the midst of conversation when several other soldiers joined them. "Hey Mira, are you feeling better?" asked one of the girls, Brie. She was a regular soldier and one of the sweetest girls Miriallia had met on the ship.

"Yes, I am. Thank you for asking, Brie. How is your shift going today?"

"Good. Oh hi Major Elsman."

"Oh Brie, you don't have to call him that. Just call him by his real name, Dearka. Right sweetheart?"

He looked down at the mischief maker next to him. He was not sure what she was up to but he decided to play along with her."Yeah sure, Babe." To get even with her, he pulled her closer and kissed her cheek. He loved the way she blushed at his actions.

"So Mira when are you going to dump this loser and give the rest of us a chance?" piped up the soldier next to Brie.

Dearka narrowed his eyes at him, while Miriallia felt her cheeks go hotter. "Sorry Patrick, but this lug here got to me first. I just couldn't leave him. Besides who knows what will happen to him if I were to leave him. I'm betting he would be the big pathetic lump he was when I met him."

"Excuse me. I was not a big pathetic lump when you met me. I was a pri..."

Miriallia cocked her eyebrow at him in astonishment. If she was correct it sounded like he was about to say when he was a prisoner.

Realizing the mistake he was about to make, Dearka put a huge forkful of food in his mouth and kept on talking. The others at the table looked grossed out, Miriallia just shock her head at him. "See what I mean he would be lost without me. Sweetheart you aren't suppose to talk with your mouth full. Anyway, I'm sure these guys don't want to hear about how we got together. Besides you need to go do some runs on your MS, and I have some work to take care of." Picking up her tray, Miriallia left the table without waiting to see if Dearka was following and left the cafeteria.

Dearka did not have to try to hard to catch up with her. She was waiting for him right outside in the hallway. And for once she was smiling at him. He could not help himself but to smile back at her. "What's up with you?" he asked curiously.

"Nothing, I was just amazed by that blunder you almost made."

He lost his smile and narrowed his eyes at her. "Oh, don't get your briefs in a bunch, it tickled me, especially the way you recovered that oops," she teased, punching him on the shoulder.

Now he was truly confused. She had been nothing but cold to him the last few weeks, including her attitude before they went into the cafeteria, and now she was playing with her and wanting to be, what his friend? He decided then and there that nothing she did would ever surprise him again.

"What's going on Mira?"

She smiled kindly at him and slipped her arm through his pulling him towards the hanger. "Well I realized that I have been awful to you lately and other than calling me a crybaby 'again'," she stressed, "I have no real reason to be. So I've decided to be nice. Besides there is something about you Dearka Elsman that gets under a girl's skin and makes it hard for a girl to be mean to you. Now, come show me how to work that MS or yours."

8-8-8-8-8

More fluff this time. So Miriallia is starting to the walls keeping her harden to Dearka. The spy has made contact with the Chairman. And the Voltaire will be making it's way to Aprilius One. Wonder what danger lies there?

Please read and review.
C-town Chica