Gundam SEED and Gundam SEED Destiny belongs to their respective owners.

Here's chapter 10 as promised. Now tuck away your swords I surrender!

Chapter 10 – The right thing

I watched his figure run outside. I could see the smile across his face. I wish he would smile like that for me. I wish I didn't have to constantly stare at him from behind. I continue to look at him as rain starts to pour down and even that doesn't stop him. There's no hesitation he just keeps running to her. Soon he is out of my view and I'm left contemplating my own thoughts.

The stewardess walks over moments later and asks me "Refill?" I barely hear her, my mind can only think of him, it's suffocating. She places her hand on my shoulder and I jump at the touch. "Are you okay?" she asks.

I'm not, but I lie anyways "Yea, I'm fine, thanks"

"Would you like a refill?" she asks me once again. I give her a nod and she slowly pours more coffee into my cup then I return to my previous activity and stare lifelessly out the window.

The busy diner seems abnormally quiet even though it isn't and aside from the transparent window I'm constantly scanning the clock. 'This is borderline stalking' I think to myself as I let out an exasperated sigh. I turn to my coffee and take a quick sip before a little girl pounces onto my leg. I almost drop my drink but luckily only a little spill. It is the same girl that I almost bumped into on my way in. I give her a smile and ask her "What's your name?"

She returns my smile and with great pride she proclaims "Emily" and without haste she adds "Where'd you boyfriend go?"

I'm caught off guard by Emily's question and it takes me a while to answer "He's… not my boyfriend"

Unexpectedly Emily frowns "But you two look so well together"

I smile at her and give her a quick rub on her golden hair "Thank you" Her mother calls for her and she skips to her. Suddenly Emily's words have swayed my thoughts and I find my heart betraying me. My heart was actually yearning for him to get turned down. I can barely believe myself 'Was it not I who told him to go?' I sigh once more and just play with my drink again as time continues to give me a slow torture.

A few minutes later a weary man enters the café, he struts to the counter in a drunken state. He's wearing a ski mask and ragged jeans, our eyes meet for just a moment and I already feel a chill so deep that I have to gaze elsewhere. He sits at one of the stools near the counter. A waitress arrives soon and asks for his order but he shrugs her off and rests his head down.

Emily is still running around happily against her mother's wishes. She seemed to be approaching me again bringing a slight smile across my face. As she was passing this man he suddenly arose from his drowsy-like state and grabbed her and revealed a pistol in his pocket. Emily's mother shrieks in horror as well as the other customers as did I.

The man demands everyone to bring their money and any other valuables on the counter. One by one each of us complies as we slowly ease our way to the front. I lead the pack and I slowly reached for my wallet in my back pocket. I calmly placed it on the countertop and then looked him square in the eyes. At this distance they seem unmistakably familiar, and his eyes reflected my assumptions as it opened wide.

I could sense his sudden lack of awareness and took the oppourtunity to attack him. I lunged forward causing his grip on Emily to break free as she landed on the floor. She quickly got up and ran to her tearful mother. The pair was reunited and rushed out to safety as did the other guests. All that remained was him and I.

I punched and punched, my fists could feel every impact and it echoed through my very bones. Blood spew fourth from his mouth and it seemed as though I was winning, but suddenly he tossed me from his chest and across the floor. I slid to a stop then looked up at him as he picked up his lost pistol off the floor and directed it at me.

He cocked the gun and then unexpected spoke "Stop, I don't want to do this"

'Like hell he doesn't' I thought wiping away a trickle of blood that escaped my mouth. He turned his head to outside and I took this simple mistake to continue my attack. I grabbed a hold of the gun and we stood there wrestling for it. A few shots erupted shattering a few windows and dimming the lights. I could tell his attention was focused on possession of the gun so I graced him with a swift kick in the midsection. He relinquished the gun to me and fell back.

I turned the gun to him. He groaned a bit rubbing his stomach. He slowly began to get back onto his feet "Don't move!" I yelled but he didn't listen. "Don't move!" I yelled louder this time but he still didn't pay any heed. I cautioned him a third time removing the safety and this time he listened.

'I won… I won! Kira I did…' My joy quickly turned to pain as I looked down and noticed a small knife he had thrust into me 'it?'. His speed was incredible, I had barely noticed his lunge and by the time I did it was already too late. He pulled it out and slapped me across the face. I dropped the gun and retraced a few steps all the way to the back of the diner and leaned on the tabletop for support.

He walked up to me ever so calmly. I wanted to run every pore in my body yelled to run but I just couldn't move anymore. He stood in front of me "I didn't want to do this" he restated again. Using what little I had left I reached for his mask. I latched onto it, he didn't even make an effort to stop me. I let gravity do the work as my hand fell back to my side revealing who he was. Although the hair was ruffled it was him. I coughed a few times before managing to say "Why…?"

He answered my question by pointing the gun in my direction and I knew this was it. I kind of hoped Kira would save the day, but that only happens in fairy tales. I closed my eyes then he fired a single shot to my stomach. The force propelled me further into the table knocking it over and onto me.

He picked up his mask from the floor and placed it back on and ran to the back. I could feel the life slowly being drained away from me. Then suddenly my mind began to drift back to the time when I first laid eyes on Kira.

It was about four years ago but it seems much shorter than that. It was the start of my second semester of the first year in high school. I walked into school timidly walking around aimlessly. Eventually I stumbled into my class just as the bell signaled the start of the day. I sighed in relief and quickly took any seat available.

Shortly after a middle aged man walks through the door, he has a pair of small glasses sliding just a bit on his nose. In his hands is a rather thick notebook which he slams on his podium to gain all of our attention, and it worked too. I jumped exciting his delight. He begins his lesson and I stare out the window at the seemingly endless scenery.

Lunch rolls around soon after and I'm sitting in the soothing shade of an oak tree. I pull out my bento from my school bag. I lift the cover and a smile instantly crossed my face at the exquisite design. My mother had really outdone herself this time. Even though she's been sick recently she still manages to take care of Fllay and I so well.

I take a quick bite and my taste buds are dancing at the beautiful tastes flooding them. Unfortunately a scream from around the corner catches my attention and I place my lunch down for just a second to go investigate.

I peek my head around the corner surveying the situation first. I notice my sister's boyfriend first. I honestly can't think of what she sees in him, although people say she's as cruel as he is I just can't believe it. The victim is sprawled on the floor is struggling to get up as Sai laughs evilly.

I know I should have intervened then. If I had done it things would not have turned out the way they did. Instead I stood cautiously and safe in the corner merely watching this atrocity of teenage brutality being carried out. I turned my back on him. I started walking away from the trouble. I remember every second of it, even the scent of the air. I had almost blocked the whole scene from my mind when a smaller boy ran pass me and hurdled himself straight into the path that would lead him down an unforgiving road.

I could not hide my shock and disbelief as my eyes followed him. He stood firm between them. He stretched his hands to either side and I can still remember his gaze, it was unforgettable. "Huuuuh?" Sai asked looking confused at the boy who stood a foot shorter than the one on the floor. He enjoyed a brief laugh and then promptly stopped "Who the hell do you think you are?"

"Stop picking on him!" the boy yelled out

"Hey!… Did you hear me? I asked who the hell you think you are!" Sai yelled in rage sending a kick to the boy.

The boy fell to his knees and hugged his stomach from the pain. Sai grabbed a full handful of his hair and took a careful look at him. "Hmm… If I remember right…" he started then took time to think for a little bit "Your name is Kira… Kira Yamato. Right?"

Kira groaned and tried to struggle free from Sai's grip. "That's right."

"Well then since you're so passionate about me bullying the young boy over there then I guess I'll just have to stop."

"Really!?" Kira exclaimed happily

"Yea…" Sai said releasing Kira from his grasp. He walked back to his friends then looked over his shoulder "Tomorrow I'll be starting on you."

Days turned to weeks and Sai was true to his word, for once. Everyone in the school felt a relief, because they knew that Sai only had one target now. No one cared that Kira was being picked on. I was enraged but in truth I was no better than them. I didn't do anything to change it.

I was walking down the halls and suddenly the boy that Kira saved runs towards me, just before he passes me I grab his arm and bring him to a halt. "Hey how come you aren't helping Kira?"

"Kira?"

I can barely stand his response. "Yea Kira, the guy who saved you from Sai a couple weeks ago"

"What are you talking about!?" He yelled angrily shrugging my arm off. "I don't know Kira Yamato"

"I didn't say his last name was Yamato" I replied "Look he helped you out then and now you act as though you don't even know him. Why?" I questioned.

"Look, Sai picked on me all the time in the first semester. I'm just glad that I'm not in his position, and I don't want Sai to know that I know him. I don't want anything to do with Kira"

"But he helped you!" I screamed angrily.

"I didn't ask for his help" He replied turning away from me and running again. His last words had completely stopped me, I couldn't find a reply. Why did Kira help him, what did he possibly hope to gain. I sigh and hang myself on the ledge of an open window enjoying the carefree breeze caressing my skin.

My peaceful calm was broken by loud bickering below me. I look down and see the usual scene: Kira was once again in Sai's crosshairs.

"Kira where's the money I asked for?" Sai asked calmly

"There's no way I can get that kind of money in a day!"

"I don't care how you get it, just get it!" Sai said approaching Kira who began to back his way up into the corner. "Steal from your parents if you have to, just get me that money" Sai raised his fist and sent it flying straight at Kira.

"Sai!" I shouted before he could commit the act.

He looked up at me and screamed back "What?"

I didn't exactly have a response; it just happened so fast. I said the first thing that came to my mind "Fllay wants to see you in the cafeteria!"

"Tch" Sai stopped his assault and turned away "Just remember the money for tomorrow Kira"

I raced down the stairs as fast I could, skipping several steps before each level. I run outside to where I last saw him. I was disappointed when he wasn't there. I let out a low sigh, and took a seat on a nearby bench. I bury my face into my hands and just waited for lunch break to be over when I feel a light poke on my shoulder. I bring my face away from my palms and look up at the figure who was none other than Kira.

I can't describe the nervousness but my voice would not leave and I struggled to say a simple hello.

"Hey" Kira said "Um, can I take a seat"

I still can't find the strength to speak so I just nodded. He smiled at me and made good on my answer. There was an overwhelming feeling of silence but every so often I would steal a glance of his face. Kira was laying back on the seat staring into the clear blue sky.

I finally got enough strength and muttered something that resembled a 'Hey' although it might have sounded more like 'um… umm…'

He looked over to me and smiled "Hey thanks for before, you really helped me out" he got up and began to walk away before I could reply.

So I shouted out to him instead "Why did you help that guy?"

He looked over his shoulders at me and smiled as though he wasn't even being bullied. "Because it was the right thing to do."

"But… he doesn't even help you… no one does"

"You did" he replied instantly showing me his radiant smile once again sending my heart fluttering. I knew then that I wanted the same strength as he did, and I decided to help in any way I can.

I stormed through the doors of my home searching for Fllay. I finally caught up to her in her room. She laid there with the telephone glued to her right ear. She seemed so carefree laughing and smiling so effortlessly while her boyfriend had been sending terror into Kira for so long.

I'm not quite sure what got into me. I walked right up to her and when she looked up and noticed it was just me resumed her activities I grabbed the phone from her ear and turned it off.

"Lori!" Fllay yelled in protest "What do you think you're doing"

"Fllay I don't think you know what your boyfriend has been doing all this time"

"What are you talking about, is he cheating on me!?"

I became so frustrated with her that that was her first assumption. "No…"

"Then what? Spill it already you idiot"

"He's been picking on Kira for weeks now!"

"Kira?" She rolled her eyes and thought for a bit "Oh that dweeb. Who cares?" she picked up the phone and started dialing.

"Wait… You knew?"

She snickered and replied "Of course I knew"

"Why didn't you make him stop then!?"

"Why would I? Don't you think it's funny?"

I clenched my fists and was about to do something I had never done before when my father walks into the room.

"Lori I need to talk with you." He said

I remember the long silent walk through those long halls, echoing each footstep I took. After we walked a fair distance he turned and looked at to me "It's actually your mother… she…"

"What is it dad? What about mom?" I asked but my heart somehow knew the answer already.

"She passed away this afternoon…" he said breaking down.

The reality of it all took so long to settle in before I began to cry too. I hugged my father as tightly as I could everything else seemed so distant so meaningless at this very second. "Did you tell Fllay yet?"

He wiped his eyes and shook his head "Not yet… I wanted to also tell you that I want you to go to a private school starting tomorrow"

"Why?" I couldn't understand why he was bringing it up, at a time like this.

He began to cry again and looked at me right into my eyes "I never said this before but you're my favourite. I don't know what I would do if I ever lost you too. Please Lori just do this just, do this for me. If I lost you… If I lost you…"

How could I say no, I smiled at him and nodded. He embraced me and I could feel the strength in him returning. It was disappointing but I never got the chance to say goodbye to my first crush.

I never thought I would get a chance to see him again. Walking through the doors clumsily, my emotions remained the same since so long ago, nothing changed. As he took the seat beside me I knew it was a sign, and I cast away my doubts and dove right into the flames.

I felt the first blow of being so naive when he couldn't remember me when I had his image clearly etched in my mind. But even so, that didn't phase me and I followed his strength and pressed forward.

I arise from my dream and back into the pains of reality. The person of my dreams hovers over me. I feel the tears falling from his eyes, although I can barely see it, because of my blurred vision. We have a brief conversation then when I continued to speak his ears fall deaf to my words. My words can no longer escape my lips. Oh how I wish I could go back to that time. If only I could have told him how much I loved him then. Now I can't say anything, and my time has run out.

'Tell me Kira, did I do the right thing?'

This chapter was necessary to give the reader an understanding of what actually happened. It was a bit short but since I released 2 chapters back to back you guys will spare me right? I hope it was enjoyable.

R&R pwease. Thanks for reading.