Note: Just a little Lacus turmoil.

Rating: G

Lacus Breaks

"Captain, please be aware that your presence here is not too welcomed," Cagalli flat out said. "But we will extend our hospitality none the less."

Talia was confused by that statement. But she accepted what they were saying. The next statement threw her off. "Your pilots will have to leave the ship and be with you," Kisaka added.

"What? Why?" Talia demanded.

"If your pilots are away from their units and where we can see them, it's less intimidating for the people and the nation," Kisaka said. "If you can't comply then you will be forced to leave Orb. If you do comply, the Minerva has sanction until you leave the territorial waters. You have enemies here that would be safer with that threat where they can see it."

Talia nodded her head. She didn't know of any enemies in Orb…unless… "The Archangel?"

Cagalli and Kisaka nodded. Talia consented, but was irritated that the ship escaped. There had never been a ship like it. That late after noon, she sat with her second in command and the pilots. Along the halls, no one missed the dark eyes of the Orb Union members. It was probably just Talia but some people looked more resentful than most. Upon entering the conference room, Talia stopped dead. Athrun just walked past her, like he saw this every day. Sitting there with Cagalli and Kisaka was Andrew Waltfeld, the Desert Tiger, Lacus Clyne, and Captain Murrue Ramius. After a while the room turned into a battlefield. Shin wasn't allowed to speak like the others. So he settled for glaring. Athrun interjected his own when it was necessary. Talia, Murrue, Cagalli, and Kisaka were throwing around the flaming potato for a while. It wasn't too bad until the potato exploded. Talia had harshly commented on their lost pilot.

"Your alliance is causing more conflict than is needed," Talia snapped. "Chairman Dullindal has a way to resolve this war. But you won't let it be. To prove your point, you just barge into battles. That resulted in a vain death of your pilot and the Freedom."

"How dare you!" Cagalli snapped. "We were fighting for peace. Battles won't bring that, especially bloody ones like you were fighting."

"Stop!" Lacus yelled. "This is pointless!" With that she ran from the room, feeling nauseous. Cagalli was right behind her. "Wait, Lacus." Most were surprised to hear such a tone from the gentle woman. The ZAFT loyalists were puzzled, while the ORB members looked sorrowful.

Outside, Lacus had run to the end of the hall before Cagalli grabbed her wrist. The pink haired princess leaned against the corner of the hall, sobbing. "I'm…sorry. I don't know what got into me. I'm so confused."

Cagalli looked at her with sad eyes. "What do you mean?"

"I get so upset and angry when I see them," Lacus cried. "I want to yell and scream at them but I can't. Why would I hate them for obeying an order? I can't stand them yet it's against everything I believe to hate them. Why me? Why?" Cagalli embraced the crying songstress, rubbing small circles on her back.

"You're hurting," Cagalli slowly said. "You know the Minerva shot him down and the pilot who destroyed the Freedom was sitting before you. You want to make it seem like it was fair game and life goes on. But it won't. It's normal to be angry and hurt when someone you loved is ripped from your life. Revenge won't get you anywhere but so will bottling your pain up."

The next day, Andrew escorted Lacus to the Minerva. She volunteered to meet with the captain about the information she found about the Chairman. It sickened her to be on the ship that was responsible for her love's death. Yet she kept a cool façade. The ZAFT personnel were gazing at her in interest. The captain had an important call to make with the Chairman so she was given a tour of the ship, seeing as this was supposed to be a long conversation. Athrun led her around with Andrew. In the hanger, Athrun showed her around. Vino and Youlan were both thrilled to see her. She paid little mind to those trying to get her attention. Athrun's attention was drawn away for small business, leaving Lacus to gaze around herself. Shinn entered the scene with Vino and Youlan. Luna was there with Meyrin, hanging in the back. Lacus was within hearing distance when she heard laughing.

Vino and Youlan laughed. Apparently Shinn said something rather amusing. Athrun came up behind Lacus and walked over with her to the group.

"What's so funny, Shinn?" he asked.

"Nothing, just going over the meeting from yesterday," Shinn said.

"And what could be so amusing about that?" Athrun asked.

"Athha's argument about that last battle," Shinn said.

SLAP. The hanger went silent. Lacus had taken a step ahead of Athrun to reach out and lay her hand sharply against the boy's cheek. Slowly it reddened from the impact.

"How dare you," she said in a low, venomous voice, "gloat on other's pain. It's inhuman."

With tears starting fresh, she turned and walked away to where Andrew was waiting. Shinn was shocked. "What…?"

Athrun glared at him coldly, "That was low, Shin. Too low, in fact. You've hurt her enough. But no you just had to add to it."

"What'd I do?" Shin retorted.

"You hurt Lacus in the worse possible way, Shin!" Athrun shouted. "She's ruined. It's not in Lacus's nature to hate. But she hates you, Shin. And that only hurts her more."

"I didn't do anything," Shin replied.

"You took Kira from her!" Athrun yelled. The rest of the hanger fell silent. "Lacus, of all people, knows that people die in war. She always knew that Kira or she could die. She knows she is not the only one to have lost a loved one. But you ripped Kira from her out of revenge. And she hates you for that."

Shin just stood there, shocked, and open mouthed. Luna was stunned too. "But Lacus, wasn't she your…"

"Listen to the news more often, Luna," Athrun said irritably. "Our engagement was broken. Even before that, she loved Kira deeply. Listen well, Shinn. The Minerva may deflect and join the Triple Ship Alliance. But it won't without Lacus's consent. She sees this ship and its pilots as reckless and inappropriate to represent the alliance. The Minerva won't last long on its own. So you better work up a lengthy and truly sincere apology damn fast for Lacus." Then he left.