PHASE 24: THE TURN OF LIVES

C.E 81 – Orb (2 Years Later)

Pacing back and forth, Athrun could barely keep his nerves under control as he tried to focus on his breathing, inhaling and exhaling slowly, then quickly, then slowly again. He couldn't believe he would be worked up over something like this, not after all that he had gotten through. He forced himself to stop, turning to cast his eyes on Kira who was watching him with a look of amusement plastered on his face. It wasn't fair. Today was Kira's day as well, yet the man did not look bothered in the least on how their lives would change after this. Well... perhaps it would change more to Athrun than it would to Kira, who had lived with Lacus and the children long enough... No wait, what was he thinking? Kira was marrying Lacus. Lacus Clyne. The change would perhaps be far, far more than Athrun and Cagalli. He had been Lacus's fiancée long enough to know that the gentle songstress kept traditional boundaries... not that Cagalli didn't, but he had to admit that they were a little more... modern, perhaps? No, what was he thinking? Focus! Focus, man!

Athrun stopped his pacing and inhaled, at first just to calm himself, but then he inhaled further. He could just taste the tang of salt in the air, and he could easily hear the distant lapping of the waves on the shores. No matter how long he had stayed in Orb, that was one thing he had never gotten used to, and hoped he never would. He knew that with time, people often stop listening to what made a place special, but he had always enjoyed the sound of the waves against the shores. He hoped the day would never come where he would become accustomed to it. Those sort of natural waves were just impossible to imitate in PLANTs. The wind blew through his hair, and he smiled, slightly more at ease now.

Athrun looked up to the raised, concrete ground above them. A flight of stairs would take them up to where the memorial of war stood, proud and tall, but he wasn't required to go there yet. Soon, very soon, terrifyingly, but not just yet.

Today, this fine day, exactly two years since the cease-fire in Artemis, would mark a new start for his life and Kira's. It was an event that was perhaps long overdue, considering the circumstances.

Yzak and Shinn were still nowhere in sight. Athrun turned, placing his ungloved hands against the railings adjacent to the stairs, and looked far into the distance. He could just make out the blue sea over the trees that filled his vision, far from this part of the island. To his far left, the volcano loomed, beautiful in its own way with the power that one knew was associated with it.

Today was not the last step he would take with Kira to ensure that they had truly created a peaceful world. But he believed that it was the start in sealing away previous memories of war, to sketch out a new drawing on a new page instead of trying hard to modify a drawing to look better by adding more details. Simplicity held a charm of its own.

After the war, a conference was held that lasted for seven days and nights at Junius Seven. It wasn't a normal conference that was attended by leaders of a country. Rather, it was attended by... everyone. It was broadcasted to the world, and those involved in it consisted of himself, Lacus, Cagalli, Yzak, Kisaka, ZAFT Council members, representatives from the Earth Alliance, both Atlantic and Eurasian, representatives from neutral countries like the Kingdom of Scandinavia, United States of South America, Orb and the Equatorial Union, representatives from the newly-patched Scientific Innovation Society... and a lot more to name. It was a council held like no other, involving the masses of public even through their votes and concerns that they relayed to their own representatives. Exhaustion brought them together in ways unimaginable.

There, many issues were addressed... the energy crisis, previous battles, future plans, even discussions regarding LOGOS and Blue Cosmos which were among the hardest subjects to approach. It was agreed that because there were many Naturals who were unable to accept Coordinators, and vice versa, a decision was made to isolate several parts of both Earth and PLANTs to remain Natural-free or Coordinator-free, at least until further actions could be taken. Slowly, very slowly, but surely, they would work towards achieving full peace and acceptance by all. To Athrun, there were still years of work, but they had time... they had a lot of time.

With the merging once again of the Scientific Innovation Society, it seemed as if humanity was finally, once again, under the same umbrella as they had been before Coordinators existed. Remarkable scientists and engineers who had helped with the war had stepped down, refusing to fuel any more reason for hatred. Perhaps it was their small numbers. Perhaps it was the large number of casualties and deaths. But it was happening, finally, and Athrun was glad for it.

Under a new reunion, old treaties were revised and looked over. The army of all forces were disbanded – or rather, they had merged into one, a separate force than those of each nation's forces, which worked towards further establishing peace between nations. This group, almost comical, was named the Archangel FORCES, separated into protecting the land, the skies, the sea, and space. The land was largely taken by forces that had once been with the Earth Alliance, while the protection of the skies and seas were taken by previous Orb soldiers working closely with the Eurasian Federation. Space was largely protected by those who had previously fought for ZAFT and the Earth Alliance. This group was controlled by the United Nations – a group consisting of representatives from all nations.

They were far from perfect, of course. There were still Coordinators who hated Naturals, and Naturals who hated Coordinators. There were still nations that were technologically behind. There were still issues with energy. There were still economical issues. But they were trying.

A large project that was currently under way, named Solar Project A, was one of Athrun's biggest hope yet in working further into solidifying the fragile bonds they had established between the nations. With help from Orb and Heliopolis's technological advancements on the creation of the Protectors of Heliopolis, as well as the brilliant minds in the Scientific Innovation Society (led by a scientist Athrun knew was named Rita), Solar Project A was created to try and build a protective layer around PLANTs' outer walls, for the PLANTs were still very fragile under the harsh conditions of space. This layer would also play the role of being solar ovens, capable of absorbing tremendous amount of energy from the Sun, and could then transport the energy to Earth via wireless power transmission that could occur with zero emissions. In the meantime, large projects were undertaken on Earth for the production of food that could then be transported to PLANTs in return, at least until they were able to work out the best way to maintain habitation in space. With PLANTs needing food and the Earth needing energy, Athrun was hopeful that the bond would stay.

In terms of what had happened to the crew members of the Archangel, Athrun could only shake his head as he tried to recount each members' ways of choosing their paths.

Mu and Murrue, after a year working in establishing the Archangel FORCES, had finally decided to return to the Atlantic Federation. There, they joined the LAF (Land Archangel FORCES) and one of the first things they did was to help rebuild destroyed cities in the Eurasian Federation in an attempt to lessen the hate between the two.

Chief Murdoch, with very little hesitation on his part, had been one of the very first volunteers in the work of Solar Project A. He now lived in PLANTs, in Martius City.

Captain Laniel Ghens, the commanding officer of the Aurora, stayed with ZAFT.

Sai Argyle moved once again to the Kingdom of Scandinavia where he worked as a chief engineer and designer towards rebuilding the country. Word has it that he hadn't joined the Archangel FORCES, but was instead doing work directly under the nation to serve it as best as he could.

Kuzzey Buskirk surprised everyone by announcing that he was to live in PLANTs. Never one for war, he, too, became one of the chief engineers for Junius's agricultural department. He was now working in trying to get the maximum amount of food with the smallest energy possible in order to have PLANTs a fully established, independent space colony.

Miriallia Haww and Dearka Elsman joined SAF (Space Archangel FORCES), where Dearka remained as a chief pilot and Miriallia as a CIC for one of the Nazca-class battleships. They were both assigned to the same squadron.

Yzak Joule, with no surprise, rose up the ranks and was appointed as a National Defence Committee Member representing Maius City, taking over what had once been Yuri Amalfi's post. His mother, Ezalia Joule, retained the same post representing Martius City. There was talk that Yzak would most likely be appointed the Chairman of PLANTs one day. Shiho Hahnenfuss was appointed a Captain and now had her own squadron, also under the SAF.

After deep consideration on his part, Shinn Asuka decided to leave PLANTs and stay in Orb. He joined the AAF (Air Archangel FORCES) as one of the top pilots, along with Lunamaria Hawke. Meyrin Hawke, along with Vino Dupre and Yolan Kent, stayed in PLANTs. Meyrin left for September City, working as a computer expert while also considering furthering her studies into mobile suit programming. Vino Dupre and Yolan Kent both went to Maius City, working as the top engineers in the development of Solar Project A.

Kisaka, as predicted, had stayed in Orb. Instead of joining the AAF or SEAF (Sea Archangel FORCES), he remained the Fleet Admiral of Orb's forces. Athrun, along with Andrew Waltfeld, however, had joined the SEAF and was currently ranked a Captain.

While Athrun had not managed to meet the RENEGADE crew members during their trial, he did learn from Lacus that they were excused. They had scattered, just as how the original Archangel crew members had, across the universe into their new lives.

Lacus Clyne had taken up her role as a songstress once again, much to the delight of an astounding number of Coordinators, though she had a fair amount of Natural fans as well. She, as well as Cagalli, were well within the United Nations, along with Kira Yamato. Kira, after fighting for so long, had become publicly known as the Freedom's pilot following his accidental transmission when he had been in the GENESIS ZERO and had joined the AAF with Shinn. He was under the United Nations representing the AF, but it was no secret to Athrun that both Kira and Lacus had plans to withdraw during the next selection of representative members. Kira, at least, had informed him that they both wanted to build a home in Heliopolis after this, and that Kira would then join Solar Project A, which he was already well involved in. It had always been a passion for Kira in doing mechanical works, after all, not being either a pilot or a soldier. Athrun had no argument against that.

"Athrun Zala and Kira Yamato! Lacus and Cagalli have arrived," a brisk voice snapped Athrun from his thoughts. He turned, facing an all-too-familiar Yzak Joule, dressed smartly in a black suit. His hair was neatly combed, and there was just a hint of annoyance in his blue eyes. Beside him, dressed similarly in black, was Shinn Asuka, smiling slightly at them. Both had their best man boutonnières pinned perfectly in place by the brides. The grooms, on the other hand, were dressed in white and light shades of cream. Athrun noticed that Shinn's usually messy hair was tidier, as was Kira's. Athrun, of course, would have much preferred to have Kira as his best man, but it wasn't possible when both Cagalli and Lacus were busy wanting a double-wedding. He could only suppress a half-laugh, half-sigh when he remembered how eager they were. What had been even more ridiculous was how they seemed to weave in talks of peace along with the wedding plans.

Girls.

"Athrun! You better not pass out here!" Yzak's voice grabbed his attention again. Athrun blinked.

"Sure he's alright, Kira?" Shinn asked, walking over to the second groom.

Kira shrugged. "He seems to be awake still. But we should keep an eye on him – don't want him to fall down the stairs."

Shinn snorted.

Bristling, Athrun ran a hand through his finely-combed hair. "I'm fine. Now, are we going or not?" he asked, annoyed.

Kira laughed, shaking his head. "Rings?"

"Here."

"Athrun wouldn't shut up about it since two months ago."

"Alright," Kira answered, another laugh escaping him as he shook his head. He started up the steps, followed by Athrun, Yzak, and Shinn.

"You know, I took the liberty of getting the bride's first kiss today," Yzak said lightly, grinning now. Shinn rolled his eyes, while Athrun stopped, a look of pure annoyance on his face. It was, Kira noted, usually nearly impossible for the silver-haired Coordinator to ruffle his best friend's furs... the tension must be running high. "On the hand," Yzak said finally.

Kira sighed. "Impossible. Come on," he said, pulling Athrun by the wrist. They reached the top of the stairs and was faced with the back of the large memorial, carved out in white marble. With a nod to Athrun, Kira stepped around it from the left while Athrun did so from the right. Shinn and Yzak both took their respective places beside the two. Reverend Malchio was already there, and Kira uttered a soft greeting to him, pulling on his white gloves and fastening them with a satisfying snap. He peered at Athrun, relieved that his friend seemed quite composed despite the pacing earlier.

.

Among the four, only Cagalli has had an experience of actually being the bride for a wedding – a memory she would prefer to wipe away, if at all possible. When the limousine had stopped in front of her home, she and Lacus had embarked it with more than just flutters in her hearts. The idea of having a double-wedding with Lacus had been appealing, until Cagalli actually saw the songstress dressed in her wedding gown. She instantly felt a small pang of regret. Lacus looked absolutely radiant, though Lacus had said that Cagalli looked beautiful as well... something Cagalli found rather hard to believe.

The design of Cagalli's dress was what she would consider as being inspired by the summer season, perhaps. It had a very, very light tinge of green, which fitted her perfectly after being forced to more than enough fitting sessions by Lacus. The bust was split in the middle in an almost V shape, the inside covered with light green silk, the outer part decorated with lace, but only down to her waist. From waist-down, the silk dress went down to her ankles smoothly, separated from the upper part of her dress by a flowing lace sash that reminded her of spring time, pale green with a flowery design. It was tied to her back, secured in a complex ribbon, but that was as far as the complexity of the dress goes. Cagalli's hair, still as messy as it had always been, was swept back and decorated with a vine-like hairclip. Pale yellow flowers decorated her left side, and a part of her hair was adorned with pale green ribbons to match her dress. A pair of long white satin gloves and a final veil was attached to the top of her head, held securely in place.

Lacus had been positively beaming with joy when she set her eyes on Cagalli, but Cagalli knew she was no match for the beautiful songstress. Lacus's dress was almost opposite to Cagalli's – in the sense that the bust was made simple, but the skirts were just beautiful. Like Cagalli, Lacus wore a strapless dress which fitted her marvellously over her small form. Wide ribbons, almost like a sash, formed the illusion of shoulder straps as they weaved around the songstress's arms three times, then flowing behind her and weaving through the air. The bust was simple and plain, the design pulled to her right side, allowing her skirts to flow from right to left. The ends of her skirt consisted of long, beautifully designed V's, almost as if the ends of her dress only reached her calf. These were done in layers, both of satin and lace. For the overall design of the dress, Lacus had opted for satin instead of silk, and her white dress was tinged with hints of pink, reflecting her popular attribute. Her hair, already so beautiful, was let loose, swept by the sides to pile on her head, while allowing the long locks to flow down to her waist. The ends curled in large tresses, and she still wore her trademark hairclip. That, and long satin gloves and a veil completed the picture of true beauty.

As they travelled to where the wedding would take place, Cagalli glanced over to Lacus, noticing that she was pulling the tips of her gloves slightly. She cast a curious glance to Meyrin and Lunamaria, both shrugging with a shake of their heads, and turned to look at Lacus again. "Lacus... Are you alright?"

She looked up in surprise, her face breaking into a smile. "I'm fine. A little nervous," she said, laughing lightly. This was new to her. This form of attention from the public was of a very different kind than she was used to. It was so... personal.

Cagalli laughed shortly. "I'm sure everyone will love you," she said reassuringly.

"And you," Lacus said gently. "You look stunning." Then, she turned to both Lunamaria and Meyrin, smiling encouragingly at them both – they, too, look equally pretty, dressed in dresses that shimmered pink and cream.

There was little conversation after as they turned to the road to where the memorial was. Lacus and Cagalli exchanged glances, both smiling as the door opened from the right. Cagalli was the first to step down, helped by Yzak, followed by Lacus who was helped by Shinn. The two best men then held their hands out for Lunamaria and Meyrin.

"Thank you, Yzak, Shinn," Lacus said kindly, casting her eyes up to where the event was. She could barely register the number of people standing at the sidelines, cheering and waving at her and Cagalli both upon their arrival. It was hard for her to focus on anything than going into Kira's arms. Still, she didn't forget to pin the boutonnière on Shinn's suit as Cagalli did the same for Yzak.

"You're welcome," Yzak responded once the boutonnière was safely secured on his suit. "May I have the first kiss for the brides today?" Yzak asked, almost uncharacteristically formal as he grasped Lacus's gloved hand, kissing the back of it lightly before doing the same to Cagalli. It was then that Lacus noticed that there was a small hint of mischief in his eyes. Poor Athrun, she thought, hiding her smile. "Well, I shall go and inform the two that you have arrived," Yzak said, his eyes glinting in satisfaction. He turned, disappearing with Shinn.

Lacus shook her head slightly, amused now. If she knew Athrun, her ex-fiancée would probably be very agitated by now. With good reason, Lacus thought. Cagalli is beautiful.

.

The weddings of Athrun Zala and Cagalli Yula Attha, and Kira Yamato and Lacus Clyne, was an event that had long been anticipated by a large number of citizens around the world since it was officially announced six months ago. Bearing the mark of heroes of the war, the streets of Orb were filled with people, all desperate to see a glimpse of the brides as they drove past in the limousine. Two years after the end of the last war, the four had made their names known with the many efforts they put into rebuilding the world and carving out peace between Naturals and Coordinators. Though there were small numbers of people who criticised them, it was undeniable that for the most part, their efforts were accepted.

The path from the top of the stairs of the war memorial up to the large stone itself, where the altar was located, was swathed in white. Chairs were draped with white satin, tied with large white bows with green and pink ribbons trailing down while the vines at the back of the altar was decorated with white roses with silver leaves, ribbons and lace, though none were as large or as beautiful as the two bouquets on either side of the altar. A white carpet was placed right in the middle, going down to form the walkway, and white rose petals were already scattered on it to greet the two brides as they came, the music already transforming into an unbearably sweet tune, played by the piano on the far right.

The soft murmurs of the audience stilled as Lacus and Cagalli came into view – Cagalli bearing the mark as the blushing bride while Lacus carried the image of the quintessence of beauty. A few eyes travelled to Kira and Athrun who were already standing, with Shinn and Yzak smartly in position, to see the priceless faces of a groom who finally laid his eyes on his bride. Both Kira and Athrun were dressed in their respective suits, Kira smiling brightly at Lacus while Athrun's gaze softened into a look of pure, undeniable joy. The walk seemed to go on forever, especially for Lacus who wanted nothing more than to run down the aisle and fling her arms around her beloved. But she maintained her posture, walking slowly, her hand in Waltfeld's while Cagalli's hand was with Kisaka's, both clad in military uniforms. She could see, down the row of chairs, the comrades that had fought so courageously during the last war – and indeed, the previous wars.

She could see Murrue sitting with Mu and Caridad Yamato, and there was Shiho, Dearka, and Miriallia sitting together. Further down, she could see Sai Argyle, Kuzzey Buskirk, Laniel Ghens, Sierra Chaes, Yolan Kent and Vino Dupre on one row. Behind them, crew members of the Archangel were grinning – Dalida Lolaha Chandra II, Jackie Tonomura, Romero Pal, and the ever-skilled pilot, Arnold Neumann. Chief Kojiro Murdoch was no exception, his usually greasy face and messy hair now almost uncharacteristically clean.

But these faces were only small glimpses, for once Lacus's eyes met Kira's, all she could see was his face and nothing else. As she walked nearer, her heart was filled with immense joy at the sight of his lovely amethyst eyes, gazing at her with nothing but happiness and love. There was no trace of sadness or frustration that she had often seen, no loneliness or helplessness. There was only pure joy. Yet still, in his eyes, in Athrun's, in Cagalli's, and admittedly in everyone else's eyes, including Lacus's, there was just a small hint of sorrow as they all thought of the names of persons whom they wanted to be present, but could not. Rusty Mackenzie. Miguel Aiman. Aisha. Nicol Amalfi. Yuri Amalfi. Fllay Allstar. Tolle Koenig. Stellar Louisser. Heine Westenfluss. Siegel Clyne. Uzumi Nara Attha. Patrick and Lenore Zala. Ulen and Via Hibiki. Hikari and Ken Sienth. Daisuke Shen.

Clearly, the list of names went on.

Lacus blinked away the tears from her eyes as she finally stopped in front of Kira, the emotions inside his eyes telling her everything – that they were all sharing the same feeling. He held out his hand, his eyes softening, and Lacus felt her hand being guided into his where he tightened his fingers around hers. A smile broke across his face and Lacus felt her lips pull up, taking strength from his hand.

The vows were simple, spoken far too many times, yet too many times not enough. Cagalli found it hard to focus over the tide of emotions washing over her, and she felt truly envious to Athrun who stood as smart and straight as the elite soldier he was. A few times, he would glance at her, and the sparkle in his eyes would make the blood rush to her cheeks again as she tried to duck her head in embarrassment. But finally, the time to speak came, and Kira and Lacus exchanged their vows first. Cagalli for certain was cheerful that her brother was finally getting married to Lacus, a woman she knew would care for him more than anyone else, even herself, was capable of.

She looked up at Athrun, almost crying as he smiled tenderly at her. "I-I do," Cagalli said, her voice not loud enough. She thought she could hear a few amused chuckles from the audience.

When Athrun's turn came to speak, he did so with such authority, such certainty, that the tears flowed down her cheeks. "I do."

With that, the two pairs were declared as husband and wife, the rights exchanged, and the audience immediately broke into applause as Athrun bowed his head, cradling Cagalli's face as if examining her, before pressing his lips against hers. Meyrin and Miriallia were both crying, as was Murrue who immediately sought comfort from Mu's arm around her waist. Flower petals snowed down, and the many citizens of Orb who had come to watch from the sidelines broke into a cheer. In the crowd, a few individuals exchanged glances and smiled – Schellen Iyadomi and Takeru Irashi being among the few.

Athrun and Kira pulled back, both smiling as they exchanged glances with each other, and the two brides turned to welcome the masses of arms that came to congratulate them.

.

The reception party flowed smoothly after the wedding, with close friends and family gathering together at the orphanage by the sea. Large canopies stood outside where the reception party took place, equally decorated with swathes of white and cream. For the most part, the reception party was lively, comrades who had long been separated since the end of the war finally coming together and meeting each other. Lacus was especially busy as she spoke animatedly to those around her, as was Cagalli, while Kira and Athrun stood by the side along with Yzak and Dearka, laughing and shaking their heads.

"Well, guess it's about time Athrun got married. I got tired watching him with his mobile suit," Dearka smirked, playing around with the liquid in his glass. He arched an eyebrow at the blue-haired Coordinator who was laughing, too happy to be ruffled by the teasing.

"It's not as if you're any better," Athrun answered, turning his emerald-green eyes on Yzak. "Though someone might be taking my place as the groom soon."

Yzak choked on his drink, nearly ruining Athrun's white suit. "Shut up!"

"Oy oy. Do you think he's angry because you beat him to it, Athrun?" Dearka asked cheerfully.

"I thought I saw him examining your ring a few times," Kira added. "Maybe he's looking for ideas?"

"Shut UP!"

Athrun laughed. "I'd better let Shiho know."

The four broke into delighted laughs and Dearka thumped Yzak's back heartily as they continued to ruffle the silver-haired Coordinator. Lacus and Cagalli, who were standing nearby with Meyrin, Lunamaria, Miriallia and Shiho, could only shake their heads with small smiles as they overheard the teasing. It was a nice atmosphere for them to enjoy, after finally escaping the press for a moment. For a while, the atmosphere remained its lightness.

Drinks were served and the guests were finally rounded together to hear the speeches.

Lacus went to stand beside Kira as Athrun moved to take his place by Cagalli's side as the audience gathered around, their eyes on the rostrum. There were numerous speeches, given by friends and those who were close enough to be considered as family. When the turn for the groom's speech arrived, Kira and Athrun both exchanged looks with each other as Athrun stepped forward, taking the first speech.

It was short and simple for Athrun's part – being in Orb since the first war, he was both recognised and well-known among those who were there. He gave a traditional speech, thanking those who came, complimenting his bride, toasting his best friend... there were many sweet memories that he had shared with Cagalli, but they all knew it was a meeting that came from war.

When Kira finally stepped forward to deliver his speech, the room stilled, all eyes on him expectantly. Kira examined the faces around him, not all that he knew, but most he recognised. He began his speech much like Athrun's, thanking those who came and sincerely admitting that he felt much at home with Lacus by his side. He spoke a little of his childhood with Athrun which granted a few amused laughs from the audience, but as the chuckles died down, Kira also came to a stop.

It seemed as the audience had been waiting for what came next.

"My role in the war was a coincidence," Kira started, his voice steady. "I was a student in Heliopolis and accidentally stumbled on the Strike when I was running away from the attacks. I enlisted in the Earth Alliance, then decided to become a freedom fighter after knowing that Athrun was a soldier of ZAFT. The Freedom was given to me for this purpose," he paused. The room was silent, everyone listening to know more of the Freedom pilot. Kira hesitated. "I received a lot of help from everyone... a lot of support, and not all those who gave me strength are with us now. We have all lost something during these wars, but it's never too late for us to change what we can. And we can all do it... together."

C.E 81 Orb - Lacus's Orphanage (Present Day)

The moonlight shone beautifully, an almost-perfect reflection dazzling the night sea. After staying in PLANTs for so long, with regular trips to Earth as a member of the AF, Kira appreciated the sight of the sea in front of him. He remembered how, so many years ago after the first war, he had sought for peace and comfort in front of this very sea with Lacus by his side, healing his broken self. He didn't know where he would be right now without her.

The bathroom door opened and the smell of perfume and soap filled his nose as Lacus came from behind, placing her arms around him. Kira turned, lightly kissing her forehead, and they watched the sea silently, enjoying the moment. Lacus began to sing after a while, her gentle voice mingling with the music of the sea, and Kira closed his eyes, content now. He would miss this when he would move to Heliopolis next year... but he knew he would be happy. He missed Heliopolis.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Lacus asked, resting her head against Kira's chest.

Kira nodded. "I can see something even more beautiful though," he said, smiling.

"Oh?"

"I have her here."

Lacus giggled slightly, shaking her head. "My, I didn't know you're such a romantic. Maybe you can write my lyrics after this."

Kira blushed furiously and he began to stammer a defense, but Lacus's laugh broke off the effort. Shaking his head, wondering how Athrun could always be so romantic with Cagalli, Kira pulled back. Azure eyes met his and he enveloped her in his arms, sweeping her off her feet as he carried her to the bed. "Well, Mrs. Yamato, I can think of a lot more things I can do than write your lyrics right now," he said quietly.

Her laugh echoed around the room.

It was a day for happiness.

Author's Notes: Some readers out there might question the end to this fic. Perhaps some of you may find it to be too happy, too unrealistic, too easy - I don't know. But that's the beauty of fanfiction, I suppose. You can imagine all sorts of endings for the characters, and for the world where Kira and Athrun are in, I imagine that they will eventually have this ending. I'm well aware of my position of an idealist. Sometimes, I wonder if we can achieve the peace that they managed to achieve in this fic. In any case, you're of course welcome to want any ending you wish for - that's what imagination is all about. But I hope some of you are able to accept the ending I've chosen for our characters here. In any case, this is my first time writing an actual wedding scene, and I hope I pulled it off. The last chapter will be uploaded in three days, on the 30th January.

Thank you to Aizawa Li Syaoran Vessalius, blackphoenix4ever, IgNighted and Torii for your reviews, and also to those who favourite-d and alert-ed this fic. Drop a review? Tune in for the last chapter!

Aizawa Li Syaoran Vessalius: Hehe, same here. I'd love to see an anime version of the Suit CDs. Heck, I'd love if they can make a new sequel, or at least a movie after GSD. :D

blackphoenix4ever: Many thanks! Your review made mine. ;D

IgNighted: I agree. :) But I hope this chapter is a lot lighter and happier.

Torii: Ahaha. Your review made me laugh. Maybe Torii still works because it wants to work? :P A bit like Kira and Athrun's friendship.