A New Destiny

Chapter 25

Pain

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Seed/Destiny

"Open it." Cagalli commanded.

Three mechanics nodded their heads and placed crowbars into the cockpits door to pry it opened. One, the eldest and strongest, counted to three and on three all three of them pulled with all their might.

Nothing happened.

Cagalli frowned not impressed by the fail. "I said to open it! Can't you pull harder!?" The blonde princess snapped. She was tense and on the edge of her temper, failing was not going to be tolerated by her in this state, and most defiantly not in this situation.

Lacus the ever sensible one placed a comforting hand on Cagallis shoulder in a way of calming her down. "Cagalli, please I'm sure they tried their best, but perhaps we should try it one more time." Lacus offered her voice gentle.

The men nodded glad that they were spared from Cagallis famous short temper….at least for the moment. Bracing themselves again in their positions the largest man once again counted to three and the men pulled with all their might. This time the door fell off with a loud clang.

All crowed in to peer into the cockpit with Cagalli and Lacus in the front. What greeted them though however was like something from a horror film.

Lacus gasped horrified and placed her hands over her mouth as tears pricked at her eyes as she gazed aguishly into the cockpit. Cagalli was in a similar situation only she did not cover her mouth and her face was twisted in anger, anger for a certain raven haired pilot.

The others looked at each other with horrid and sympathetic looks before returning their own gazes back to the repulsing scene.

There laid Kira still strapped to her seat inside the burned and destroyed cockpit. Her head lay against the seat in a twisted manor at the neck, as if her neck had been snapped. Her body was limp and cover in blood that continued to pour out from various wounds. The largest and defiantly most serious gash was one at her hairline where her helmet had cracked and the glass had imbedded itself within her scalp. Another this one longer but not as deep was on her right arm from a piece of metal the was sticking out in the side of cockpit, and her arm apparently had been slammed and dragged across it as it too was stained in blood, much like the rest of the cockpit. Other various cuts adored her body but none were as serious but if the bleeding didn't stop and soon, Kira could be in big trouble.

"Oh my God! Kira!" Cagalli shouted as she finally found her voice. Tears were pouring down her face as she looked at her lifeless sister, or appealingly so.

"Get a doctor now!"

Cagalli looked up as she saw Murrue shouting orders for a doctor and a stretcher. After that was done with the brunette captain ran over to Cagalli and Lacus.

"How is she?" Murrue asked though she felt foolish for doing so.

"I think she's unconscious." Cagalli said. She never checked but who could possibly be awake when they were in such obvious pain. Her sister's face was twisted in agony even in the deep depths of sleep.

Murrue nodded looking at the beaten girl in pity and sorrow. "How could this have happened?" Murrue asked herself.

Lacus who had been quiet until now spoke up her voice small but projected so that all close by could hear. "I don't think now is the time to be dwelling on regrets and questioning fate. The important thing now is to help make sure that Kira recovers and gets medical attention immediately."

Cagalli and Murrue nodded and no sooner a medical team arrived with a stretcher and a doctor in tow behind it.

"We will need to get her out of the cockpit, but I'm not comfortable in moving her just yet." The doctor said as he pocked his head into the cockpit to get a better look.

Cagalli frowned. "What are you talking about? She needs medical attention now!"

The doctor, a young man himself, obviously a coordinator one of the few on the ship frowned at Cagalli. "I understand your concern but if I move her I could do sever damage to her body. I can stop the bleeding from here for now but I am hesitant to move her."

Cagalli wanted to argue but she knew that the doctor was most likely right. They did not even know how badly hurt Kira was at the moment. To move her blindly would be moronic.

Suddenly a harsh pain filled gasp was heard from inside the cockpit that startled everyone, even the doctor. All eyes turned to inside the cockpit and all where shocked to see violet eyes, open, in pain, and scared.

"Kira." Cagalli said gently as she leaned into the cockpit only to be pushed aside by the doctor who hastily leaned into cockpit to tend to the wounded soldier.

"Shh." The doctor cooed placing a gloved hand on Kiras cheek. Kira shuddered painfully as she felt an unfamiliar touch.

Disoriented eyes looked around blindly as Kira tried to focus her gaze on the doctor. "Huh? What…what is going on?" Kira chocked out as she looked, vision blurry, at the doctor.

Smiling handsomely the doctor calmed Kira gently. "Its alright I am hear to help. My name is Edward Cadmus; you were attacked and were seriously injured. Do not fret though you are going to be ok." The doctor now known as Edward said gently and calmly to keep Kira calm.

Kira seemed lost for a moment until everything seemed to be coming back to her. That's right she had been fighting and the Impulse had attacked her. Kira would have thought more on the subject but a searing pain in the back of her shoulders made her cry out in agony.

Edward concerned tended to Kira. "Where is the pain? Are you still coherent?"

Kira nodded, yes she was very much awake though she wanted nothing more than the curl up and die right there. "Yes I'm awake and the pain is strongly in the back of my shoulders." Kira tried to explain but she was sure that Edward, her doctor could not hear her or understand her over her constant shouts and gasp of pain.

Edward with kind eyes and freed her from her prison of bindings of the seat and inspected her shoulders with a gentle touch, so much so that Kira swore that some of the pain had been lifted, some.

Frowning Edward spoke with concern this time. "This will hurt, but it will be over soon."

Before Kira could ask what he was planning on doing, she felt her body being lifted and a burning almost blinding pain ripped threw her very being. Screaming Kira begged for the doctor to put her down.

"Stop! Ah! Please, it hurts!" Kira shouted tears forming in her eyes. He pleas were ignored however as the doctor placed her on something hard and not at all comfortable.

"Stop it! You're hurting her!"

Kira could have sworn that was Cagallis voice though she was having trouble singling it out over the noise of everything that was going on.

"Cagalli?" Kira asked looking around blinded with pain. She wanted a familiar presence she wanted someone she loved with her.

Someone was at her side and Kira known that it was her sister, call it a twin thing.

"I'm here, I'm here." Kira heard Cagalli saying over and over. She smiled slightly.

"It hurts so much." Kira said in pain as she sucked in her breath as another wave of pain filled her core. They were moving now.

She heard Cagalli mumbled an "I know." Before she left Cagalli leave her side.

"Wait!" Kira shouted she did not want to be left alone.

"I'll be right out side." Cagalli shouted back after she finished yelling at who ever had pulled her away.

"No! Cagalli! What's going on?" Kira shouted in panic. Her body was going into shock, she knew that but that did not stop her from panicking.

Edward was there again comforting soothingly. "Relax it will all be over soon, I'm going to make you better, I'm going to make sure that your ok. I'm going to protect you."

Kira eyes widen at the last sentence as tears and pain over whelmed her. "Protect?"

The last think she remembered before the sedatives took over and placed her under a powerful spell of sleep was Edwards, young and handsome voice smiling down at her.

"Yes, protect, now go to sleep now." Edward said gently.

Kira was happy to comply.

Later That Night

Kira awoke silently that night, she was still in pain but it was more bearable this time. Looking around she waited for her eyes to adjust to the dark room. She was in the infirmary that was a definite but why were the lights off? Once her coordinator eyes adjusted in little time she looked around and notice the empty beds around her. Was she the only one hurt? Not that, it was a bad thing it was just surprising.

Kira frowned in confusion and tried to stand up only to fall back down with a cry of pain. Her arm was killing her and with her falling she felt more pain rip threw her shoulders.

"Damn." Kira swore as she clenched her teeth to stop herself from crying out. Slightly put out by the fact that she couldn't move very well Kira pouted in spite of herself. She never liked feeling weak.

Raising her right arm she inspected the bandage that covered it. It started from her wrist and traveled all the way up to her shoulders which were also wrapped tightly in linins. Yawning slightly Kira brought her uninjured arm up to cover her mouth with her hand and it was then that she realized that she was wearing a breath mask.

"Huh?" Kira couldn't help but wonder, she felt fine, well to an extent, so why was she wearing a breathing mask.

Before Kira could think more deeply on the idea a blinding light of the lights of the room being turned on startled her and made her squint uncomfortably.

"Ah, good you're awake." Kira heard a charming and deep voice say in relief.

"Huh? Who are you?" Kira asked still blinking her eyes trying to get them to adjust to the brightness of the now newly lit room.

Feeling a pressure on her bed Kira looked up to see a young man, a few years older than her smiling down at her. He was dressed in a white long coat the labeled him as one of the doctors of the ship. Though that's not what caught Kiras attention. He was very attractive she admitted with out a second thought but it surprised her too see how young he was. Surely a natural this young would not be a doctor or at least one good enough to be working on a military ship, he must be a coordinator.

"Are you…are you a coordinator?" Kira asked before she could think twice.

The doctor raised an elegant eyebrow in confusion. "I was expecting more along the lines of "what happened"." The doctor said with a laugh as he leaned forward with a small light in his hand and begins inspecting Kiras eyes.

Kira felt ridiculous for asking such a thing and blushed in spite of herself, but she was curious. "You still haven't answered my question." Kira said trying to make her hoarse voice sound a little more demanding than it actually was.

The handsome doctor smiled. "Would it matter? Would you not want me treating you if I were a Natural, or perhaps it is Coordinators you are prejudges about?"

Kira blushed even harder and stammered. "No, no, it's not that. I was just curios; you seem far too…well…um…" Kira trailed off not wanting to offend her doctor.

"Young?" The man offered with a crocked smile.

Kira nodded her blush remaining intact.

The doctor smiled. "Do not worry, I am not offended, in fact I get this a lot. However to answer your question, yes, I am a coordinator much like yourself."

Blush fading Kira nodded, that made more sense. "So what did happen? I can't remember how I got here." Kira asked sadly.

Nodding the doctor continued his inspection in the brunet pilot. "That is to be expected, you were exhausted and in a lot of pain when we brought you here."

Kira frowned this man had an odd way of avoiding her questions. "You aren't answering me." Kira reminded the doctor with a bit of a scowl.

Laughing lightly the man smiled. "No I suppose I'm not. Well, you were in battle and attacked by a ZAFT mobile suit. I do not remember which one, but your cockpit was just barely missed and you were badly injured."

Kiras eyes widened. That was right Shinn had tried to kill her. "How badly injured?"

Standing up the young doctor went to retrieve something. "Well you have been uncloses for the last two days and…" He was interrupted by Kira.

"TWO DAYS!" Kira shouted appalled.

The doctor frowned. "Let me finish, anyways, you are suffering from a sever head wound, 5 broken ribs, minor cuts and bruises and of course your right arm and shoulders have terrible gashes."

Kira nodded understanding; well it could have been worse. "So tell me, what your name is? My is Kira, Kira Yamato." Kira asked in a friendly manor.

The Doctor looked at Kira for a moment before smiling. "My name is Edward Cadmus, and I already know your name. Actually I had already introduced myself to you but, it is expected that you wouldn't remember that." Edward said simply before busing himself with some paper work, a record on how Kira was doing.

Kira looked at Edward apologetic. "I'm sorry that I didn't remember, please forgive me."

Edward looked at Kira before breaking out laughing.

Kira frowned, what was his problem?

"What is so funny?" Kira asked politely though she was a bit offended that her doctor was in fact laughing at her.

Edward smiled. "You are. I was half expecting you to be bitter, and, please excuse my wording, pompous. Most pilots I treat are rather arrogant."

Kira laughed lightly as well. "I'm sorry to disappoint you."

Edwards smirked. "Not at all, it is a lovely change."

Kira smiled. "So, can you tell me when I can get out of here? I'm not one for sitting down or resting my days away."

Shaking his head Edward looked at Kira smartly. "I'm sorry but unfortunately it seems that you will be remaining in here for at least a week more."

"What!?" Kira shouted stunned.

Flinching because of the sudden loud noise Edward hushed Kira. "Please keep your voice down, but it is true you will have to remain here for at least a week more."

"Why?" It was simple question that Kira could not help but ask. She felt almost perfectly healthy.

Edward sighed before coming closer to Kira and stopping at the side of her bed and looked down at her, his gaze unwavering.

Kira shuddered slightly feeling small under her doctors Topaz gaze, she never notice how deep and hard his eyes were, beautiful but threatening at the same time. Kira was sure that if this man wanted he could be a soldier and intimidate any enemy with just his eyes.

Smiling as if he knew what just went threw Kiras head the doctor leaned down and tapped Kiras nose with one long pale figure causing Kira to blush. "Left you right leg up."

Kira frowned. "I beg your pardon?"

Still smiling Edward repeated himself. "Lift your right leg up."

Confused Kira did as instructed only to see that she couldn't. What in the world.

"Huh?" Kira stuttered for the first time she realized that she could not move her right leg. She tried the other, again nothing.

Leaning back Edward smirked all knowingly. "You are under many sedatives and painkillers, it was amazing that you even manage to awake as your body from the waist down is completely numb and your top half should be as well, but I can see that is not the case."

Kira stared at her blanket covered legs in bewilderment. "I see, so when the sedatives wear off I can leave?" Kira asked hopefully.

Shaking his head Edward frowned. "I am afraid not. In fact I have to give you another dosage very soon. Your body is actually in so much pain that if you were to go without sedatives you would pass out from it., and sense I am sure you do not wish to go threw that I will have to keep up your drug dosage regularly. Although a week from know I will have to stop giving them to you in risk of you becoming dependant on them and by that time I can assure you that you will not want to get up and move about as you will still be in a good measure of pain."

Kira nodded understanding but she felt a little disappointed when the doctor stopped talking. Not that she needed to hear more about her medical complications but that the sound of his voice was lost. She found herself uncharacteristically drawn to her doctor. Perhaps it was because she was in fact a woman and the presence of such a handsome man made her anxious, but this had never happened before. Kira was not what you would call, boy crazy.

Then what was is? Kira decided to place the ordeal on his voice. It was rich and divine like a perfectly aged wine, soothing to the senses. Kira wondered greatly on where he was schooled. As his voice was spoken so elegantly, with the majority beyond his years and the pronunciation and grammar of that of someone from centuries ago gave off an aristocratic feel.

Edward gave off another all knowing smile that made Kira wonder if he could in fact know what she was thinking and that frightened and excited her at the same time.

"You know, I was surprised to learn that you were a coordinator." Edward said his intoxicating voice bring Kira out of her musings to hang on his every word.

"Really?" Kira asked. She had gotten that a lot but for some reason she wanted to know why Edward would think that.

Edward nodded. "Yes, though I did learn awhile back, when you had recently joined PLANT…" Kira looked away at that. "…I was baffled on how you looked."

Kira blushed taking in the double meanings of those words. She was flattered that he notices her appearance yet she knew it was most likely because of other reasons not the ones she was subconsciously hoping.

"You resemble the markings of a natural so much, I hadn't just not treated you myself I would probably still doubt it." Edwards said with a laugh.

Kira looked up at that. He thought she was a natural because of her coloring? Sure her brown hair was nothing special and violet eyes where quiet common, but she didn't thinks see looked all natural, however it was a mistake that she could not blame him for. Her lanky appearance that did not suggest to any of the strength she actually possessed was a pretty good indicator that she may be a natural.

"I get that a lot." Kira mumbled a little disappointed, she couldn't help that she had some sort of aspect that showed that she was a coordinator like Lacus's bright pink hair or Athruns blue.

Edward looked at Kira puzzled by her sudden mood change. "I didn't mean to offend."

Kira shrugged. "You didn't, I mistook you as a natural myself."

Edward nodded remembering. "I can't say that I get that a lot though." Edward said with a laugh.

Kira was confused and looked at her doctor. She was not expecting that. "No?"

"No." Edward said his laugh still intact.

Kira gazed at her doctor in speculation. At closer look she blushed and realized why not many would mistake him as a natural. He was gorgeous, not that was an understatement. As much as Kira hated to admit it her doctor was almost godly. His features where angular to perfection. His pale skin was blemish free except for the dark circles under his eyes that showed that he had been up all night treating patients or something else. His topaz eyes where so beautiful that Kira was sure that they could not belong to any natural. And then there was his young age as a doctor.

Sighing Kira felt herself become depressed in remaining in this mans presence. He was such perfection that she felt inferior to him.

Edward came once gain to the bed this time with a syringe in hand. "I think that is enough talk for one day."

Kira wanted to argue but she felt that the painkiller was starting to wear off and her shoulders and arms where starting to hurt again. Also she felt a little ridiculous with talking to her doctor with her breathing mask hanging around her neck.

Edward gently spilled her mask back over her mouth before taking her good arm and injecting her with the sedatives.

Smiling Edward whispered "get some rest." Before heading out of the room, as Kira slipped back into sleep.

Athrun's P.O.V

Thank God we are finally here. I thought to myself. It wasn't that I wanted to leave earth, it's just that I didn't want to risk the chance that we would be ordered to go after the Archangel. With the Freedom gone and the Archangel damage there was a good chance that we would have destroyed them, and I couldn't let that happen. Not if I wanted any chance of Kira getting saved to remain. I know it was a long shot but I had to hope, hope that Cagalli or someone else had gone out and found her.

We had traveled fast and far to return to PLANTS. The Chairman had ordered us to return within minutes after the Captain had contacted him to inform of him that Shinn had obliterated the Freedom.

I was not complaining though, even if I wanted to badly get to the Archangel to find out what happen to Kira, wither they found her or not, but I couldn't do that. I just couldn't not at the moment.

Shinn hadn't spoken a word since it happened, with Kira I mean. He had become melancholy, but I held no sympathy for him. It took all my will power to strangle the boy with my bare hands. I knew that if we were forced in the same room together for over a five minute period a fight would have defiantly broke out and I can honestly say that I would have killed him without a second thought give the situation.

No one is taking this very well though; it's not just me and Shinn the ones who are rumored to have loved her. I know that my affection is not just some childish anecdote but I had to pretend. Pretend because it was the right thing to do.

I couldn't let anyone no that this incident was tearing me apart inside, that the mere thought that Kira might not have made it made me feel nauseous and want to scream in agony. I couldn't let anyone see how this affected me. Cause if I did then the entire Chairman's work would have been for nothing as stronger rumors will occur. People were already questioning my marital devotion to "Lacus" or Meer.

I'm not deaf or dense. I have seen the way people would look at me and Kira questionably when we were together. The way people would look at Kira with a mixture of a disgust and pity. Disgust because they thought that Kira was chasing after me and that had labeled her as the home wrecker in mine and "Lacus" relationship. People admired Lacus and the thought of someone getting the way of her happiness made people angry and unforgiving. Then there was the pity, as much as people would dislike Kira secretly because of the rumors many felt a sort of compassion for her. They believed that she was in love with me and was going after a lost cause, and anyone who had loved but could not act on it would understand.

I felt horrible for this though, was all lost for me and Kira. Where all the plans that I, that we made to be over? Would we not get married as planned, no home together, no kids, no future, and no life? I couldn't bear to think that. It couldn't be over, not now, not like this, this was suppose to happen when we were old, not eighteen, not on the battlefield, and when it does happened I was suppose to go first.

I shouldn't be thinking such things though. Now was the time to act. I had very little sleep over the past three days and I was on my way to meet the Chairman and Meer. I would get his help I would set things straight.

A/N: Alright another one all done and ready for your complements and criticism. I added my own Original Character into the Story who is obviously Edward Cadmus. Don't you just love his name? Well even if you don't I do. Now thought I have a little bit of a task for you readers. Things will be going fairly quickly from this point on, but also I am considering changing the pairing of this story. Why? Because I'm mean like that ;P

So this is the pole for the pairings, yet again.

Athrun and Kira (the original paring)

Edward and Kira (The oh so sexy doctor (Original Character) and our lovely patient)\

Shinn and Kira (This is going to be hard to do but I'll think of something if that's what you, the readers, want)

Shinn and Luna (I can't leave Shinn alone after all I'm putting him through… or can I?)

Shinn and No one (If you want me to put Shinn through more crap and make him end up alone as a revenge for trying to kill Kira then I'm all for it ;P)

Athrun and Meyrin (If It turns out that Kira leaves him then he should have someone I think)

Anyways theses are just the ones that I currently want to do, but if you have your own suggestions then by all means let me know. I am very fixable.

Sorry to those who are annoyed by my constant changes in the plot. I am very sorry. Again sorry for spelling and grammar.

Read and Review!!!