Author's Note : I'm glad yallz liked the food fight in the last chapter. i had tons of fun writing. i probably should've made it more descriptive. sry. anyway, back to the story! and thanks for the past reviews! please continue to review!

Chapter 5

Lacus, her Heart, and the Winner

The tears of a woman seeming to be far away.

He chased her down a corridor.

He opened the door.

The woman turned around.

His eyes widened in surprise.

----

Clutching his head in agony, Kira swiftly moved the covers off himself and walked outside of his room and headed to the kitchen for a glass of water. He was breathing heavily as he leaned on his refrigerator with one arm to lean on and the other pressing the button for the water. Once it was full, he gulped it down and wiped his mouth placing the glass down.

"Who...was that?" he said as he finally regained his normal breathing.

Rubbing her eyes as she checked to see who was making noise, Lacus blinked once more to find Kira standing there with an empty glass in his hands behind his kitchen counter. "Kira, are you alright?" she said concernedly as she got up. Her shirt sagged to the side as she struggled to pull up her-I mean Kira's-pants. Leaning over the counter, she felt his head. Her eyes widened in surprise. "You're burning up. Where's your medicine?" she said as she walked around the counter and grabbed him by the wrist. He stared at her with weak eyes.

"I don't need it. I'm fine," he said wearily.

"Here it is!" she said pulling it out of a cabinet nearby. Unscrewing the cap and taking out a spoon, she dipped some of the liquid out and took a hard stare at Kira. "Open up."

"I'm fine," he huffed as his eyes felt droopy. Lacus held the spoon steadily over the sink as a thought came to her head.

"Kira, I'm sorry," she said with closed eyes.

"Sorry for what?"

A hard sharp pain came to his left foot as his mouth opened in surprise and with that Lacus shoved the spoon in his mouth as she dipped it downward as Kira closed his mouth over the spoon.

"For that," she answered as she pulled out the spoon and grabbed the glass out of Kira's hand. Rushing over to the refrigerator, she pressed the button, filled the glass and handed it to Kira who calmly gulped it down.

"I told you I didn't need that!" he exclaimed as he slammed the glass down.

"Come with me, Kira," she said grabbing him by the wrist again and dragging him to the couch with one hand holding her pants.

"L-Lacus, let go! I'm fine!"

"I've known you long enough to know when you're lying," she said in a serious tone as she pushed him onto the couch and placed the blanket over him forcing him to lie down. "Stay there and don't move," she commanded with a waving finger. Walking over to Kira's house phone, she speedily dialed a number. "Hello? Ah, yes, Katherine, please cancel any appointments I have for tomorrow. I'll be busy. Yes, yes, just reschedule that, okay, alright. Thank you, yes, Bye."

"Lacus, this isn't necessary. I can take care of myself," he said as he pushed himself up when Lacus pushed him right back down.

"Last time you said that, you went right to school and fainted in gym class. No way am I going to let you take care of yourself this time," she remarked as she grabbed another glass of water and placing it on the table. Sitting beside him like a mother, she moved him to lie down. "It must've been my fault. I should've never poured that milkshake down your back. I didn't think of the consequences," she said frantically rummaging her hands through her hair. "I'm so sorry. You probably had something to do tomorrow and I blew it."

"Lacus, calm down! It's just a fever! I'll live!" he said laughing. She took his apology into no account as she got up and grabbed another blanket from Kira's bed and placed it on the other couch. Sitting down, she watched him. "Uhh..."

"I'll wait until you go to sleep, just in case you need something," she said plainly as she continued to stare at him.

"How am I supposed to sleep if you keep staring at me?" he blinked. Lacus sighed.

"Alright. Promise me you'll go to sleep."

"Stop worrying. You're my friend not my mother," he chuckled turning on his side and closing his eyes.

"Your friend, is that all I am?" she mumbled to herself lying down onto the couch.

----

Cagalli stared at herself in the mirror and gave herself a distraught look. "I hate maternity."

"You'll only have to wear those clothes for a couple more months," Athrun said as he flipped through the channels.

"There's nothing on but news, Athrun, so stop flipping," she said angrily with her hands on her hips.

"I hate it when you're right sometimes," he sighed as he got up to stand behind her. He smiled.

"What's to be smiling about? You got a fat fiancé," she grumbled.

"Cagalli!!" he laughed as he took her wrists and twirled her around.

"H-Hey!" she said in surprise as Athrun brought her in a close embrace. Staring at the ceiling and turning downward to face her, he spoke a little more.

"Have you talked to Lacus yet?"

"She isn't picking up and she's not going to be in tomorrow according to her secretary. She didn't tell me why," she sighed.

"This situation is getting serious," he said with a heavy heart.

"I know...but when they go on their trip to the US, I'm sure they'll get some time alone. I don't think Fllay's dad will allow her to miss two weeks of school since her grades are pretty low," Cagalli laughed.

"How do you know that?" he said giving her a question-marked look.

"A little birdie told me," she smirked.

"In other words..."

"Kisaka," she said with a devilish smile.

----

"Ah, Kira-kun?" a brown-haired woman said as she turned in her chair to face a golden-haired man with blue eyes.

"Yes, we'll be visited by the boy very soon," he said with a bright smile.

"You seem excited, Mwu," the woman said as she laid back in her chair.

"We haven't seen him since he was in high school now and that was when he was still interested in becoming a scientist, remember? Who knew that he'd pick writing novels over that!" he exclaimed with his hands in the air.

"True," she said calmly.

"You should be excited, too, Murrue. He was one of your best students for biology. It's a wonder that you changed jobs," he chuckled.

"We were transferred, all of us were," she said staring up at him. "Besides, the pay's much better."

"Uh-huh," he said as he turned around.

The door creaked open as a pale woman with short black hair entered the room.

"Don't mean to interrupt, ma'am, but – "

"Cut the formalities, Natarle, we're all friends here," she said with a brightened smile as she leaned over on her desk with her head leaning on her arms.

"Right, anyway, the report on Kira Yamato's bug came in," she said closing the door behind her and ignoring Mwu.

'What, no hi? Come on, Natarle!" he laughed.

"I just don't see the point of saying hi if you don't feel like it," she said coldly.

"Tsk. Tsk. You'll grow wrinkles if you keep acting like that," he said musingly.

"What did you say?!"

"Stop acting like children, you two," Murrue said stifling her giggles.

"Mwu, why don't you go off and do some work? That's what they hired for you, right?" she laughed.

"Right away, executive!" he said as he marched off.

"Stupid idiot," Natarle grumbled.

"Say something, Natarle?" Mwu said taking a slight turn to face her.

"Nothing," she twitched.

"MWU!" Murrue snapped.

"Right!" Mwu said as he closed the door behind him.

"Now, Natarle..."

"I know, I know. But he doesn't take his work seriously. He acts like a monkey and always goes around bothering people."

"But he does finish his work before he goes off being that monkey, doesn't he?" Murrue smiled.

"B-But..."

"New topic, will we be gifted with a visit from Kira?" Murrue asked as she opened Natarle's folder and began flipping through the pages.

"It hasn't been decided yet. According to Mr. Allster, it's all being planned as we speak."

"It's too bad we couldn't see them any sooner. What did the big boys upstairs say?"

"They said they don't have time to deal with such nuisances, so they've given it to us," Natarle rustled with her hair.

"It won't change anything if you just do that," Murrue laughed again. Sighing as she closed the manila folder, she gave a smile to Natarle. "Alert the lab that we will be having a few important guests from Japan in two weeks and ready their computers. No one's been there in ages so my guess is that it'll take awhile for them to reboot and relearn the programs."

"Right," Natarle said as she turned around.

"Natarle, call Mwu, he'll be having lunch with us," Murrue said as she grabbed her purse from under her desk hooked it around her arm and let it diagonally hang on the opposite side of her body. Natarle froze at the mentions of Mwu's name. "Is there a problem, Natarle?"

"No, of course not," she said loosening her white collar.

"Hurry now, we don't want to miss our ride."

----

Kira had decided to take a walk around the building that day, but of course he had to sneak out with Lacus always enforcing that he should stay in bed. Hearing a sudden clap of thunder, he jumped as he fell back onto the wall.

"Kira!!" Lacus called as she ran down the corridor. Kira froze as he shakily turned around.

"Lacus, I'm fine, seriously. If you keep me in there for too long, I might get too used to it!" he laughed.

"Come on, Kira! You're still sick!"

"No, I'm not! Feel my head!"

Lacus huffed as she placed a palm over his head and her face turned into a pout. "You're not sick afterall..."

"See? I just needed sleep!" he said.

"Ah...I see. I guess I should just leave then. Don't forget to open your package!" she smiled as she turned around and headed for Kira's apartment once again to grab her purse.

Taking a small look at the window next to him, his eyes widened. Lacus was going to go out in the rain?! Running back to his apartment, he stopped her before she could exit.

"You told me to leave you alone, so I'm going."

"Not in this weather," he said pushing her back in and closing the door behind him.

"I'll just call my driver alright?" she sighed getting out her cell phone but a firm hand on her wrist made her stop.

"Just stay, okay?" Kira said as Lacus looked back at him.

"Fine."

Just then the door creaked open again.

"I thought I locked that – FLLAY!"

----

Miriallia stared regretfully out the window. "It's been raining a lot lately..." she pouted as she rubbed her arm.

"Maybe we shouldn't have come here," Kuzzey said regretfully.

"But we still didn't get to see Kira yet," she said with closed eyes.

"According to Athrun, all the phone lines are out because of this rain. So we're sorta stuck here."

A knock came on the door as the muffled voice of Dearka behind it spoke. "May I come in?"

"It's open!" Kuzzey called back. Opening it as Dearka entered he fell back against it sighing in relief.

"What's wrong with you?" Miriallia said with her hands on her hips.

"Yzak ... won't ... let ... me ... sleep ... in ... my ... room ... alone..." he said between breaths.

"I thought that thing was over between you two," Kuzzey said with a raised eyebrow as he helped him off the floor.

"It is. He just won't give in," Dearka said as he took a seat on the couch.

"Heh. At least he cares," Miriallia said in a rude tone.

"What's wrong with her?" Dearka blinked.

"She was fine before you came in," Kuzzey said as he approached to place a hand on her shoulder. "Milly, something wrong?"

"It's nothing," she said swiping his arm away as she walked silently away from the two and slammed the door behind her.

"That's what she calls nothing?" Dearka said as he stared with a raised eyebrow at the door.

----

"F-Fllay! What are you doing here?!" Kira said getting up and welcoming her in. Lacus stared downward as she picked up her purse and headed for the door. "L-Lacus, w-where are you –"

"I'll just be a nuisance, till next time!" Lacus said with another false smile.

"Lacus, wait!" but before he could run after her, Fllay had pulled him inside and Lacus was out of sight. "Lacus..."

----

George stared out his window as another lightning flashed and the power instantly went out. "...my dear Fllay."

"Reminiscing, George?" Siegel said as his voice rang out on the desk phone. (They had their own small emergency power for the phones.) Closing his eyes with a smile, George moved his eyes toward the phone.

"She's grown up so fast. I sometimes wonder what she likes about that Kira boy."

"Now you become positive. What is with you today? You're usually very negative about Kira."

-----

"Kira, you seem sad, is there something wrong?" Fllay said touching his cheek as they both sat on the couch. Kira turned toward her with sad eyes.

----

Sitting in his chair in front of the phone, he began to reminisce aloud. "When she was born, I knew she'd be trouble. Whenever I took away her bottle, she'd start crying. If she wanted something, she'd fight for it. What a time..."

"The only hard time I ever had with Lacus when she was born was that whenever she'd make a mistake she'd start crying. Other than that, she didn't cry. It's like she was born to be perfect," Siegel said musing.

"Is that so?" George said as he closed his eyes.

----

"It's Lacus...she's been distant lately," Kira stared downward. "I want her to be open, but she never tells anyone how she feels. It's been like that since we were little."

Anger soon began to consume Fllay as he heard the bits of Lacus' name. Putting on a smile, she made Kira face her.

----

"I sometimes envy you, Siegel..." George said staring down regretfully.

"Why, George? Your daughter's not that bad. She's a little rough around the edges, but she's alright."

"Your daughter grew up seeming to be so happy...while mine...always seems to want more."

----

"Kira, stop worrying...one girl will not put a frown on my man's face," she said slyly.

"Fllay...what are you trying to say?" he said scooting a little farther away from her.

----

"She's always trying to get more. If she wants it, she'll get it, no matter what. My daughter has that trait and it's my fault for always giving her what she wants..."

"George, you're wrong."

----

"A girl who makes you frown is someone who's not meant for you. Someone who makes you worry constantly, someone who makes you feel distant...how is that love?" she said looking with false sincere eyes at Kira who could not read the lies.

"But...she's my friend. That's why I worry," he said tightening his fists. "How am I supposed to know what she's going through if she won't let me know?!"

----

"Your daughter is lonely. She was born an only child. She thinks that material things will bring her happiness and that the quantity will accommodate her more than the quality can. Lacus grew knowing the finer things in life, she grew up with friends that have made her the person she is today. With Kira, Athrun, and Cagalli, she knows what life is meant to be. Your daughter had no friends like those three...those three...are vital to Lacus' life. If one were to disappear, she'd cry for months," Siegel said in a sincere tone.

"My daughter did have friends, Siegel. If you're saying that they weren't – "

"But were they real?" Siegel questioned before he could finish.

----

"She doesn't want to open because maybe she doesn't trust you. Do you call someone your friend if they don't trust you?" she said with determined eyes.

Kira's eyes widened as his fists slowly opened to wide palms. He turned to Fllay, he felt his heart beat faster and realization overcoming him.

Lacus didn't trust him...

----

"Real friends...I'm not so sure, everyday she'd come home with a different few..."

"I believe you know the answer to my question then, Allster."

"But what about Kira?"

"What about Kira?"

"Will he be the friend that's been missing in her life? Will he be able to fill the empty spaces left by false friends? Will he be able to fill the holes I could not keep closed?"

----

"Not trust me? How's that...possible..."

----

"Lacus is a very close friend of Kira. When they were in high school, he'd come over almost everyday and they'd do homework and projects together. She'd come home with a bright smile on her face and when he'd leave, her smile would lessen but she'd go to sleep so happy, the morning the same. She looked forward to everyday because he'd be there," Siegel said in a joyous tone.

"Some boy that Yamato is ... they must've had a lot of trust."

"They had trust, but Lacus would not let him know when she was sad. She worried too much about him."

"How do you know this?" George said as he leaned toward the phone.

"She's my daughter."

----

"We've been through too much together. How can she not trust me?! I was there when she got picked on! I was there when she needed me! What do you call that if it's not TRUST?!" he yelled as memories of Lacus and him together flashed through his mind. Fllay smiled.

It was working.

----

"Fllay is my daughter, how do I not know these things?" George said controlling his stifling anger.

"I was with Lacus when she went through those hard times. I could hear her crying through her door. But whenever I would come in, those tears seemed to automatically vanish. She learned to control her feelings in a way that I could not have. She kept all her emotions inside. It's surprising that she's gotten this far with that ability."

---

"You have to let her go, Kira..." she said softly as she scooted a bit closer closing the gap between their bodies as she touched his chest and spoke in his ear. "...I'm here now."

Staring at her as he struggled to hold tears, Kira fell into her arms. What he had been missing all his life...was it in Fllay's arms?

----

"Holding in all those emotions, that's suicide. Fllay would just cry, kick, and scream."

"In a way, that is good."

"How? She nearly destroyed the house once. At least when your daughter was sad she did not take it out on us!" George exclaimed.

"At least you daughter could express it. My daughter was too afraid."

"Afraid? Please."

"She was afraid ... to make us worry."

----

"L-Lacus was always there for me. We've been friends our whole lives. Whenever I was sad, she was there! I've never seen her sad...I could never tell how she was feeling...b-but..."

"Kira, she doesn't trust you! So stop thinking about it already!" Fllay snapped becoming annoyed.

----

"Are you telling me your daughter is deeply depressed inside? Impossible, whenever I see her, she smiles without a care in the world."

"Wrong. Those smiles are lies."

"Lies? She does not lie."

"Trust me, she has lied multiple times. To everyone...but those lies...should never be lied. She lied to us about her feelings."

----

His body trembled with sadness as one last memory made his tears flow harder.

It was his sixteenth birthday when Lacus had brought him to the park to show him her present. He remembered she was blushing but he was too dense to notice. With bright pink cheeks, she held out her present to him.

"Open it, Kira," she said softly.

"How come bring me all the way out here?"

"I didn't want anyone else to see. It's special," she smiled. Kira's face heated up a bit as he gulped when he opened it. Pulling out the small gift wrapped in a white cloth, he saw it was a ring.

"A-A ring...what...Lacus, isn't this the engagement ring that you were given when your father said you were engaged to Athrun?"

"We're not engaged anymore."

"Huh?"

"In fact, he has a bit of a crush on Cagalli, Kira. My father decided not to force it, he wants me to be happy," she giggled with a sweet smile.

"But why give it to me?"

"Well..." she stared to dance around him as she pulled the ring from his grasp and looped a string through it and made a double not to make it as a necklace placing it over his head to hang around his neck. Staring downward at the ring, he rubbed the silver shine. "...that way wherever you are, I'll be there! Just in case if you feel sad."

"Lacus, I don't really know what to say."

"How's thank you?" she said staring intently at him. Kira walked towards her slowly as he dropped the box. "Kira?" he ran forward nearly knocking her down and gave her a hug.

"Thank you, Lacus Clyne," he said happily as Lacus felt the heat rush to her face.

"Y-Your welcome, Kira."

Shutting his eyes, Kira's tears slowly began to fall. He still had the ring and it was still around his neck. He treasured it more than anything in the world...Lacus was more than a friend to him. He cared about her too much for her to be just a friend. He cared about her. He ... could he possibly ...

"Kira..."

...Fllay's voice...

"Kira..." he heard her voice but it sounded so far away.

"Kira, I love you."

----

"At least it's something that didn't cost you over five-thousand dollars!!" George exclaimed as he remembered that day when Fllay crashed their car into a house.

"What's more important is Lacus being happy! She says that she's happy when she's not! She constantly cries over feelings that could be told to people who care for her. She says things that should be said. She fell in love with Kira Yamato!"

"You're telling me that – "

"Kira does not know that his best friend has been in love with him for the past four years!" Siegel exclaimed, his voice slowly fading.

"That's blasphemy! Fllay would never – "

"She is and she will if Lacus does not do something!"

"It's too late to say that now, Siegel."

"WHY?!"

----

His eyes widened again as he stared at Fllay in complete shock. Sh-She loved him?

She approached his lips and the warmth in Kira returned.

Just then, the red eyes of Tori blinked from inside the box. Since Kira had mindlessly left it open, Tori was free to fly out...but the circumstances had become much greater as Tori flew into the living room.

----

"Did you not hear Kira at the conference? He's made his choice."

"And that would be my daughter?"

"So now my daughter will live in question! That's worse than living alone! It's a pain that will never go away because of...her constant wish for no one to worry about her."

"So that's it? Your daughter will stop fighting?"

"What are you trying to say?"

"Your daughter is also strong if she's able to control such strong feelings for so long. She can still fight."

"She would never do that."

"Why?"

"Because she knows when she's defeated. She does not fight the truth nor does she accept it. The flaw of my daughter...she does not fight it...she does not fight it," Siegel sighed as he ended his call.

Taking in their conversation, George sat there horror-struck. What had he done?!

----

Returning her kiss as Kira's tears stopped, he fell back against the couch.

He felt her hands unbutton his shirt as his hands-seeming to have a mind of their own-unbutton hers.

What this was. What it is. Kira didn't know what to call it. He was too caught up in the moment. He was too distracted.

He was taken.

Fllay had won.

----

Athrun banged his head against the wall as he called himself an idiot over and over. Nearly thinking about punching the wall, the sound of Cagalli waking up halted his actions pulling away his arm.

"Athrun, what are you doing?" she yawned.

"You know that new feature I talked about last week for Tori and Haro?" Athrun said as he gritted his teeth together.

"Yeah, what about it? Tori will automatically turn on if Kira forgets to turn him on again."

"It's not that."

"What is it then?"

"I just got off the phone with Fllay's dad and guess where Fllay just happens to be?"

"Where?"

"Kira's place."

Cagalli stared at him with a serious look. "Kira's place...how...wait, Athrun, what's the new feature exactly?"

"A camera."

"...don't tell me you ..."

"They're connected...so whatever Tori sees..."

"Oh, shit," Cagalli cursed covering her mouth.

----

Author's Note : I almost cried when I read over this chapter. Heh. All of you think it's done now, huh? Of course not!! I'm nowhere near done with this story! Please review!! pretty pretty please??!!