Author's Note: The next chapter is here! Wow...Seventeenth chapter…

Chapter 17

Silver Chains

Shakily, Kira got up out of his chair and rushed up the stairs digging under his clothes inside his suitcase and found the annoying ring. He took a deep breath and answered.

"Hello?" he said as casually and calmly as he could.

"Hey, sweets!" Fllay said unusually perky.

Kira sighed as his heart lifted knowing that she wasn't mad at him…err…well, for the split second it lifted, but then it came pummeling down once…

"Kira? Who is it?" Lacus said coming into the room. Kira froze.

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! YOU ARE WITH LACUS!!" Fllay screamed.

----

"Kira! Kira! KIRA!!" Lacus screamed shaking him from his staring into space. Kira shook his head vigorously and looked at her with a nervous smile as his phone continued to ring in the background.

"Huh? What?"

"Aren't you going to answer your phone?" Lacus blinked.

"Err…well…" he began scratching his head.

Lacus stared at him as he began looking around innocently. Lacus shook her head and stood up from her chair. "I'll go get it."

Kira gulped and got up out of his chair stepping in front of her as the phone continued to ring over and over. "No…d-don't get it…it's probably just some—"

"Fllay wouldn't want you to miss her call," Lacus smiled. Kira blinked at her and gave her a crooked smile.

"TH-That's not Fllay! I-It's just…"

"Fllay…come on, Kira, you can't keep running from her, let's go!" she sighed with angry eyes as she took him by the collar and dragged him up the stairs. He began crying animatedly as Lacus threw him into his room and leaned against his door. He stumbled to get off the floor and run out, but Lacus, being the guard she was and the speed she could run, he decided it was hopeless. The only way he could get out was to answer Fllay. Pulling his collar, he picked up his phone and answered it.

"H-Hello?"

And a scream of joy made his ear throb.

"KIRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Fllay screamed at the top of her lungs as she jumped up and down on her bed happy to hear from him. "I thought you died! Where have you been???"

Kira laughed nervously as he took a glance at Lacus but found that she was heading downstairs. She didn't even take a glance at him. Her face was silent and dead like there was no life left in her. He wanted to break up with Fllay at that very moment and beg Lacus for forgiveness, but…it just wasn't right and that sounded way too corny. He scratched his head, turned around, and leaned on his hand as it gripped tightly on the brown desk. "Around," Kira laughed casually.

"And that would be?" Fllay partially yelled into his ear.

Kira looked around the room, wondering if there was anything that could help him get out of this predicament. He wanted to talk to Lacus, he wasn't finished getting his friendship with her back to full speed. He knew it would take awhile, but Fllay was certainly interrupting what he hoped, could be someone he could trust again.

"I just felt like going on another vacation," he laughed again.

"Huh?"

"I just needed a little rest, don't worry, I'm not far."

"At least tell me where you are."

"At a friend's place."

"Don't tell me it that's damned Zala family…" Fllay growled into his ear like a wild animal. "I thought I told you to tell me if you were going near them…"

"I'm nowhere near their house…" he eyed his window as he stared far into the window, visioning their house a couple blocks away over the other houses. He slowly returned his view to the wide open door that revealed the deserted hallway. "I'm at Lacus' place."

"WHAT?!!!!!!!!" Fllay snapped…screamed…bellowed…roared…err…just how about a lot of loud sounds that made Kira nearly drop his phone?

Closing an eye and drooping his mouth, he wondered what the problem. "What's wrong with that? It's not like I'm going to be here forever. It's just for this week. Erika invited me, she insisted that I stay since I missed all those reading dates I promised at their school. It's the least I could do for them. Besides, you need to concentrate on your work, not where some writer is."

A few seconds passed and Kira still heard gruff breathing on the other side of the line. He guessed it was Fllay thinking whether or not to yell at him. To Kira at the moment, it just didn't matter …

"Fine."

Kira smiled, he was glad it didn't get into this whole big mess. "I'll just be here for the week, so don't worry about me. I'm in good hands, Fllay. I can take care of myself, too."

"Of course I know that."

"Are you sure? You seem almost too calm about this. If I remember, just a couple seconds ago, you were screaming at me."

"What's your point?"

"Er..okay, so, I'll see you at the dinner party this Saturday?"

Another awkward pause was making Kira even more suspicious of Fllay. What was she thinking? "Perfect."

"Umm…well…uhh, bye?" he laughed nervously as he patiently and nervously waited for her answer.

"Love you."

"Love you, too. Well…bye," and he hung up automatically.

"Didn't sound like the regular love you's," Lacus muttered in an angry tone as she leaned on the side of the door.

Kira fell back against the brown desk and turned off his cell phone so he wouldn't be bothered anymore. He looked up at Lacus, who was smiling at him, he smiled back. Lacus giggled as she swung herself around and headed downstairs again. Realizing where she was going, Kira ran after her and chased her down the stairs as she came to a stop in front of the kitchen refrigerator.

On it, were multiple pictures containing Lacus and Erika and occasionally the maids. Kira laughed at one where Lacus was covered in mud and Erika and Tsubasa were holding red buckets of more mud, throwing it onto her. Lacus stared fondly at the pictures as she took off the magnet and grabbed the stack as she began to look through them, giggling from time to time. Kira looked at the pictures from over her shoulder and she stared at him from the corner of her eye. With no words, she gave him the ones she had already glanced at and soon she was down to the last one.

The expression on her face changed.

"Kira?" she whispered in a sad tone.

Kira looked up from the pictures he was looking at and stared toward Lacus and to the picture that was slipping away from her fingers. "Hmm?"

"Have you ever asked Erika about her father?" she asked randomly.

Kira was speechless for the moment. He had to admit, he distinctly remembered asking Erika once that time at her school when Cagalli swung him silly. He nodded even though he should've spoken. But it was like he had already answered because she spoke again. "Why?"

"Uhh…well…" Kira laughed nervously. Why did he ask Erika before?

"If she isn't your daughter, then why … why do you have so much concern for her?"

"Because …because…"

"What is it?" she looked toward him, her eyes weren't in pain. But it looked like she was looking for something and she continued to read his eyes for any traces of lies.

"She's special. She has many characteristics that other children don't have," Kira began.

Lacus' eyes widened slowly. "Oh?"

"Yes," Kira answered and the mood began as if Kira was teaching Lacus a new lesson. "She's very unique in her own way and she has the amazing capability of attaining friends while still keeping her own self-value. She doesn't change for others unlike what other children would do. She's also a gifted child and wonderful inspiration for my stories."

Lacus' shoulders rolled up and she gave him another half-hearted smile. "How wonderful. I'm happy to hear my daughter is a gift to you."

"Lacus?"

"Yes, Kira?" Lacus giggled, continuing to fight off a frown with a cheesy smile.

"May I see the picture in your hand?"

"What?" Lacus blinked innocently.

"The picture," he motioned his fingers toward it and Lacus looked downward it, flopping it up and down to see if it was really in her hand. "Can I see it?"

Hesitantly, Lacus handed it to him and she stepped back as she watched him carefully analyze the picture with his eyes. He flipped it over and back and he laughed. "Cute," was all he said. "Real cute," he handed it back to her and he turned away silently as he headed up for his room. Lacus stared at the picture and the pile of pictures Kira had placed on the counter. A worried look struck her face as she rushed for him and caught him midway up the stairs.

"What is it, Lacus?"

"Y-You're not mad, are you?" Lacus said rubbing her arm gently.

She heard him laugh. "Of course not. Why should I be?" he slowly turned around to face her. "We are only friends, afterall. Why should I care if you dated someone in the last few years?"

"Uhh…well…" Lacus bit her lip and she heard the creak of the stairs and looked up again to find him advancing away from her. "W-Wait…Kira…"

He stopped.

Lacus rushed a couple more stairs up and stopped two stairs under him. "N-Nothing happened between us … it was just one date and he wanted Erika to come along. Erika didn't really like him, she said that he smelt like fish," at this Lacus laughed and Kira, too. "But she really really likes you, Kira. So…so…"

"Don't worry, I have no intention of going on a rampage because of one simple picture. All I have is friendly feelings toward you and your daughter, Lacus. Just the way we promised each other four years ago, correct?" Kira laughed.

"R-right…" Lacus paused and Kira soon entered the hallway and as he opened the door, he felt a touch at his shoulder. He did not turn around. "A promise I'm regretting right now…"

Kira laughed and finally turned to face her, placing a hand on her cheek and wishing he could just grasp her whole face and kiss her again. "You couldn't imagine."

But he couldn't as Lacus let his palm slip away from the warmth of her cheek and he entered his room, closing the door behind him.

----

Fllay Allster was a woman of high self-esteem. She wouldn't let anyone in the way of her goal as everyone knows. She has multiple nicknames…the dragon…the rich b…red monster…

But Fllay was also called the woman of men. In other words, she could get any guy she wanted at the snap of her fingers. At this very moment, she could be plotting another ploy to conquer another company or to hit a big deal!

Yet she wasn't in the mood…

She was sprawled out across her bed that was without the love of her life next to her as she eyed the dark velvet red box on the bedside table. She knew what was inside, she had looked at it over and over.

It was a silver ring … that she happened to want very very badly.

She covered her face in her hands and screamed. After the long scream, she placed the back of her palm over her forehead and looked out toward her window. The usual view of the city that she had always seen for the past twenty three years and a half years of her life. Green grass…well…damp green grass … a dark grey city looking back at her …but now the streets were flooded and Fllay wanted to get out more than anything in the world.

She sat up and clenched her fists as she threw her pillow at the door as Rau entered, catching it and throwing it back at her automatically.

"You haven't been doing your job, Rau," Fllay snapped. "I told you she should be dead if she comes within a miles distance of Kira!"

Rau bowed apologetically. "I'm terribly sorry. I had other matters to attend to at the time. There are also other priorities I have besides baby-sitting a fully grown woman to see if she breaks her promise."

"Look, if you want to keep your damn job, then make sure there's no romantic business going on between those two. You hear me?!"

"Loud and clear," Rau responded tiredly.

"I didn't hear you!" Fllay screamed with her hands on her hips, dressed in short pink shorts and a loose white tanktop. Rau forced himself to bow downward and spoke louder. Fllay let her arms sag and she approached Rau as he bent back upward. He stared at her through his white mask.

"What?"

"Why do you always wear that mask?" she puffed her face and analyzed the phantomous look of the awfully long nose and how it made his ears look so big. "Makes ya look like a dwarf."

"Like a phantom, I leave my prey with no trace of myself, and like a phantom, no one knows my identity. Just in case if something goes wrong, dearest Fllay."

Fllay rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Get out of my sight."

"As you wish."

----

Okay, so surprises only come once a year mostly for a birthday party, right? But for Lacus at the moment, she had way too many this week. One, Erika invited Kira, two, Erika's school decided to have school again so now she'd be alone with Kira, and Three…err..well, the third one's coming right about …

"CAGALLI!!! You tricked me!!" Lacus shrieked loudly on the phone as nanny packed her things in her luggage and put on her coat. Cagalli was currently on speaker phone and Lacus was happily eating when she received the grave news. Kira was currently in the shower humming 'A Thousand Miles'…very poorly I might add.

It was raining…again, and the school had decided to close down…again. So Erika was invited to go with Cagalli and Athrun on their usual trip to Shinjuku to visit some of Cagalli's relatives. Lacus couldn't come as usual due to the fact she might have to be taken with work. But Lacus thought that Erika would be coming straight home right after and Cagalli purposely left out of the detail that they would be gone for the rest of the week.

"I did not trick you, Lacus," Cagalli muffled her laughs as she looked to Athrun who was driving and grinning widely. She looked forward again as the windshield wipers went back and forth, back and forth as the rain continued to pour.

Lacus rolled her eyes angrily as she stood began pacing around the table. "I thought you said it was a short trip."

"It is a short trip. We usually stay there for about two weeks."

Lacus groaned as she suffocated herself with her hands and blacked out all incoming light. She breathed in. "How far are you guys? Is there any possible way you could come back … with Erika?"

"You expect me to drive back for another hour?" Athrun said loudly.

Lacus stared dully at the phone leaning herself forward on the table with her palms. "You've only been driving for ten minutes. Stop lying."

"Dammit," Athrun muttered. He was hoping she hadn't been timing their leave.

"Come on, Lacus, we might get stuck in traffic if we go back, three days alone with Kira won't hurt you."

"Yes, it will!!" she retaliated. "It will downright kill me!"

"Mommy, I need to go potty!!" Tsubasa cried out as he began fidgeting in his seat.

Cagalli turned around to face Tsubasa with a shocked, scared, and surprised look on her face. Her mouth dangled. "I thought you went before we left."

"Yeah, but rain makes me feel like going to the bathroom!" Tsubasa responded innocently.

"I like the rain, it makes me happy," Erika giggled.

Cagalli slowly turned back around in her seat and looked toward the phone in defeat. She groaned.

"Well? That means you have to come back now…" Lacus smirked triumphantly.

"Oh, no we don't," Athrun said pulling into a gas station. "We just happened to need some gas."

Thunderstruck, Lacus pulled the phone of speaker and was about to say something when she heard the sudden wailing of Tsubasa.

"MOMMY!!!" he yelled as he reached out of his seat. Cagalli unbuckled herself as Athrun got out of his seat, gave Cagalli the keys and the credit card for gas as he rushed to the other side of the van, rushing open the sliding door, and yanked Tsubasa out of his seat.

"Come on," Athrun grunted as he sprinted through the pouring rain to the bathroom.

Cagalli looked at Erika from the open van door and smiled. "Do you need to go to?"

She shook her head. "I just like watching the rain." Cagalli laughed. Kira liked the rain a lot, too, if she remembered correctly.

Cagalli pulled the phone again closer to her ear and sighed. "Lacus?"

No answer.

"Lacus?"

Silence.

"Lacus?! Are you there?"

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" Lacus shrieked over the phone.

"Lacus!!" Cagalli cried out.

"S-S-S-S-SPIDER!!!" Lacus screamed.

Cagalli was furious. She got worried over a stupid …a stupid … "See ya, Lacus."

"Hey, wait, Cagalli!" Lacus tried to get her back on the phone but was too paralyzed by the giant gold and black spider on her table. It scared her to death. It was huger than the size of her two hands put together!!

Lacus looked around frantically and saw that nanny had already left and Kira was most likely still singing horribly in the shower.

"Ff…Ff…" she was horrified. She had encountered one when she was five and after that, she could never bring herself to get the fact that it climbed onto her face and she saw those black beady eyes … hairy exterior …and …"N…N…" Lacus continued to ramble like an idiot and continued to back away to the wall, praying it would just disappear and it continued to move and then she saw something white coming out of its mouth. Her eyes widened. It was being aimed at her! She wanted to move so badly, but her feet wouldn't let her!

Where could she run to … no one to help her…she felt faint…as she blacked out and heard a crash of the magenta-colored vase of flowers fall to the floor next to her.

Her eyes fluttered to a close and she remembered Kira's figure hovering over her and that was it.

----

"I thought I told you to not touch me!" Milly glared at Dearka.

It had been awhile since they had seen each other. Tolle was this time really gone. He was hit by another drunk driver right in front of Milly's eyes.

She had become cold-hearted over the time span of four years, but Dearka…let's say he had gotten used to being rejected over and over by the orange-haired girl.

"Look, I'm not trying to be near you, okay. It just so happens that I'm here for my own share of money, too!" Dearka exclaimed as Milly gave him an angry look and turned away, shoving her credit card into the ATM.

"Dearka, maybe we should leave Milly alone," Nicol was also with them being Dearka's companion for the years since Yzak had no way of escaping his job at the Allster mansion. Fllay had told every other kind of job Yzak had planned to be shunned from him. Yes, it was evil…okay, it was really evil. But it's not like they hadn't tried to get him out of there. There was just no possible way without Yzak ruining it with one of his tantrums.

"Can you please listen to Nicol for once in awhile, Dearka? Stop chasing me!"

"I'm not chasing you! Why would I chase some woman who won't even look me in the eye?!" Dearka growled as he pulled the card out of the ATM and slipped it back into his black leather wallet. He was now working for Clyne Publishing as well was Nicol. Milly, however, worked for the Clyne Times. She was their head photographer.

The three of them rushed out of the train station and out into the cold rain as Milly was without an umbrella. "Dammit."

"Here, you can have mine," Nicol said politely handing a dark red umbrella to her.

Milly nodded at him and then stared spitefully at Dearka. "Stop looking at me."

"I'm not looking at you. Why would I look at someone so ugly and plain?"

"You little…"

"That's enough, you two," Nicol commanded as they both silenced, staring downward to the cold grey steps. "What happened three years ago is the past, so can we just move on?"

"If this pig would just get over me and move on!"

"Pig? Oh, that's rich! I BET TOLLE—"

"Don't you dare talk about Tolle!"

"I said enough! Sheesh, whenever you two see each other, it's a yelling match to the death. Can we please…please…just stop?" Nicol groaned, leaning on one side.

"Fine," Milly scoffed.

"Whatever," Dearka said as he watched a white cab stop in front of him. "Come on, Nicol."

"Good riddance," Milly mumbled, walking past the car.

"WHAT did you just say?!" Dearka began, starting it again.

"What did I just say?!" Nicol snapped motherly, staring back and forth between the two, what looked like to him, children.

----

What Lacus felt like at the moment was that she had been hazed by something really gruesome and she felt like a ton of spiders were crawling all over her as she opened her eyes slowly to find a hand over her stomach. She was a bit spooked of how it felt like that annoying insect she hated so much, but she tried to, as calmly as she could, get up, and saw that it was just Kira. He had fallen asleep.

Remembering the gold and black spider, Lacus stared back and saw that her table was shiny and clean and the spider was nowhere to be found. She heard a yawn and turned back to face Kira. She smiled brightly at him.

"Thanks, Kira."

"No problem…I still remember that day at the park. You started crying and we had to give you three drumsticks to get you to stop," Kira laughed drowsily. "Feeling better?"

Lacus nodded. "I'm twenty-four and I can't even get over a simple spider, I've become pitiful."

"You're not pitiful," Kira chuckled.

"Name another person my age afraid of spiders."

Kira paused and seconds passed as Lacus continued to stare at him, awaiting an answer…if her were to give her any anyway. Kira blew air and Lacus pointed at him triumphantly.

"SEE!! No one!"

"Lacus…"

"I was never brave enough to get over anything and that's just how I am," she shrugged at him with a false smile. "That's how much pity I give myself everyday."

Kira stared at her seriously and sighed. Maybe it was time. He stood up and she followed his movements with her eyes. "Kira, where are you –"

"I'll be right back, there's something I forgot at my place."

Lacus frowned. "Don't you mean at Fllay's mansion?"

Kira shook his head and stared at her fondly. "No, my old place."

"You still have it?"

Kira laughed. "I could never put myself to sell it. I still go there from time to time to get away. I'll be back soon."

"Uh…Kira…"

"Don't worry."

"It's not that."

"Then what is it?" Kira said becoming slightly annoyed.

"May I come with you?" Lacus smiled weakly.

"What?"

"I wanna see the old place again. I miss it."

"Huh? Well…if you don't mind a mess, I guess so," Kira blinked as he headed for the stairs to grab his keys.

"I don't mind," Lacus said as she flipped the covers over her and left the couch as she waited for him at the bottom of the stairs. Kira rushed downward and motioned her to the door.

"Shall we?"

"Let's."

----

Fllay slammed the car door shut as she stopped in front of Lacus' house. She tried to look as calm as possible as she headed for the front door when Rau appeared out of nowhere again.

Fllay stepped back, her heart was pounding and she stared furiously at him. "Dammit, Rau! You're going to give me a heart attack if you keep doing that!"

Rau did not bow this time and stared at the house. "They just left."

"To where?" Fllay said awaiting an answer.

"I don't know. They spoke too quiet for me to here."

"Oh? Then which direction did they go in?"

"I don't know either. I was distracted."

"By what?"

"A spider," he laughed.

----

Slowly opening the door, Kira stepped inside to a room that felt foreign to him and yet familiar at the same time. Lacus was behind him as she entered as well, looking around to find that it looked exactly the same as it had been four years ago.

"Kira, how long has it been since you've been here?" Lacus asked, staring around, sitting on the couch.

"A couple months…but I distinctly remember…" Kira's eyes widened in delight and he ran forward to a dusty table and he leaped for it. "Ah-HA!"

Lacus turned toward him as he scrambled for the table and coveted something very small in the palm of his hands. She slowly walked toward him until he motioned for her to stop moving. "Kira?"

"H-Hold on, Lacus, there's something important I have to give you," he began sniggering to himself until he finally stopped and turned around to her. Grinning like a little child, Kira stretched out his arms and opened his first. Lacus blinked at it. It was very dark in the room and it didn't look like any power would come on soon, so reaching out blindly, she grabbed it and felt a silver chain and then on the end was something that felt like a tiny flower…but it also felt…expensive.

"Kira, it's sort of dark, I can't exactly …"

"Oh, don't worry, the chain glows, see if you just…" Kira reached over to her hands and took her right palm and placing it over the rose and enclosed letting nothing but the heat of her hand touch it. In a matter of moments, the chain was glowing with dazzling sparkles. Lacus giggled happily as she gazed at the chain as she placed it over her head, but failed to put it on by herself.

"Ummm…maybe I'll try it on later."

"But I wanna see you wear it!" Kira said as he rushed to the back of her neck and grabbed the chain from her.

"B-But Kira…"

"Come on...let's see…I just click this and then …"

Click! The necklace hung beautifully from Lacus' neck and that was it. Lacus stared downward at the shining silver hanging around her neck and she swerved around to Kira who was smiling so wide in the slight glow of the room. Lacus bit her lip at first, hesitating, but soon she lost all common sense and immediately wrapped her arms around him and planted a long kiss on his cheek. Kira gasped a little as a bright red blush shed over his cheeks and she pulled away.

Lacus smiled happily at him with her hands behind her back and she cocked her head to the side. "Thanks so much, Kira. I promise I'll treasure it forever!" Lacus clapped her hands. "Now I just have to figure out what to get you…hmmm…"

"Uhh…well…you don't have to…" Kira scratched his head as he remembered something he had left at Fllay's place which would probably be the most difficult to get since everyone thought that Fllay would be his fiancé in the near future. He looked left and right and a thought came to him. "Don't worry about my present, I think our friendship's enough," was all he said.

Friendship.

The word rang through Lacus' ears and her smile faded. She stared poorly at the necklace.

"Lacus?" Kira said her name and walked toward her slowly and Lacus stood there just dazed out by staring at the necklace. "Are you alright?"

"I can't accept this," Lacus stated in a dead tone as she reached her arms behind her neck and searched for the lock, but she couldn't find it. She looked toward Kira with sympathetic eyes. "Please take it back. I don't deserve any of your presents, Kira. Please…give it to Fllay. I'm sure she'll treasure it more than I ever will."

Kira looked at her with a frown and sighed. "But I don't want to give to Fllay. It was for you. It was supposed to be your 21st birthday present…"

"I'm flattered, Kira. However…" Lacus stared at the rose. "I-It's just too much for someone who isn't as special to you as Fllay is. So please…can you just…"

"No."

"But Kira…"

Frustrated with her constant mention of Fllay every time he would give her something, he grabbed her by the shoulders and forced her into a kiss. It was the last straw. He didn't know what was wrong with him. He just lost control of all his emotions. It just felt like the right thing to do at the time. Her eyes wide Lacus tried her best to pull away, but she could not, he was holding her to him.

Her voice was muffled by Kira's lips, but she tried to talk anyway. "K-Kira…"

He pulled away quickly and he knew what was to come next.

Slap! He didn't bother to rub his cheek. He already knew of his consequence. Lacus was panting as she looked at him with disgust and red cheeks. Kira eyed her as he looked to the side.

"H-How …What…" Lacus began but she could not finish. She was too astonished at his actions.

"I'm sorry," Kira said trying his best not to look at her.

"You're sorry?! KIRA! You're practically engaged to her! You can't just go around kissing people!"

"You're not a people, Lacus, that's the problem!"

"Then what the hell am I? An alien?"

Kira was surprised by her use of the word 'hell', but then continued on. "No, you're not."

"Then what am I to you, Kira? A co-worker? A simple friend? What?!"

"I don't know, okay?!" Kira yelled.

"Then how can we be what we are if you don't know what we are?"

"I don't know! Why don't you answer the question?"

"Because I just see as friends at the moment! But you seem to see things differently!"

"Maybe I DO!" Kira exclaimed as he closed his eyes.

Lacus, infuriated, walked closer toward him and began to yell. "You're the one who said we couldn't be anything more than friends! You're the one who told me you could only be with Fllay! You're the one who made those decisions and I went along with your decisions! I was fine with it! Now you want to go back on your promise? Kira, that's …that's INSANE!"

Kira finally faced her. "Well, I just might be insane then!"

Lacus stared at him hard and long. He's serious"L-Look, Kira…y-you're not insane…it's my fault to blame…it's also mine…"

Kira breathed in and out, calming himself and then felt a relaxing feeling on his shoulder and saw that it was Lacus' hand. "Why don't we head back now and talk about this later?"

"Okay."

"Great," Lacus smiled as she led him out the door when he spoke again.

"May I sleep with you again tonight?" Kira requested, his voice as sincere as it could possibly get.

Lacus turned around to him. "But I thought…"

"I heard that they're going to lightning and thunder again tonight…so I thought maybe …"

"You're scared of lightning?" Lacus raised an eyebrow.

Kira chuckled. "I know you are."

Lacus blushed dark red and she turned around. "Cheap shot."

"So can I?" Kira continued.

Lacus sighed and rubbed her arm. "Whatever you want."

----

Author's Note: Since I have unlimited access to this wonderful place called the Internet, I can now upload whenever I want. So here's the next chapter! Since I got this one faster than expected, Chapter 12 will be re-uploaded next so chapter eighteen will take longer. Sorry for the inconvenience, but since everyone hated it so much…

-Nifer