Phoenix: I do not own anything associated with Gundam Seed/Destiny, except for this story...

Was it true, that there was always something there? Was it true that you could never be alone? Was it true that love was the most powerful thing of all?

Or was it true that this was all a fake world, filled with illusions that could kill you from the inside out?

Because that's what I had convinced myself, or rather, that's what I had seen. War, death, fighting...a little bit of love, but only in the rush of the moment. The moment you think you just might be alone.

Desperation, lonliness, hunger...That's all we had left. That was what the war had given us, after it took every other thing away.

What were we fighting for?

The war was over, the Peace Treaty signed, and yet we were still fighting...fighting for this world to be the same, again...fighting for restoration, for happiness, for love.

Fighting for things that were long gone.

But oh, I had stopped my fighting long ago. I sat and watched as everyone else fought. Lacus and Kira comforted each other, in hopes that hugs and kisses would make the pain go away...Dearka and Mir cried to each other, convinced that the bad memories would fall away, with their tears...Yzak was off helping to restore some country, thinking that happiness would build up with the buildings...and Cagalli...

Cagalli sat beside me, watching my every move, for she was the only other one who knew what was going on, even if it was from a different angle, and she knew just how I felt...but, she didn't know that I was dead. She had a hint, though. I couldn't look at people anymore. I could only look through them. After all, they weren't really there. Every single thing was an illusion, and if I let my guard down for one second, I would become just like everyone else, and I didn't want that. I was happy the way I was...dead inside.

Or had I just convinced myself that, in the rush of fear I had felt at the end of the battle?

Athrun let out a small laugh, and Cagalli looked at him worriedly. He rose his head, and she focused her amber eyes on his green, berserk ones. They would never go back, now...his eyes would always stay the endless pools they were, the only thing left of him telling his story.

Athrun stood up, and began walking away from the fire. They were all on an island, now, slow to take action, even thought there was now peace.

Curious, Cagalli followed him, careful to quiet her footsteps. She followed him all the way around the island, wincing as tree limbs sliced them both, wondering why Athrun chose to ignore the pain...Not only the pain of the branches, but of the war, too...

Suddenly, he stopped at the edge of the water, looking around at the place. Cagalli gasped as she realized where they were, and hid beneath a bush. She had met Athrun here...

"I know you're there," Athrun said, looking straight at the water, "Why did you follow me?"

"I was worried that...that..." that you might kill yourself.

"That I might do something foolish?" he asked, knowing full well what she was thinking, "I would have, if you hadn't spoken those words you had a while ago..."

The battle field flashed before their eyes, and Cagalli's words echoed in their memories.

Sometimes the hardest battle, is to keep living!

"You saved my life..." he continued, "but I'm not sure whether to love you for it...or hate you..."

The wind bristled the nearby trees, and a shiver went up Cagalli's spine. She saw Athrun move to take a step towards her, but catch himself at the last moment, and move a little furthur away. Smiling sadly, Cagalli walked all the way over to Athrun, and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him into a tight hug.

He tensed at first, but soon gave in and hugged her back.

"I know what you're thinking, Athrun." she said as his body trembled, "And I want you to stop thinking it. You may have convinced yourself otherwise, but the fighting has stopped. People aren't trying to forget, they're trying to remember...remember the good times, and make them again. But...they'll always carry around the memories of those who they lost, but they'll move on, too!"

They both pulled their heads back, still in a hug, and gazed into each others eyes. Tears poured down Cagalli's face, and she saw that Athrun seemed to be struggling with something.

"It's okay to cry." she said, as he pulled her into a tighter embrace, and hid his face on her shoulder.

"But it won't change anything...it won't bring anyone...back..." he said shakily, trying to control his voice.

He's so innocent, Cagalli thought. And she was right. No matter how much Athrun knew, heard, or thought, he would always be the innocent boy he was, reacting with fear the moment something changed for the worse, but pushing it aside in order to help his friends. They were all he had left, now, after all, and he didn't want to lose them.

"Nothing will," Cagalli admitted, "Or maybe they're still here...Watching us, and hoping for us to move on. They died for us, Athrun. They wanted the world to have peace..."

"Yeah..." Athrun said, as his whole body relaxed and he revealled his tear-streaked face, "You're right...But I...I..."

He trailed off, new tears spilling down his face, "I don't want anyone else to die!"

Cagalli pulled him down into a sitting position, and he pulled her into his lap. She blushed crimson, but found that it was actually quite comfortable. Leaning into his chest, she concentrated on his warm embrace...his slow breathing, and rapidly beating heart...

"Cagalli?" Athrun questioned, whispering in her ear, "Promise me that...you won't die without me...that, if you die, you'll wait for me...'cause...'cause..." Athrun's voice trembled, but he continued on...

"I'd wait for you far past the end of time!"

Sniffling, and rubbing her hand against his shaking chest, Cagalli said softly, "I...I promise..."

She broke down into sobs and Athrun pulled her tighter.

Taking her chin in his hand, he lifted her face to his, and brushed his lips against hers. An electric shock went through both their bodies, and Cagalli pushed her lips against Athrun's again. He ran his tongue against her bottom lip, and she opened her mouth, deepening the kiss.

They pulled away from each other, and lay down on the sand.

"I love you." Athrun whispered, looking deep into her eyes.

Cagalli smiled, and gazed at him, surprised that through all this fighting, all this war, all this hatred and vengeance, and the fact that this man in front of her, alone, had carried most of the burden-surprised that, through all of this...Athrun could still love.

Wiping the remaining tears off of his face, Cagalli whispered softly into his ear.

"I love you, too..."