DISCLAIMER: 'Resonance' is a story based on characters and situations from Kidou Senshi Gundam Seed which is a property of Sotsu Agency, SUNRISE and MBS. This work is non profited and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. Unless specified, all materials in the web is work done by HERMIT JUNCTION. Please do not use without permission any text or artwork.

WARNING: Text and all related materials are rated R/M and may mild strong language, violence, cruelty, explicit adult content, rape, death and nudity unless otherwise stated. Please do not read if you are underage or maybe offended by such material. Spoilers for Gundam Seed.

NOTE: This fanfiction disregards the plotline of the original series' sequel Gundam Seed Destiny. Please go to gseedaftermath.hermitjunction. net for site hosting of this fic. For Dearka and Miriallia's story, please go to 'GS Aftermath Trilogy I: Rebound'; for Rusty and Lain's story, please go to 'GS Aftermath Trilogy II: Repercussion'.

Gseed Aftermath Trilogy III:
RESONANCE
a hermit junction project

Chapter 19

The sun was setting.

Looking out the window, Shiho watched as the familiar scenary passed by her. She remembered this road, the last time she passed this road was three years ago, after the war when she was told to go home until she was relocated. She had hesitated, even protested, but her superiors insisted. She had shocked the household because she had been driven out of the house by her parents after Geherin's funeral, never would they have imagined that she'd have a career in ZAFT, the spoiled brat they knew from before.

'Miss Shiho, we're here.' Pulling the car in front of the Hahnenfuss Manor, the chauffer stepped out and opened the door for Shiho.

Clenching the side of her trousers, Shiho stepped out of the limosine and looked up at the house she regrettably had never been able to call home.

She never considered it her home.

Her eyebrows furrowed slightly, Shiho watched as the huge mahogany doors opened with Mr. Skloff coming out with a solemn face. Staring down, he motioned for her to step up with no more than just a frown. Taking a deep breath, Shiho made her way up the stairs slowly, looking down at her feet the whole time.

'Miss Shiho, the Master and Lady are waiting.' Mr. Skloff said solemnly as he closed the door behind her. Out of the corner of her eye, Shiho saw Mrs. Skloff at the kitchen door, a huge frown on her face.

'It's her.' Shiho's sensitive ears perked slightly at the barely audible voice ringing from behind the doors. Holding her head up high, Shiho walked past them and paused at the entrance of the den, the very same place her parents drove her away, twice.

Her lips in a thin line, Shiho knocked on the door and pushed it open, not waiting for an acknowledgement. Leaving the door propped open, Shiho stepped in and saw her Father standing by the window with his back facing her while Lady Hahnenfuss was clutching onto the teacup she was drinking from, a copy of 'Meygan' on the coffee table.

'Father, Mother.' Shiho said softly. It took a while before Mr. Hahnenfuss turned his head while Lady Hahnenfuss continued staring at nothing in particular.

'This looks familiar, doesn't it?' Mr. Hahnenfuss asked in a coarse voice, looking at Shiho with a hard look. 'Don't you think Shiho?'

Shiho stared back at him. 'I can recall, I don't have a bad memory.'

'Why?' Lady Hahenfuss whispered. 'Why do you keep doing this to us? What have I done to deserve a daughter like you? We're good people…'

Shiho narrowed her eyes slightly. 'What do you want?'

'What do I want?' Lady Hahnenfuss stood up, the teacup dropping onto the carpeted floor. 'I should be asking this question! What do you want? Isn't it bad enough that you've killed Geherin? Do you know how important Geherin was to us? Do you know how much she meant to us? You took her away! You took her away! It was you!'

Walking up to her, Mr. Hahnenfuss patted her shoulder as she sobbed.

Staring at her parents, Shiho felt her eyes sting. 'I've never been a daughter to you, never. All you care about is Geherin and – '

'And that's why you took her away from me!' Lady Hahnenfuss suddenly screamed, tears overflowing. At that, Shiho widened her eyes in shock. 'You already took her away from us and now this? What did Geherin do to deserve such punishment? Such scandal when she's already gone?' Rushing forward, she suddenly grabbed Shiho by the shoulders and shook her violently. 'And you had to steal her fiancé too! How could you do this? How can you – how can you – ' Completely out of words, Lady Hahnenfuss could only raise her hand and slap her in the face to vent the frustration building up within her.

Stepping back from the force soundlessly, Shiho held her hand to her heated cheek, looking away silently.

'I hate you!' Lady Hahnenfuss screamed.

Shiho widened her eyes as memories flooded back into her mind.

'You don't belong here Shiho, you will never belong here!'

'Yeah, she's the reason why Miss Geherin's dead, I have no doubt about the Lady's anger towards her, she's never really liked her anyway, despite her being the Lady's daughter.'

'You think she'd be grateful of her upbringing, but no… brats will always be brats.'

'What do you want from us? Geherin's dead! She's dead!'

Squeezing her eyes shut, Shiho turned around abruptly and found herself crashing into a hard chest. Looking up, she was shocked to find Yzak looking down at her with furrowed eyebrows. When he looked up, Shiho grabbed his arm frantically.

'Yzak, don't – '

Giving her heated cheek and brief caress, Yzak ignored her protests and pulled her behind him while glaring at the shocked couple before them. 'You struck her?'

Lady Hahnenfuss stared at him. 'Yzak?'

Yzak narrowed his eyes at them. 'You struck her.' It was clearly a statement.

Gripping his shoulder, Shiho tried to pull Yzak back. 'Don't!'

Turning around, Yzak grabbed hold of the chain around Shiho's neck with both hands and broke it, much to Shiho's surprise. Taking the ring off the chain, he tossed it aside and grabbed her left hand, sliding it onto her fourth finger. Turning around, he raised her hand up, showing the engagement ring.

'I'll only say this once.' Yzak said in a dangerously low voice. 'Shiho Hahnenfuss is my fiancée, my only future wife.'

'You can't do this to her.' Lady Hahnenfuss whispered. 'You can't do this to Geherin.'

'She's gone.' Yzak said promptly, watching as Mr. Hahnenfuss glared at him. Taking a deep breath, his eyes softened. 'And I'm sure she'd want Shiho to be happy, she'll want both of us to be happy.'

Lady Hahnenfuss looked up and stared at Shiho who was clutching the back of Yzak's ZAFT uniform. Biting her lip, she collapsed to the floor, breaking down into tears.

Taking a deep breath, Yzak pulled Shiho by the hand and turned around. He stopped when Shiho pulled him back slightly

'She wants us to be happy.' Shiho said quietly, squeezing Yzak's hand unconsciously. 'And I'm happy with Yzak.'

Sighing, Yzak gave her a tug. 'Let's go.'

Clinging onto Yzak's arm, Shiho had her head down the whole time as they walked across the huge foyer, feeling eyes burning into her skin. Still awed at the fact that Yzak had actually come to the Hahnenfuss Manor himself, Mr. Skloff could only hold the door open for him.

Unlocking his car, Yzak held the door out of Shiho who hesitated before stepping in. Slamming the door shut, he marched to the other side. Gunning the engine, he steered out of the Manor silently.

Leaning back against the seat, Shiho could only stare at the road in front of her. The ride was deathly silent and Shiho couldn't find the energy to even ask Yzak where they were going. The brief meeting with her parents proved to be mentally exhausting.

She had once again proved that there was no way her parents would accept her ever again.

At the corner of his eyes, Yzak saw Shiho close her eyes, a single tear sliding down his cheek. Tightening his grip on the steering wheel, he reached out one hand and brushed the tear away, lowering his eyes slightly as Shiho leaned her head against his touch unconsciously.

The ride continued in silence to the point where Shiho almost fell asleep. Opening her eyes at the sound of the hand break, Shiho realized that they were at the peak, the same place they spent their New Years Eve last year.

Killing the engine, Yzak stepped out of the car, motioning for Shiho to do the same. The sun had already set completely and it was starting to get cold, the fall breeze sweeping through them. Taking her hand gently, Yzak pulled her up to the barrier where they overlooked the whole of Aprillius One.

'I'm sorry Yzak.' Shiho said softly.

'There's nothing to be sorry for.' Yzak said promptly, giving her hand a squeeze. 'I'm not sorry for anything and neither should you.'

Shiho smiled softly. 'Your Mother knows you inside and out.'

'What?' Yzak stared down at her.

Shiho nodded. 'Your Mother came to see me today.'

Yzak blinked. 'What? Why – how?'

Shiho shrugged and leaned her head onto his shoulder. 'She told me not to dump you because you love me.'

Yzak rolled his eyes. 'I can't believe her.'

Giving him a small smile, Shiho closed his eyes.

'Shiho.'

'Hmm?'

Yzak narrowed his eyes. 'I'm a selfish person.'

Her eyebrows furrowing, Shiho stared up at him. 'What?'

Turning to her, Yzak reached out one hand and touched her red cheek. Leaning down, he kissed her softly. When they parted, he enveloped her into an embrace.

Shiho started to panic slightly. 'What's wrong Yzak?'

'I'm going to do something and I don't want you to get involved anyhow.' Pulling away, he stared down at Shiho. 'It's politics and it's dangerous. I want you out of this, I don't want you to be hurt anymore.' He leaned his forehead onto hers and closed his eyes. 'You've been through too much, you don't deserve such punishment and I'm going to protect you, always.'

Shiho clutched Yzak's arms tightly. 'What do you want to do Yzak?'

'Trust me Shiho.' Yzak whispered, opening his eyes again.

Shiho stared into Yzak's trembling eyes. Sighing, she wrapped her arms around him. 'I trust you, and I'll do whatever you want me to do.'

Swallowing, Yzak returned to embrace and closed his eyes.

'Thank you Shiho. Thank you.'

'There's no way!' Nia hauled Yzak's secretary up by the collar. 'There's no way!'

'Nia!' Yzak's secretary hissed, wincing at her strength. 'Let go of me for Christ's sake!'

'Sorry.' Nia let go of her.

'You're not serious are you?' Lyn stared at her. 'Major's resigning?'

'Yes.' Yzak's secretary pulled at her collar solemnly as she faced the ZAFT soldiers before her. 'I've been asked to process Major Hahnenfuss' resignation immediately. I got her letter three days ago.'

'She's leaving now?' Ceit asked incredulously while Monroe looked at her in shock.

Yzak's secretary nodded silently. 'She's handing in her log book now along with her tag, id and pistol.' She frowned when her telephone rang. 'Yes?'

'Jule's not going to do this is he?' Iwen racked his hair. 'She's fired?'

'She resigned herself.' Nia said, rolling her eyes.

'She's leaving?' Monroe asked quietly. 'She's actually leaving ZAFT? How could she do that? How can she? I mean, this is just fucking twisted!'

'Shit.' Slamming the phone down, Yzak's secretary bit her lip.

'What is it?' Nia asked, noting the prominent use of foul language in the usually reserved secretary they all loved and hated.

'The media, stupid reporters.' Yzak's secretary muttered. 'Hahnenfuss' resignation somehow got to the press.'

'I'm not surprised, we have a bitch named Gazelle Wyleed around.' Ceit snarled. 'If I could, I'd kill her right now.'

'Major!' Monroe stood straight as the door opened and Shiho stepped out quietly. Giving them a small smile, she turned and walked down the hallway as the group noticed that her badge was ripped from her left chest.

'You guys better get back to your stations.' Yzak's secretary said quietly. 'I'm guessing Commander Jule will not be in a good mood for the next few months or so.'

In the locker room, Shiho took her black jacket from her locker and closed it shut. Turning her head slightly, she stared at the mirror beside her for a few moments before shrugging her jacket on. When she stepped out of the changing room, two armed ZAFT soldiers from the security division were already standing there.

'Miss Hahnenfuss.' One of them greeted her.

Nodding her head, Shiho followed them. She was no longer a ZAFT soldier, no longer a Major and now she could not walk through the headquarters on her own, she was not at liberty to do so anymore.

When the elevator to the lobby opened, Shiho turned her head abruptly at the sudden flashlights.

'Miss Hahnenfuss, is it true that you and Councilor Jule has split because of public pressure?'

'Can you tell us more about what happened at Gilbrater? Were you actually abducted and sold?'

'Is it true that you lost a baby during this time and the baby was Yzak Jule's?'

'Miss Hahnenfuss – '

'Miss Hahnenfuss – '

Her head down the whole time, Shiho bit her lip as the guards tried to push past the crowd in front of her. Holding her head, she tried to block the annoying flashlights as the crowd moved past the lobby while the other ZAFT soldiers looked. When the crowd suddenly stopped abruptly, Shiho looked up and saw Dearka standing in front of the parking lot, looking at her solemnly with the whole team behind him, lined up. Taking a deep breath, Shiho felt tears well up as she smiled.

Up in his office, Yzak looked down at the crowd with the side of his head leaning against the polished glass, Shiho's identification tag in his hand. Lowering his eyes, he watched as the whole team saluted her as she walked down the parking lot to her car while the guards blocked the press, forming a line at the entrance of the headquarters. He closed his eyes when his cellphone suddenly rang.

'You're still alive right?' Rusty asked on the other line while staring at the television with Lain standing beside the couch he was sitting on, arms crossed.

'Why wouldn't I be?' Yzak asked quietly.

'There's no turning back, are you sure?' Rusty narrowed his eyes and looked up when Lain suddenly turned the television off.

'There's no turning back.' Yzak repeated. 'I'm going to destroy them once and for all.'

Rusty sat back and crossed his arms. 'Then what are you going to do?'

Receiving no response, Rusty repeated his question. Closing his cellphone, Yzak cut the connection abruptly and threw it across the desk, watching as it slid off the desk. Leaning back, Yzak stared up at the ceiling, still fingering the identification tag in his hand.

Sighing, he closed his eyes again and relaxed himself. When he was done, he would leave.

For good.

'PLANT View' Headlines

Destroyed by scandal! Lamar Wyleed arrested! The financer of Nessar! (05/12/75)

Though in a firm state of denial, Chairman of PLANT's High Council Lamar Wyleed is doomed to be sued due to lucrative connections with Nessar, PLANT's largest and most complex underground society. Thought various assassinations connected with Wyleed are still under investigation, LF has made it clear that there will be charges against him dealing with illegal trade, including the notorious human trafficking which has aroused controversy over the past year…….

Yzak Jule admits. He wants his mentor down. (08/12/75)

High Council member and ZAFT Commander Yzak Jule admits that he had been in rivalry with his mentor Lamar Wyleed for the past month and has finally been able to destroy his political power. He denies that it was due to vengeance of him being diverted from PLANT three months ago and was relocated to Gilbratar. He admits, however, that he used his position and connection with ZAFT LF to gather evidence…… it is also likely that Jule will run for High Council chair……

Quits! Yzak Jule, the most potential member of PLANT politics resigns from both the High Council and ZAFT! (21/12/75)

Yzak Jule, son of former High Council Member Ezaria Jule and high profile veteran of Jakin Due has formally resigned from both the High Council and ZAFT. Politic analyzers and scholars speculate that Jule no longer wants to be put into a controversial position after charges were put on Lamar Wyleed, other sources state that Jule is just fed up with PLANT politics……

'Fed up with PLANT politics?' Snorting, Rusty closed the newspaper shut and tossed it over his shoulder. Looking up, he watched as his wife sat on the hood of their white convertible, her black hair flying in the cold breeze.

'Isn't he?' Lain asked, looking down at him with a small smile.

Shrugging, Rusty stepped out of his car and leaned against it with his arms crossed, looking down at the fields.

He suddenly frowned. 'I feel like a stalker.'

'Yeah.'

At the voice, Lain and Rusty both turned around and saw Dearka walking up to them with a glare.

'How's it going buddy?' Rusty asked, smirking over his shoulder.

Dearka placed one hand over his chest. 'I'm hurt. Seriously, I've been Yzak's most trusted subordinate for four years and in the end, he trusts a guy from the dead over me. I don't get to know anything and miss all the action for crying out loud.'

Rusty rolled his eyes. 'You're in the light and I'm in the dark. That's self explanatory Major Elthman.'

'How do you explain this then?' Dearka asked, motioning his head down at the fields.

The three watched from a distance as Yzak finally came out of the orphanage with Shiho's hand in his. The kids around them cheered on while Shiho smiled around them, a bouquet of flowers in her hands. At the entrance, Vena had a big smile on her face while Nix Loweia leaned against the doorframe with his arms crossed, shaking his head while laughing. The kids squeeled when Yzak suddenly picked Shiho up and followed them down the dirt path.

'So apparently this buddy of ours will not be inviting us to his wedding.' Dearka snorted, his hands on his hips.

'Shouldn't you be used to it by now?' Rusty sneered.

Making a face, Dearka gave him a light punch in the shoulders. 'Shut up Rusty.'

Lain snorted. 'I've been trying to shut him up for a year.'

Dearka raised his eyebrows while Rusty scowled. 'What you two do in your own time is all you.'

Rusty made a move to kick Dearka. 'Get off my case.'

Lain sighed loudly as Rusty and Dearka continued to bicker. Looking down, she couldn't help but smile softly as Yzak put Shiho down and kissed her while the kids gathered around them, screaming. It was all over. Finally over.

'They're going to live happily ever after, right?' Lain asked softly as Rusty and Dearka paused.

Letting go of Dearka's neck, Rusty raised his eyebrows. 'Fairy tale endings?'

Lain shrugged. 'Modern fairy tales.'

Dearka snorted. 'I highly doubt that.'

'They're going to be together.' Rusty said firmly after a few moments of silence.

Dearka sneered. 'Not doubting that either.'

Rusty turned to Lain. 'You?'

Hopping off the car, Lain leaned her head onto Rusty's shoulder, taking his hand. 'How could I?'

Smirking, Dearka crossed his arms and leaned against Rusty's car. 'True.'

True.

End of Chapter 19