notes: this is something I did for a contest on mediaminer so it's just a short alternative universe story, enjoy.

I do not own Gundam Seed.

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Three Years On

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The sky was turning from its pale blue to a sea of oranges as the sun began to settle behind the mountains. Night would be coming soon and Kira Yamato was falling behind his schedule. His suit had been shot down much sooner than expected but he had managed to make it to his destination.

The weapons testing compound was mostly deserted on this Sunday. Kira managed to slip past the fence and avoid the few guards he saw. Little work happened during these summer months, giving him the seclusion he needed at the moment.

He found the correct building, quickly slipping inside. The research lab's hallways were very dark and Kira kept it that way. He stopped for a moment to prop himself against the wall. The young pilot's left leg was cut up from the parachute ride through the trees. He couldn't spend much time worrying about it now though.

Kira pressed on, limping down the hallway. Suddenly he heard some noises around him but he could not determine where they came from. The passage was then ablaze with light, catching the young pilot off guard.

A person walked out from one of the rooms ahead. Kira recognized the masked man. He quickly upholstered his side arm, pointing it ahead. The masked man followed suit, pointing his own weapon back.

"Well well, Kira Yamato. It's been quite a long time since last we met. Three years no? A summer much like this one if I remember correctly."

Kira stood quiet, holding his pistol in both hands.

"Come now, no 'hello'? No 'how are you'? I hope you do not mind me dropping in so unexpectedly but your little show out there caused quite a stir. And getting shot down so quickly after crossing the boarder, are we getting a bit rusty?"

Kira began to look around at all the possible exit routes, still remaining quiet to the comments from his ex-superior.

"Oh I would not think of escape if I were you. That leg of yours seems to not want to stop bleeding. And I do assure you we have the compound very secure but I would enjoy watching you die here and now if you wish to risk escaping."

Kira looking at the masked man for a moment then lower his gun slightly. "Very well Rau," he simply responded.

"I see, no fun today. Captain of the Guards, if you will, escort this young pilot to our transportation." Several armed soldiers stepped out from the rooms beside Rau and walked slowly towards Kira. For his part, Kira simply let his gun drop, staring out blankly as the soldiers bound his wrists together.

The interrogation room inside the military base was rather plain. Kira sat with his arms handcuffed behind his chair. In front of him was a desk with just a lamp and recording device.

The pilot had said not a word from the time he was arrested. The interrogators were non too happy over this, taking out their anger physically. The bruises were to be expected either way.

"What did you come to steal from us this time Kira?" asked an angered Rau. "Three years ago it was the Freedom, which now lays in ruins in our hanger thanks to your stunt. But it greatly puzzles everyone here in what you hopped to get from our testing facility."

Kira looked blankly at the table. His mind was lost in another world, not caring one bit what was asked.

One of the guards smacked him on the back of the head, but Kira did not respond in the least.

"Very well, we will be back. If you will not tell us here then tomorrow we will escort you somewhere much less to your liking," Rau said dryly. He motion to the others in the room and them all exited.

Time passed, Kira was unsure just how much. Rau and his crew came and went, asking their questions but receiving simple silence from the pilot. Growing aggravated and appearing tired, they disappeared for a long time from the room.

Everything was quiet and the young pilot stayed silent, even there alone. It was then that Kira felt a small shock at his right ankle. 'It's time,' he thought to himself, getting up from his chair and ducking under the table.

Outside the room, Rau sat sipping some coffee. "I was hoping we would get the information ourselves. But in the end the traitor will be executed so I suppose I should just feel content." The man seated across from him nodded.

From down the hallway came an officer, saluting as he stood by Rau. The masked man simply waved his hand, stating, "Yes what is Ades?"

"Sir the Zala team is now here," Officer Ades said.

"Very well, have Athrun Zala come meet me as soon as he can," Rau replied, getting up from the chair. But as he stood straight, a loud noise, like that of thunder, sounded outside.

"What was that," one asked.

Once again they heard the noise but this time the entire building shook.

Rau looked very angry, turning to his subordinate, he yelled, "Ades, go find out what the hell is..." but Rau never was able to complete his sentence. The entire ceiling came down around him.

The masked man blinked his eyes. It appeared he had blacked out for some amount of time, how long he did not know. He could taste some blood on his lips as he coughed up white powder. Someone was helping him stand up, telling Rau of mortar shelling coming from the mountainside. "It seems they were targeting his area specifically sir," the subordinate said, adding, "but it appears the insurgents have withdraw by now."

"And the prisoner?" asked Rau to whomever was around.

"There is not sign of him," someone said. "It appears his room was directly hit as well."

"Put the full base on alert, wake everyone up. He must be found now. And get me Athrun Zala here immediately," commanded Rau.

Kira stood in the bathroom, washing his face off. The room was pitch black as the power had been knocked out. Light crept in as the door opened to a man holding a candle.

"Oh didn't think anyone would be in here," the man said innocently, walking over to the pilot.

Moving like lightning Kira struck the man right on the jaw, sending him flying into the wall. The soldier was slouched down, appearing to be unconscious.

Kira placed the candle on the counter top, continuing to clean his face. The room was now dimly lit and he could see everything to some degree, including the small portrait on the wall. A sun set, reflected in the water by some random beach.

'This wasn't how I planned to be spending my summer,' he thought. Everything seemed so perfectly thought out three years ago but when it was time, it all went wrong. Kira moved his hands through his hair. 'It all needs to end tonight.'

The young pilot proceeded to strip the unconscious soldier of his clothes. He slipped into them, fitting a bit loose but workable. Placing the sleeping man in one of the bathroom stalls, he left the room cautiously.

Kira made his way down the hallway, the emergency light letting him see something. Stopping in font of a fire escape map detailing the floor plans, he thought of where he needed to go next. Looking around he found his bearings and began to walk.

In the chaos of the situation Kira managed to slip by the other soldiers easily. Power had finally been restored but no one seemed to take the time to try and recognize him. That was until he turned the corner and saw his old friend walking towards him.

The two stared at each other as if each other was a ghost, or some other entity that should not exist.

"Athrun," the young pilot said.

"Kira," his friend responded.

Athrun stood right next to the door Kira needed to enter for the stairwell to the roof. His friend seemed to be confused as what to do, whether to arrest him or great him.

In that moment Kira lunged forward, tackling his ex-comrad. The two wrestled each other, seeming to have forgotten all those feelings of friendship the had remembered a moment earlier.

In the struggle Kira managed to land a punch on Athrun's jaw, freeing him from the soldier's grip. Kira quickly then darted to the door, running up the stairs with all the strength he had.

A loud noise of footsteps followed behind. The two were now in a race to the roof. They shot around each corner, skipped steps where they could, and pushed themselves hard. Athrun was catching up to his old friend, moving just a few steps behind. He finally threw his weight forward, tackling Kira against the door to the roof.

Kira quickly turned the nob, the two falling against the hard roof floor. The young pilot pushed his friend off his body and jumped back. The two stood up, fist raised.

Athrun threw a punch but Kira swiftly jumped back to avoid it. Kira in turn kicked high but was deflected by Athrun's arm. The two stood gasping for breath, as the run up had been more intense than they expected.

"Surrender Kira," his friend said.

"You know I can't do that," Kira responded, wiping his forehead.

Athrun delivered another punch, this time hitting Kira on the jaw. But Kira quickly reciprocated, hitting his friend on the chin. The two jumped back, keeping their hands up.

"What are you going to do? Rau wants to kill you. Your own friends shelled the place trying to kill you. Surrender and maybe I can help you," Athrun pleaded.

"You're right about Rau but my friends weren't out to kill me Athrun," Kira replied dryly.

The soldier lowered his fists, looking confused. "What do you mean they were not out to kill you? They shelled the very area you were in."

Kira lowered his fists, looking at the man in front of himself as a friend again. "They knew where I would be."

"But what did you come here to steal then?" demanded Athrun, trying to figure out what his friend's intentions were.

"Nothing. Well I suppose I'll be stealing a DINN but this isn't like three years ago," Kira said, turning to walk away.

"Wait, Stop walking Kira. Three years ago you stole the Freedom and now brought it back. I thought you came here to take one of our newer models."

Kira continued to walk slowly away. "No, I'm not stealing anything. I'm not here to fight or be part of this war. I'm done with all of that."

Athrun ran over to his friend, pulling on his shoulder. "What are you talking about?"

Kira looked at his friend squarely in the eyes and placed a small seashell in his hand. "Three years ago, I told you how nervous I was. I kept tossing that in the air, some little old seashell I found. If you remember, I couldn't sit still that day."

"Wait but... no you... no," Athrun said, tripping over his own words.

"I wanted to propose to her but I realized out this stupid war was never going to end," Kira said, turning around once more.

"So you came back for her?" Athrun asked, looking at the small shell.

"Yes. You know she said to me once, she just wished to get away. She just wanted to live away from this war, for the two of us to be at peace. And I wanted that myself." Kira stood at the edge of the roof, looking down at the large hangers standing in front of him.

"So that's it? About some wish two young people made years ago?" Athrun asked, feeling a mix of emotions.

"It's about seeing her smile." Kira paused for a moment, looking back at his friend. "I miss it Athrun. I miss it. I have to go now, say hello to my sister for me," Kira replied. With that the pilot jumped out like a swimmer taking a dive, landing on the roof of the hanger. He stumbled to get his footing but then stood up.

Athrun watched from the edge of the roof. The two looked at each other for a moment then Kira began to walk towards a ladder. Athrun didn't know what to do. He stood watching, seeing his friend disappear off into a hanger.

Part of him wished his friend had stayed. It had been so long since last they met, and talked, as friend. But Athrun knew that was no longer possible. Things had changed and this was something beyond friendship. As he watched a DINN flew out from the hanger, quickly jetting across the sky.

Athrun thought for another moment. It would soon reach it's destination but Kira was still in some danger. He decided to do one last thing for his friend.

Entering the main communication room for the facility, the soldier met up with his commanding officer Rau, who quickly asked, "Athrun Zala, where have you been?"

Athrun saluted, then began his explanation. "I am sorry sir, I briefly managed to detain the escaped traitor."

Rau nodded, "Yes well we are tracking him now. He appears to be heading North East of us at the moment."

"Sir I believe that he's trying to deceive us," Athrun said suddenly.

The masked man look at his subordinate with some confusion. "And what leads you to believe that?"

"I think he let something slip when I found him. The escapee said something about the Zaku project."

"Zaku project, how did learn about that?" Rau stood pensive for a moment. "So is that what he came here to steal then? It would be quite the coup to our enemies."

"I believe that was his original mission sir. That suit is probably acting like a decoy at this moment. There are no important military facilities on it's current path."

Rau nodded his head. "Very well, let's send out a squad of DINNs to rendezvous up the suit and start searching for the pilot. Get the commander of the Zaku project facility on the phone. That Kira, always the unpredictable lad."

Athrun stood quietly now. He had bought his friend some space to maneuver, it was all he could do.

Kira studied the map on the DINN's main screen. Turning the screen to window mode he peered out ahead. Kira could see it now, the small complex at the edge of the town.

He put his suit in a spiral above it, zooming the main camera in close. There Kira could see, in the courtyard, a young women looking up. Her long pink hair flowing in the wind. His sister had managed to sneak the message in.

Kira put his suit in a sharp dive. The guards would eventually grow suspicious the longer he was up there.

He felt a desire growing in himself. It had been so long since last he had seen that face. No bard wire could stop him now, no army could hold him back.

Turning his suit he shot his thrusters to slow his quick decent. The roar was probably deafening to those outside. He planted the suit just over the walls, lowering the hands down in front of the woman.

Kira opened the cockpit door and looked down, speechless to the woman looking up.

"Kira!" she yelled out, starting to climb into the mobile suit's hand. Moving the leavers Kira pulled the suits hands up to the door.

"Lacus," he almost whispered, feeling himself start to cry.

"Kira!" she yelled once more, lunging forward. Her arms wrapped around him.

He knew there was little time, outside there was already the commotion of the prison guards. But the last thing he wanted to do now was move the woman he loved from her embrace. It all felt too wonderful.

The young pilot closed the door to the cockpit and put the suit into a climb. He had his eyes closed, feeling the drops of tears stream out. He could smell her now, the all familiar smell of the woman he had not seen in three years.

"Kira," she whispered in his ear. "Take me away from here, please."

"I will, three years ago I said the same, but this time I don't plan on leaving you."

Lacus moved back from her embrace. The two looked at each other, looking right into each other's eyes. Kira instinctually put his suit to fly east, away from the mainland, not breaking his stare.

"You have nothing to be sorry about. We both knew the risks." She bent forward and kissed him softly. "Where will you take me now?"

"Oh to no where they can find us," he said.

"No where? Will you be there?" she asked playfully.

"Yes, I won't leave you again," he replied, smiling.

"Then take me anywhere, my dear Kira, as long as I can be near you forever," she said, curling up against him. "I would have waited even more," she whispered.

"No," he responded softly. "No more waiting, no more fighting, no more being alone."

The two sat quietly now as the DINN flew out into the ocean. Behind him a small group was in pursuit but they would not catch up before he abandoned the suit at the eastern islands. They would be following an empty suit for kilometers. In the end, the plan had worked.

The sun was now rising high, illuminating the sky with it's dawn morning light. Three years late but Kira Yamato had found what he had come for.