(AN): I want to thank all who reviewed

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Seed or Destiny.

Chapter Forty-Five

Forgiveness

Boaz

The battle ended and it was a victory for ORB, but a lot of damage was done, however Boaz had great engineers so they would be able to have the place back up as good as new in no time. There was absolutely no damage to the city, the fort did its job and kept the city safe. The Aegis squad was still at a good eighty five percent in tack so that could easily be reorganized. The squads Kira lead with Mu suffered practically no damage. Kira and Athrun were having their conversation.

"I'm glad you're alright," Kira told Athrun.

"Likewise, thanks for coming," Athrun replied.

Kira looked at him, "I can never fully apologize for what I did Athrun."

Athrun looked at him, "It is like I told you, but I don't think you will have that easy of a time convincing your sister of that." Athrun said as they both saw Cagalli standing over towards the second gate into the city; she had both a relieved, happy and angry look on her face. She was happy to see her brother back to normal, but she still wanted her apology.

Kira sighed and he and Athrun walked over towards her.

As soon as Cagalli saw them approaching her she could tell her brother was back to normal, but she would not let him off the hook that easily.

Cagalli gave him an angry look as they stopped in front of her. Kira thought he was in for it but she instantly hugged him, as Kira felt shock.

"I'm glad your back," Cagalli told him.

Kira smiled, "It wasn't bad in ZAFT."

Cagalli looked at him, "That's not what I meant."

Kira looked at her, "I know Cagalli and it's good to be back, especially after all the things I did to you, I'm glad you are happy to see me."

Cagalli smiled, "You weren't yourself," she said as she jabbed him in the stomach. It didn't really hurt him but he acted like it did. "So where's my apology?"

Kira looked up at her, "You know I regret everything I did, but if I must princess I will humbly ask for your forgiveness." Kira told her jokingly.

Cagalli stared at him, "I will think about it…" Cagalli hesitated not knowing if she should ask this. "…did you find Lacus?" Cagalli asked cautiously as Athrun stared at his reaction, it was a question he meant to ask but they were a bit busy.

Kira smiled, "I found her, in fact I expect her any minute."

Cagalli smiled, "Let me guess she wouldn't let you come alone?"

Kira smiled, "That's right." Kira said as he heard his royal guard nearing the Boaz broken gate.

They turned to look and the royal guard entered along with Lacus, and Mu but he was trailing behind.

"Excuse me," Kira said as he walked over towards Lacus.

Athrun and Cagalli smiled, Kira was back to normal.

Kira walked over towards the horse and smiled as Lacus' face lit up as she saw him. Kira reached his arms up to help her off the horse like he always did, but she never released her arms from him as she reached the ground.

"You're alright," Lacus said.

Kira held her tighter, "I made my promise to you, and like I said I will always keep it."

Lacus smiled and they held each other for a while longer before they broke there embrace, and walked over towards Athrun and Cagalli.

They all meet and greeted each other as all were happy to see the others.

"Are you sure you're alright Lacus?" Cagalli asked.

Lacus smiled, "I wasn't that bad, I'm just glad to be back."

Athrun looked at all of them, "Let us not waste time out here anymore lets return to the estate," Athrun told them as they all agreed when a Aegis member ran up to them.

"My Lord, Your Majesty, I must speak to you," the knight said as he knelt in front of them.

Both Kira and Athrun looked at him.

The knight looked up, "We were going through all the equipment the ZAFT army left and it appears we didn't bother to take there slaves, we found them next to the catapults."

Kira and the others looked at him, "Are they being tended to?" Athrun asked.

The knight looked at him, "We took them for treatment in the city."

Athrun smiled and looked at Kira, "What should we do with them?"

Kira looked at him, "Let them rest and offer them the choice to remain in ORB, I'm sure a few villages and cities would have a place for them."

Athrun nodded and looked back at the knight, "You heard the King."

The knight stood bowed and left.

Kira and Lacus walked arm and arm as the same with Athrun and Cagalli. They walked in the second gate into the city and the people went crazy, they knew they could count on Athrun and the King himself coming to assist made it all that much better.

Mu who had been silent decided to speak, "I think I feel a party coming on."

All four looked back at him and sighed.

"Not this time Mu, we must return to Onogoro in the morning, rest and feed the knights, it's the least I could do after all the hard work they did today." Kira told him as Mu went to fulfill the request.

The people were still going crazy and the Aegis squad, along with the royal guard had to give them safe escorts to the estate. They reached the estate and walked in; all knew that the people of Boaz would have some sort of celebration in the streets that day.

Kira looked over at Athrun, "I had an interesting conversation with the Emperor while I was in Messiah."

Athrun immediately looked at him, "He saw you and you made it out alive?"

Kira looked at him, "That's right, he will not take this news well, and the war will only grow larger."

Athrun looked at him, "You know his reasons?"

"He is one of those I have to rule the world types, he wants ORB and then he wants to conquer the eastern continent." Kira told him.

Athrun frowned, "What is next for us?"

Kira looked at him, "I will strengthen the defense at the border again, but we may have to take this fight to him."

Athrun nodded his head a little, "I knew it would come down to this sooner or later, I will have my squad back in full operation by months end."

Kira smiled, "I would take care of your fort first, after all it did take a beating."

Athrun looked at him, "True but it is still standing, and it always will."

"I would have to agree," Kira replied.

Cagalli and Lacus just listened to the conversation, as they reached the inside of the estate.

"I will have them prepare dinner for us," Athrun said as he gave a servant the order.

Kira looked over to Lacus and she leaned her head on his shoulder as they were glad the madness was over for at least one day.

ORB Border

The captain that took over the two squads did what he was told and chased the remaining ZAFT army to the border, they dept them in sight and watched them scurry past the border and back into ZAFT territory.

"What do we do know sir?" a knight asked.

The captain looked at him, "What the King said to do; we will remain here just to make sure they don't try anything else, after the time has passed we will return.

"I understand Sir," the knight said as he rode back to the other knights.

The captain was looking into ZAFT territory as he knew he would be ready if they tried everything else.

The other side of the border

Dearka and his Buster squad crossed the border the same way they came in, and as soon as they were far enough away they stopped. Sai looked at Dearka almost frantically.

"What are we going to tell the Emperor?" Sai asked as he was almost in a panic.

Dearka looked at him, "Relax that was the ORB King leading the charge which means we weren't the only ones to fail."

Sai looked at him, "Even so we still failed."

"We will worry about that later, we just have to return," Dearka replied.

"My strategy failed again, why can I never outdo them?" Sai asked.

Dearka glared at him, "Probably because you always think to much, try fighting in a battle."

Sai nearly jumped a mile high, "I think I will just stick to planning."

Dearka paid no more attention to him as a captain rode up to him.

"My Lord, most of the Buster squad is still together, we lost most of our equipment and the slaves." the captain said.

Dearka looked at him, "It doesn't matter, let's just get back."

"As you wish My Lord," the captain said as they started riding for Messiah, in total defeat.

Boaz

Estate

After the dinner and some conversation Kira and Lacus turned in early as they wanted to get back to Onogoro.

They laid together in a tight embrace as they spoke to each other.

"How is everyone back home?" Lacus asked.

Kira stroked her hair softly as he kissed the side of her head.

"They will be fine once we return tomorrow," Kira told her softly.

Lacus cuddled herself closer to him, "What about you?"

Kira smiled, "I have to fix a lot of matters I ignored, but I will fix them."

Lacus rolled on her side and put her head on his chest, "I know you will."

"Everybody will be glad to see you," Kira told her.

Lacus smiled, "I'm just glad my family is alright."

Kira looked at her, "They love you very much and I cannot apologize enough for what happened to you because of me.

Lacus looked at him, "I chose to be here Kira, just like I told you." Lacus said as she rested her head on his chest again.

"I am glad your back," Kira told her.

Lacus smiled and looked up at him again and smiled, "I love you."

Kira leaned down and kissed her very passionately. After about five minutes they broke it and Kira looked at her, "As I you Lacus."

Lacus smiled and rested her head back on his chest; Kira wrapped both arms around her and not long after that they fell asleep.

The Next Day

Onogoro Allster Estate

George had recovered from his wounds that Kira inflicted on him and he was searching franticly for Flay. George walked in his study and sure enough Flay was in there writing something on paper. Flay went to the castle several times since Kira left, but the royal guard and Mu kept her from finding out. When Mu left Flay thought this was her perfect chance to see him.

"What are you doing Flay?" George asked.

Flay looked around at him and had a huge grin on her face.

"I am making a list of all the things I will do once I'm Queen Daddy," Flay replied as she turned around and started writing some more things down.

George shook his head, "Flay we still have to make you Queen first, so you should be concentrating on that."

Flay frowned, "There is nothing to worry about Daddy, now that slave girl is gone he will be all mine, I tried to see him again, but they won't let me in the castle the past few days it's strange."

George looked at her, "You have to be careful Flay, the King is liable to snap at any moment."

Flay smiled, "I know daddy, but I like that, I just have to see him again soon, since that blonde body guard of his left with the other guard, I will try it again later this evening."

George was aware of the guard's sudden departure a few days ago, and without the King it was strange.

"As long as it makes you happy, I will help out," George told her.

Flay smiled, "It's not just about being Queen anymore daddy, I want him to love me, and I will not stop until he does."

George knew it was going to be a lot harder than Flay thought, but he believed maybe all the hard work and almost all his fortune had paid off when he got rid of that girl.

Flay returned to all the things she would do as Queen, and she had a huge smile on her face as she was going to try even harder later in the evening to get him to love her.

Boaz

Things were already starting to get back to normal in Boaz, the city threw a giant celebration that past night, and in the morning the engineers started working on repairing the damage done to the fort. The bodies of the fallen were being retrieved, even fallen ZAFT knights as Kira wanted everyone to at least have some peace after life, and he would not just leave them on the ground. The slaves retrieved were given their first glance at freedom. They were treated fairly and some even after there meal offered to help rebuild the damaged fort. Others wanted to help out in other places around ORB and Kira agreed to their request. Kira and everyone else were preparing to head back to Onogoro. Kira would return just with Mu and the royal guard as they would make it a lot faster. The captains of the remaining battalions would return a few days later after the border units returned.

Cagalli decided she wanted to remain in Boaz with Athrun for a while longer. They gave Kira an escort to the fort exit and did there farewells.

"I appreciate you coming again," Athrun said.

Kira smiled, "Anytime, I have a request for both of you though," Kira told Athrun and Cagalli.

They looked at him.

Kira smiled, "I want you two to return to Onogoro in a few weeks, so I can give you an appropriate engagement ball."

Cagalli looked at him with big eyes as did Athrun.

"You mean that you accept this?" Cagalli asked.

Kira smiled, "Not that I have a right to tell you who to marry, but I would be honored for you to marry my sister." Kira said looking at Athrun.

Athrun smiled, "It still means a lot to us, we will be there."

Cagalli looked at him, "Take care of yourself brother, and don't lose it anymore."

Kira smiled, "I give you my word, now we must be going if we are to make it before dark."

Lacus remained silent, but she was glad Kira was able to fix the matter between them.

All four did there final goodbyes and Kira and the rest of them headed towards Onogoro.

When they left Lacus looked at Kira, "I'm glad you got that straightened up."

Kira looked at her, "So am I, but I believe things are too early to believe it is the end of war and ZAFT."

"So do I, but we will handle it when the time comes," Lacus replied.

Kira smiled, "That we will Lacus, and we will not stop until peace is restored."

Lacus smiled and they continued riding off to Onogoro.

To be continued…

(AN): I hope you liked this shortchapter, I wasn't to proud of it, but I want to get them back to Onogoro. The next chapter will be the return to Onogoro and Dearka's report to Gil. It should be up later this week. See you later.