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Yeah, I'm updating again. Thanks to all my reviewers!
Special thanks to WilltheWatcher. Thank you for your advice and support. I can safely say I would have given up without you. You have been there since the start, and now that I'm nearly through, I have to thank you!
Chapter 18
Jo froze as Lacus' arms closed around her. The girl was shaking. As in really shaking! She opened her mouth to speak, but Lacus cut her off. Her voice stunned Jo. It had never sounded so lost, so sad...so scared.
'Jo, I know how you felt after Junius Seven. I'm sorry I didn't understand sooner,' the girl whispered, voice thick with tears. For a second, Jo didn't understand. Then realization hit her, shock crashing over her like a tidle wave. Her body went slack, so she couldn't even return her friend's hug.
'Uncle Siegel...he's dead?' she gasped. Lacus didn't answer, but her sobs intensified. Jo shook her head, and grabbed her friend's shoulders, pulling Lacus away from her and forcing the older girl to look her in the eye. 'L', please God tell me you're not joining this fight for revenge! Because it doesn't work!' Tears started running down her face. 'Please L', you're above that! You're above me, you're not the type to take revenge. Please tell me you're not going to, please!'
Lacus stared at her for several minutes and then shook her head. 'Joffie Wheeler, in all the time I've known you, I've never heard you say anything so stupid.' Jo faltered, startled. Lacus continued to shake her head, the flow of tears never stopping. 'I am not fighting for revenge. You should have known that. I am fighting to end this war. I am fighting for equality, which is what my father wanted.' Here, the songstress stopped, casting her pained eyes over the people around her.
'And I'm fighting because I can't watch all the people I love shatter, while I sit safe and happy, hiding behind a mound of broken bodies. I can't watch your eyes age beyond your years, and at the end, to only have a knowledge of pain and loss. I can't watch all of you cry your hearts dry, and then never cry again. I can't watch you die for the peace I want as well, while I do nothing. I forced you away from your nation, I forced you to run. Now it's my turn to take a stand. Now it's my turn to protect you, to fight alongside you. And to sit with you at the end, and know that I did something.'
Jo stared at her, her blue-green eye wide. And then she smiled, and saluted. 'Well then Commander Clyne, I would be pleased to serve under you, as your friend and commrade. Ensign Joffie Wheeler of the Clyne Faction, at your service.'
Lacus stared at her, stunned. Her eyes widened even more, when the former members of ZAFT also saluted her, and addressed her as Commander. Seemingly encouraged, the salute followed throughout the entire group. Lacus stared at the people around her, the same smile Jo wore lighting up her features. And then, after staring hard at Jo's salute, copied her.
Jo giggled, and lowered her hand. The rest followed suit, and Jo continued giggling. Lacus glared at her. 'What?'
'God, you looked so clumsy doing that. Kinda like I did the first time I met a superior. Like you know what to do, but you can't. We're gonna have to work on that!'
Lacus pouted, watching her friend with delight. It had been so long since Jo had laughed like that. Granted, it was about saluting. Clearly, she was still in a war state of mind, but she was laughing.
Suddenly, Jo's hand was clasped around her arm, and she found herself being propelled towards Kira. Smirking, Jo shoved her into his arms. Blushing, she spun to look furiously at her friend. Jo smiled. 'I don't approve of your taste in boys. But then, you never approved of mine, so...yeah.' And she walked away, her hair bouncing as several strands fell loose.
Lacus stared after her, Kira beside her. He turned to her, staring at the smile she wore. Lacus turned to him. No words passed between them. No words were needed. She simply smiled, tears running down her face again, and he wrapped his arms around her.
Yzak Jule was not sure what to think as he tapped out the series of squeaks. He wasn't sure if he was right, or wrong. But he trusted Jo, he trusted Lacus Clyne. He trusted everyone who had walked away from their alligence to fight this battle. Well, apart from the crew of the legged ship. He didn't know them, but he did know that if they ever touched a hair on Jo's head, he would kill them. And now, Zala had left for this fight as well. After that botched atempt to talk with his father. Waltfeld had gone too. At this rate, on-one would be left on either side.
A feeble rap on the door interrupted his train of thought. He turned, his ice blue eyes fixed in a glare. The young natural at the door shrank visably under it. He smirked. God, that girl acted so scared.
Jo never had. He'd known very few girls in his life, and Flay Alister and Joffie Wheeler were the main ones. And they were so different. Jo had stolen his heart, and the heart of the commander. Jo was tough, and kind, and so gentle. Flay was weak, a manipulitive little bitch who was afraid of her own past. Afraid of all the times she'd screwed up in the war.
'What?' he barked. She flinched again.
'Um, well, the commander requested me in his office...and, I don't know how to get there.' He stared at her in utter disbelief. She blushed to the tips of her flaming hair, and looked away. 'So...can you take me there.'
He sighed. 'Fine!' At this point, Jo would've smiled...well, smirked. Flay merely nodded nervously and followed him. It still wracked his pride that she was dressed in the forest green of a ZAFT soldier. Then again...it probably wracked her pride to be wearing the damn thing.
He walked briskly, leaving her struggling to catch up. He didn't slow down, even when she nearly tripped. And when he stopped at the right door, she nearly ran into him. He growled and knocked, then walked away, leaving her standing alone in front of the door.
Flay stared after the silver haired boy. What was it about her that seemed to offend him so much? Wasn't she being tolerant of his race. Couldn't he at least be tolerant of one natural?
The door slid open, to reveal Rau le Creuset. She glanced up at him, instantly feeling much safer. Rau looked at her strangely for several seconds, as though not seeing her. And, unbidden, that girl's voice came into her head. "Tell Onii-chan I'm sorry."
He saw his little sister in the middle distance? He saw that girl. A feeling of intense sadness washed over her. Her protector, the one she needed right now, wasn't even seeing her. He saw someone else - OK, granted, his baby sister. But still...
Rau snapped out of his trance, and gave her his usual smile. 'Ah, Miss Alister, come in,' he said, his rich velvet tones wrapping a blanket of comfort around her. He saw her again, she was safe again, and still the question left her lips.
'You miss her, don't you? Your baby sister.' Rau faltered, and she could almost see his eyes widening. She bowed her head. 'Will she really be killed if she's found?' Rau nodded slowly. Tears, invisible, silent, but still there, fell from concealed eyes. And Flay looked at his face, sensing the danger. And sensing an impossible sadness that was older and deeper than anything she knew. She dropped the subject and looked away. He didn't want to talk, and she didn't want to lose her protector, the man with her father's voice. She dropped the subject and stepped inside the room.
Manuvering his still stiff arm into his flight suit was hard, as the wound had not yet healed. But Athrun managed it anyway. He sighed and glanced around the room. And laughed. The Little Lady was causing a scene, jumping on the spot, trying to pull her boot on. Dearka was laughing as well, and Nicci looked ready to jump and catch her should she fall.
And then he felt a wave of sadness washed over him. After this battle...he'd be going over to the Eternal. He'd never see this again. Never get this pre-battle breather. The tension was still there between him and Kira...so that was going to be great fun.
He just hoped that they wouldn't die. He hoped they wouldn't leave him too. He was startled out of these depressing thoughts when the Little Lady landed on him. He growled softly, and Dearka laughed all the harder. Hell, even Nicci started laughing. He couldn't help but chuckle and push the girl off him. She was laughing too as she took his hand. And he saw what Lacus had meant by "Eyes aged beyond her years."
And then they left for the hanger, helmets under their arms. Luch was going along for the ride, as usual.
And as he sat behind the controls of Justice, he felt his mind numb. This was a battle...this was home.
Well, any better? Please R&R?
