a/n: I'm terribly sorry for the late update…I just came home from a road trip and I had school before that… Anyway, I hope you guys like this one!

Thank yous:

eliteElite – Thanks, I was worried about that chapter. xD

Craze Izumi – Thanks.

Chapter 7 – Key To A Lost Dream

The night was cool without being too chilly, a soft, mid-evening breeze tousling the distinctive pink hair of the girl who stood on stage, her gentle blue eyes reaching out to the crowd of more than ten thousand people. Smiling, she greeted her fans and wrapped her hands around the microphone, the platinum ring which had caused so much curiosity on her left hand.

Her lyrical voice carried to the crowd as she introduced the last song, a familiar one, close to the hearts of her audience but even dearer to the songstress herself, and to sing it now was even better, because the boy it was meant for was once again by her side, just as she'd always hoped he would be.

In this quiet night, I'm waiting for you

During that time, your smile has faded away…

Now that a little time has passed,

Fond memories start to resurface…

Kira, who was standing beside Athrun backstage watched his fiancée's calm performance and couldn't help but feel fortunate. She'd been incredibly good to him, and he was more than a little happy to be back.

A year and a half had been too much already…because despite the amnesia, his mind had been haunted by images he now realized had been pieces of his past – images of a beautiful girl with the quiet smile he didn't know…

Flashback, six months ago

A sleeping Kira was awakened from his nap by the familiar smell of hot chocolate that wafted in from the kitchen nearby. Opening his deep amethyst eyes, he sat up and looked out through the window, his thoughts still caught up in his dream, one that had been recurring practically every night for the whole of the last year…

It was a dream that revolved around a beautiful pink-haired girl and…a ring. The same ring he held in his hand right then…it had an inscription on the inner part of the band… He wasn't sure what it meant, or what it was supposed to mean to him and he certainly didn't know why it was with him. Did it belong to him? It was possible.

And the dream…it was the same but it wasn't. The only thing that was constant was her – and he figured she was someone who meant something to him, but what? Just then, he heard a knock on the door, and it opened to reveal a raven-haired little girl. "Um…oni-chan, Reverend Malchio said to ask you if you'd mind getting some eggs from the store…"

"No, Himiko-chan, I don't mind," he replied with a smile.

Later…

Walking back down the street from the store with the requested items, the brown-haired boy had just started to cross the street when something caught his eye – and he felt his pulse quicken in reaction as the one constant in his dreams seemed to materialize before him, just a few meters away, a blue-haired young man by her side.

Unconsciously, he put his hand on his chest, right over the ring which hung on a thin silver chain around his neck. He stood, frozen in the middle of the street as he watched her, his mind reeling.

The scene before him unfolded like it was in slow motion, and as he continued to watch, things – memories - started to replay themselves in his mind, and as a car pulled up at the curb and the girl started to get in, the images stopped and he whispered one word. "Lacus…"

He opened his mouth to call out to her, but he couldn't seem to find his voice, and before he could try again, it was too late as the black car started to move, making his heart wrench painfully as he watched it take her farther and farther away from him… And then, gripped by a sudden desperation he couldn't quite understand, Kira started to run after them, but he just could not catch up, and he ended up sprawled on the pavement, his breaths coming in fast, shallow gasps.

A moment later, he picked himself up off the ground and began to make his way home, but as he did so, he heard the sound of screeching brakes and turned to come face to face with an irate driver at the wheel of a car that had stopped just a breath away from running him over.

The man was screaming his head off at Kira, telling him to watch it, but he didn't hear him as his head started to feel like it was going to implode…and then everything went black.

Still later…

Lavender eyes opened to an unfamiliar room and a pounding headache as an equally unfamiliar masculine voice made him turn his head in the direction it was coming from. "Glad you're awake, kid," the blond-haired man said, pulling up a chair to sit by the younger man's bedside.

Kira frowned. "Where am I? And who are you?"

The man smiled sardonically. "Nice to meet you too, kid."

Kira sighed. "I'm sorry…"

"It's okay; I was just messing with you. Anyway, the name's Mwu. Mwu La Fllaga. And you're in the hospital.

"But…why…am I here?"

"You blacked out after I almost ran you over. You've got a pretty bad concussion."

"I see…Thanks…for bringing me here."

"No problem."

The younger man nodded. "I'm…"

"What's the matter, kid? Something wrong?"

"My name…" he mumbled, taking the ring out from under his hospital gown and gripping it tightly.

"Oh, yeah…I told you my name already, so…"

Refocusing his eyes on the man who'd helped him, he muttered, "My name…is Kira…Yamato."

Back to the Present

"Kira. Kira!" Athrun yelled into his ear.

Startled, Kira covered his ear up and frowned at his best-friend. "Hey! That hurt!"

His friend responded with an impenitent laugh. "Sorry, I couldn't resist. You looked like you were in a trance."

Cagalli, who had been listening in, let out a small giggle.

Her brother's frown deepened, but he chose to ignore the lovebirds and turned his attention back to Lacus whose eyes met his. He smiled at her, and she smiled back, making his heart skip a beat. She did that with surprising frequency.

At the place where stars fall,

I'm always wishing for your laughter.

Even though we're apart now,

We can meet again, right?

"Lacus…" Kira whispered softly. The words she sang reflected the same feelings he'd had before he came back…

From when has my smile faded this much?

Since it was shattered by one mistake

Change only the precious things into light

And go beyond the sky with fortitude

Cagalli turned to Athrun, her thoughts on her own mistake, the one that forced them apart…and her boyfriend was obviously thinking about the same thing as he smiled at her and took her hand in his.

Lacus turned her eyes to her fiancé and directed her next words only to him.

To the place where stars fall,

I want my thoughts to reach you,

I am always by your side

Since I will embrace that coldness

Even though we are apart now,

We will definitely be back together…

"Kira…" Lacus whispered softly.

In this quiet night…

The crowd immediately burst out in applause as soon as the song's final melody faded away, and Lacus, with tears in her eyes, quietly thanked them for coming and making the first concert of her young career a success.

And, just like that, it was over and Lacus was walking back to her dressing room where Kira, Athrun and Cagalli were waiting for her. "Nice, Lacus!" Cagalli said, a wide grin on her face.

"Yeah, Lacus. That was great!" Athrun chimed in, his left arm draped across Cagalli's shoulders.

She smiled back happily. "Thanks guys."

Feeling a warm hand grasp hers, she turned and her blue eyes met Kira's violet ones. He linked his fingers through hers and gave it a gentle squeeze.

Lacus promptly squeezed back and stepped into the dressing room, Athrun and Cagalli hot on their heels.

After a few minutes…

There was a knock on the door. "I'll get it," Athrun said, jumping up and heading to the door. Opening it up a crack, he peered out and saw a tall, burly man with a weird-looking mustache standing there. Athrun recognized him immediately and stepped out of the room, shutting the door behind him.

"What does my father want, Romeo?" he asked flatly.

"He requests your presence in his office, sir," Romeo answered.

With a sigh, Athrun nodded and started to go back in the room when the big man clamped a heavy hand on his shoulder. "I don't think you understood, sir. He wants to see you now."

Roughly shrugging the man's hand off, Athrun didn't even turn to face him when he replied, "I'll go see him on my own time." With that, Athrun pushed the door open and shut it again in the man's face.

"Where were you?" Cagalli asked as Athrun took his place on the sofa beside her.

"Nowhere. I was just talking to someone." he replied, his tone indicating he didn't want to talk about it further.

With a slight frown, Cagalli started to ask again when Kira motioned for her to let it go…and when she began to protest, Kira quickly changed the subject, making his sister shoot him a 'you're going to get it later' look at her brother. She remained silent though, and the group continued to hang out together for the next three hours.

Three hours later, 2:35 am

Kira, Lacus, Athrun and Cagalli walked out of the amphitheater together, their laughter echoing out into the quiet street. Walking over to a waiting car, Lacus, Cagalli and Kira bade Athrun good night as they got into the limousine and it sped off moments later, leaving Athrun to walk to his own car alone.

As soon as Athrun had turned the ignition and put the car into gear, he let out a long sigh and started to head for his father's home office.

Still later, 2:47 am

Athrun pushed open the doors that led to his father's office and quietly walked up to the desk, stopping just in front of it as his father regarded him with disdain.

"Tell me, what is the meaning of this?" Patrick Zala asked coldly, showing him a picture of him and Cagalli from two days before.

Athrun's green eyes widened when he saw the picture, and he clenched his fists as he felt his ire begin to rise. "You're having people spy on me now? I've done everything you wanted for the last year; what more do you want?" he hissed, his body trembling with rage.

"So what if I am? And I want you to act like you're supposed to, you are still engaged to Lacus Clyne!" his father retorted just as heatedly.

"You have no right! Damn it, father, why are you making me do this? Lacus and I don't feel that way for each other!"

"It's for the good of the company, damn it!"

Athrun's face registered visible hurt. "Don't you care about what I want?"

Patrick stood and leaned over his desk. "The company comes first."

His son's demeanor changed drastically then. "I will not sacrifice my happiness for the sake of this company any longer," he said, his voice laced with unconcealed disgust.

Patrick sat back down and asked, surprisingly calmly, "Are you sure about that?"

"Yes."

His father signaled to someone behind Athrun and the door opened moments later. "Athrun!"

Athrun turned, his eyes registering surprise. "Cagalli?"

"Athrun!" she said again as two more men came in with Kira and Lacus.

"Kira! Lacus!" Athrun said, "What…?"

"These guys…jumped us," Kira said, wincing from the pain the guard Athrun had talked to earlier, Romeo, inflicted on him as the big man shoved him into the room.

Whirling around, Athrun glared at his sire. "Father…!"

Patrick Zala smiled. "Either you agree to stop seeing this girl," he said, gesturing to Cagalli, "or I will eliminate both her and her brother."

"No!" Lacus said, her blue eyes shining with tears.

His smile widening, Patrick Zala spoke again. "Now, what do you say?'

Athrun stiffened. "I…"

a/n: Ok, that's it for chapter 7! What do you guys think? Good, bad, corny? Read and review!