A/n: Sorry about the delay, midterm exams got in the way. Anyway, I hope you guys like this one.

Thanks to Shadow-Naka for the review.

Legend:

Past

Present

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed or Destiny.

Chapter 9 – A Dream Is A Wish The Heart Makes

The room was dark, the faint glow coming from the recording equipment the only light hinting at the presence of the young girl who stood in the middle of the room, her face cast in shadow. She was Lacus Clyne, the one everyone adored, the one everyone wanted to be like… the girl who had the saddest dreams.

She was beautiful, kind, smart, and talented; she was the sole heir to her late father, Siegel Clyne's vast fortune; she was a gifted singer who had a fan base that spanned the globe…and she was engaged to Athrun Zala - something most people believed to be her greatest accomplishment. It was therefore unfortunate that this was not the way Lacus herself viewed it.

Some would go so far as to say she was actually pained by it, and the fact was that she was; the engagement was not something she wanted. The truth was that she was more hurt by it than she let on, and it was, more than anything, a burden to her. She appeared to be sinking, slowly but surely, she was sinking into the pitfall of depression.

Lacus Clyne was looking more lost and withdrawn with each passing day. She was always in the garden as well, staring out towards the distant horizon, seemingly deep in thought; it was almost like she was looking for something, waiting for something…someone. No one knew who, or what she was searching for except for Lacus herself…and those closest to her: Athrun, and Cagalli Yula Attha.

Not a lot of people knew Cagalli had a sibling either, and this was the reason why no one really knew of her brother, Kira; he was the one Lacus was so desperately searching for, the one that was always foremost in her mind…the man she loved.

Now, as she stood alone in the dark room, her head bent, her long, slender fingers gripping the microphone tightly, Athrun Zala was standing in the next room, right next to the plate-glass window that allowed him to see into the other room, his hands in his pockets, watching her.

As the first strains of music began to stream through the speakers, Athrun's green eyes took on a decidedly somber look. It was a sad song; another one. It would seem these kinds of songs were the only ones Lacus ever sang anymore.

Sighing softly, Athrun turned around and began to walk towards the door – but the strains from the violins that played in the background made him stop. It was such a sad song…and this song more than any other reminded him of his best-friend…of Kira. He'd always said he wanted to hear Lacus sing to the strains of a violin. "That must mean this song is for him," Athrun thought.

Kira…he'd always been shy. In a way, he was just like Lacus. Maybe that was why they'd been so drawn to each other; why it had taken such a long time for them to even realize that they were in love with each other. Athrun smiled a little. Kira was probably the densest person he'd ever known.

Flashback

Sixteen year old Athrun Zala was walking along the tree-lined sidewalk on the way to school with his best-friend, Kira Yamato walking beside him. As they got closer to their destination, Athrun's green eyes started to dart back and forth, scanning the area like a fugitive, making sure none of his fan girls were around to mob him.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Athrun stopped for a minute to let Kira, who had lagged behind as a precautionary measure, catch up to him.

"Hey, Athrun…"

"Yeah?"

"Um…are you…do you think…"

Athrun sighed. "Out with it, Kira."

"…About Lacus…"

Athrun grinned. "You like her, don't you?"

Kira blushed. "Y-yeah…H-how did you know?"

Ignoring his friend's question, Athrun answered with a question of his own. "Why don't you ask her out?"

"She might not like me that way. I'm not like you, you know."

His friend laughed. "Exactly."

Kira frowned. "What do you mean 'exactly'?"

"I'm not her type."

Kira blinked. "You're not?"

"Nope."

"How would you know?"

"Kira, I've known Lacus since we were eight; I know, alright?" Athrun replied.

"Ok…I believe you…but…do you know if she likes anyone else?"

"…I think she does."

Kira's face fell. "Who? Do you know?"

"You should probably ask Lacus that."

"But…"

"Kira, just ask her. I think you'll be surprised."

"Alright. I've got nothing to lose, right?" Kira said, smiling a bit shakily.

Athrun nodded, giving his friend the thumbs-up sign.

With that, Kira turned around and sprinted away in search of Lacus.

"Kira's so dense…" Athrun thought, suppressing a chuckle. Lacus liked someone alright; she liked Kira, and everyone knew about it. That is, everyone but the man himself.

End flashback

Athrun smiled softly. Kira found Lacus alright, but he never did ask her; at least not on that day. He told him he chickened out at the last minute. It was a wonder how Kira ever even managed to tell Lacus how he felt!

Athrun's smile faded then. Just two months after that, Kira's adoptive parents died after their car skidded off a cliff and he found out about Cagalli. He changed then. Maybe it was just him growing up after a tragedy, or maybe it was just his way of dealing with a loss; whatever the reason, Kira's shy nature was replaced by a slightly less talkative, more assertive one that stayed with him when he disappeared on that night eight months ago.

That night…it would forever live in infamy.

The music started to grow louder as Lacus' voice began to stream through the speakers, pulling Athrun out of his reverie. His eyes widened. "This is…"

The moon, it's shining brightly as I walk alone,

Lighting the path we walked together,

The path I'll walk forever.

The stars, there are so many,

But none of them will bring you back to me…

The wind caressing my face…it reminds me,

Of your touch, when you told me 'I love you',

Words I'll want to hear only from you…

The clouds, so pure and beautiful, moving so gently,

Like a voice only I can hear, a smile only I can see…

Isn't it wonderful, to live the way you chose?

To hold that piece of your heart close?

I do so want to see you again,

In the one place I know I'll find you;

My dreams.

"Lacus…" Athrun whispered, his mind awhirl. The song was for Kira alright, but she was asking him for something as well. She wanted him to take control of his life again, to fight his father's will…to release her.

The rain, it melts away so much…

Tell me, why does it always bring back my pain?

The snow, it's so white and cold,

So different from the warmth you hold…

Isn't it wonderful, to live the way you chose?

To hold that piece of your heart close?

I do so want to see you again,

In the one place I know I'll find you;

My dreams.

I promise you, like you promised me;

There will be no end to you and me.

With Lacus

The song's last melody faded, and Lacus Clyne's cheeks were stained with tears. She closed her eyes and leaned against the microphone stand, one word escaping her lips: "Kira."

Somewhere else

A young woman stood beside the bed of a young man, her eyes scanning the monitors and beeping machines that showed her the vital signs of the young man who lay unconscious on the said bed. It was a hospital, and she was a nurse.

She looked over at the young man, and her dark eyes softened. He was such a young boy, too young to have something like this happen to him. When he was brought to this facility, he was on the brink of death. His injuries were consistent with a car accident, but his being found on a beach meant he had either been hit close to the sea or someone had thrown him into it.

The door opened behind her, and a man stepped in, a raven-haired little girl in tow. "Good afternoon, Reverend Malchio," the woman greeted.

The reverend nodded formally before inquiring about the young man he'd brought in on that day eight months before. "No change, unfortunately. We still don't know when, or even if he will wake up."

"Alright, thank you."

"You're welcome, sir," and with that, she flipped the clipboard she had been holding closed and stepped out of the room.

"Himiko-chan, please turn on the radio," the reverend said, and the little girl complied.

After doing as she was asked, the little girl pulled up a chair and sat beside the middle-aged man as a slow song began to play and Lacus Clyne's voice filled the room.

The girl tugged at the older man's sleeve and, when assured that she had his attention asked, very innocently, "Why is this song so sad?"

The reverend thought for a moment before replying, "It's sad…because the singer has lost someone dear to her, and she misses him,"

"I miss my mommy and daddy…is it the same?" she asked, her gray eyes wide with curiosity.

"Perhaps," the reverend answered.

Having acquired her answer, the little girl looked over at the injured young man, and she noticed something. Her face bathed in excitement, she turned to the reverend and once again tugged on his arm. "Reverend!"

"What is it, Himiko-chan?"

"He moved!"

"What?"

"I said he moved!"

"Call the nurse!"

The girl rushed over to the call button on the wall and pressed it, all the while staring at the brown-haired youth who continued to sleep.

The nurse came in a minute later. "What happened? Is anything wrong?"

"He moved!" the girl said excitedly.

The nurse walked over to the patient's bedside and checked his pulse, only to have him pull his arm away. He was muttering something under his breath.

"It looks like he's coming out of his coma," the nurse said.

As she said this, the young man's eyes slowly opened, revealing eyes that were a lovely shade of violet. The nurse smiled. "You're finally awake."

The young man stared blankly at her, a confused look in his lavender eyes. "Where…am…I? he croaked, his voice hoarse from lack of water. "You're in the hospital," the woman replied.

The boy frowned. "Who are you? Why am I here?"

The woman smiled gently. "I'm Murrue. You were in an accident; don't you remember?"

He shook his head.

Murrue frowned. "Do you remember your name?"

"My…name? I'm…I…I don't know."

Back to the present

Lacus stared up at her fiancé's face, content for the moment to stay in his embrace, a comfortable silence between them. It had been a long night, and dawn would come soon; that was what they were waiting for.

"What do you think is going to happen now?" Lacus asked softly.

"I don't know. All I know is it's going to be really messy," Kira replied just as softly.

"I'm worried, Kira. Patrick Zala is a very powerful man, with a very long reach. He won't hesitate to use his resources to get what he wants…we might have to go into hiding for a while."

Kira sighed. "I know. I was thinking the same thing."

"Do you have something in mind?"

"I thought we could stay at my parents' old summer house in Orb. It's secluded, and no one really knows about it; we should be safe there for a little while at least."

"Sounds good." she replied before sitting up as the first slivers of light crept into the room. The sun was rising.

Kira sat up as well, drawing Lacus closer and kissing the top of her head as they watched the sun rise ever higher in the early morning sky.

A minute later, their moment of peace was shattered when someone barged into the room. It was Cagalli.

"Don't you ever knock, Cagalli?" Kira asked, annoyed.

"Look, I'm sorry, alright? I've got something important to tell you," the blonde replied, a little out of breath.

"What is it, Cagalli?" Lacus asked, a hint of worry in her eyes.

"Patrick Zala is dead…murdered…and he has left Rau La Creuset in charge of everything."

A/n: That's it for chapter 9! So, what do you think, bad, good…? Read and review, please? Thanks! Oh, and that song…I wrote the lyrics myself, inspired by Rikki's Suteki Da Ne and Kotani Kinya's Anti-Nostalgic. The song is to the tune of Rikki's Suteki Da Ne, 'Isn't It Wonderful' in English.