Disclaimer: I swear to you: I do not own this anime! NO! SERIOUSLY! LOOK AT MY RESUME! I so totally don't own Gundam SEED!

Warning: Death and Blood ahead. Don't read if you dislike hospitals.

This fic is rated T for language, Blood, Violence, and Other various reasons. They are unbeknownst to you, but knownst to me!

Mobile Suit Gundam SEED:

Post Chaos

Phase 07 – Preparations

"Oh, Kira, It's perfect," Lacus sighed as she looked out at the ocean from the deck of the beach house she and Kira were staying at. It had been almost a month since they had left the mainland, and they had been having a wonderful time. She was saying this just as she heard the click that signified a telephone being hung up. She then turned to look at her husband.

The look of happiness that had been there before the click, however, was gone when she saw Kira. "Lacus," the brunette coordinator said with a look that was halfway between nauseous and totally ill. And even before he could get a breath of the air outside, he was on the floor in a cold sweat.

Back on the mainland, Dearka was doing a wonderful job of keeping Kira and Lacus's home clean. Mu and Murrue even showed up every once in a while to help out and take candid pictures. The latter was much to the Blonde Coordinator's dismay.

That's why, one morning, as he was going about his business as normal, he was surprised by the fact that Kira and Lacus were in their bed when he entered the room.

He would have screamed, had it not been for the fact that Athrun was covering his mouth, and, with Cagalli's help, dragging him toward the living room, and away from the unconscious couple.

Upon getting the struggling "maid" back into said room and on to the couch, they sat down on either side of him, as to ensure his inability to escape.

The look on Dearka's face was priceless. Athrun removed his hand from his friend's mouth. "Why are they… When did they… How did they… Who…" Dearka was starting to yell, so Athrun had no option except to cover the blonde's mouth once more.

Sensing that he was searching for an explanation, Cagalli decided that it would behoove them to supply one to the confused Blonde.

Apparently Kira had suffered from a minor stroke while they were on vacation, so Lacus had phoned Waltfeld to come and collect them. When the two had arrived back, she had walked into the house and into the room, followed closely by Athrun and Mu, who were carrying Kira's unconscious form like a dead body. No sooner had they done this, than Dearka had knocked, so Mu had vacated via the back entrance.

"Okay, I'm going to let go now, so don't you dare scream," was all Athrun had to say to the now enlightened Coordinator. Dearka just looked back at them with the same poker face that he had used during the war to hide his emotions.

"So, I see," the blonde said with his usual smirk now back on his face, "looks like we still got work to do." N sooner had the words passed his lips, than the Hawk of Endymion burst through the door, the bloody form that was Sai Argyle slung over his shoulder.

"WHAT HAPPENED?" Cagalli was staring to shout, which, while the situation allowed for it, was not entirely appropriate, considering what she had told Dearka only moments ago.

Sai was a mess. His normally golden blonde hair was caked to his head with blood, and, from the fact that his left leg was missing just below the knee told the group that he would need a prosthesis if he was ever going to consider walking again. His eyes were also caked shut with blood, which seemed to have come from his forehead, but it may have come from somewhere else.

Athrun poked his head into the room again long enough to inform the group that an ambulance was on its way.

Once the EMTs had arrived, they immediately loaded Sai into the back of their vehicle and drove off, sirens blaring.

"Come on!"

Mu was calling from his SUV, which he had pulled up to the porch. He had barely said these words when two coordinators and a natural were closing the doors and they were off.

"Kira… Why did you let me die, Kira?" The girl in front of Kira was most decidedly not Lacus, but a younger woman with red hair that used to be tied back, but now, it was flowing freely. She was also floating and naked. "Flay, I…" Kira was silenced when Flay put a finger to his mouth. "Just listen, Kira," Flay said with a solemn expression on her face. "Kira, I won't be coming to see you any longer." Kira was puzzled. "Why, Flay?"

The red-head looked back at the brunette and smiled. "There is one who is coming to me." Poor Kira. He was now totally lost. "Who, Flay? Who is coming to you?" Flay's expression changed to one of sorrow. "Somebody who doesn't have much time left." That said, she faded away, leaving Kira alone in the white void.

Kira awoke with a start. Simply the fact that it was nearly noon worried him. He was also confused as to how they had gotten home, but he figured that it could wait. He looked to his left, saw Lacus sleeping peacefully, and laid back down and tried to get back to sleep. That is, of course, until the phone rang.

Wanting it to stop, the brunette rolled over closer to Lacus. Meanwhile the answering machine picked up. It would be three hours before anybody would even hear the message that was left.

Down at the hospital, the situation was looking worse by the minute. Every time Mu would ask a doctor how Sai was doing, they would insist that they were busy and tell him to sit down.

"Look, guys," the blonde said after returning from his fiftieth attempt to the room that was now occupied by nearly the entire Clyne Faction, minus only the pink haired pop idol and the Freedom's pilot. "I really don't think that they're gonna tell us what's going on with him. I personally wanna tell the bas…" Dearka stood up and cut him off. "THAT'S TOTAL BULLSHIT! THEY CANNOT JUST EXPECT US TO SIT HERE WHILE THEY LET SAI DIE!" This rant ended when a pregnant Miriallia pulled the kicking and screaming Coordinator over to the door where he passed out. This was probably due to the tranquilizer that had just been administered courtesy a certain familiar Coordinator.

"Thanks, Yzak," a relieved Mir said. They were all relieved to see Yzak Juru again. He looked back at Mir, smiled, and said, "No problem . It was nothing."

"Look, Yzak," Athrun started to say, but the silver haired Coordinator looked back and smiled. "Listen," he said, "I know why you are all here. so, if you would follow me, I would be more than happy to show you where we have him." He then walked off to find Sai's chart.

"Follow me."

Without questioning it, they all got up and followed him. "I know you're probably wondering what's going on…" Yzak was explaining the situation as they went up the flights of stairs to the ICU.

"OH HELL YES!" It was suddenly apparent that Dearka, who, until now, had been slung over Mu's shoulder, was awake.

"Fine."

Yzak looked back over his shoulder to ensure that they had lost no one, before slowing down as he approached the top step. "Listen. Once you get past this door, you cannot make loud noises. You will all have to stay calm. Because of your status as veterans, you are all allowed to go and see him at will, but if he says to leave, you will have to follow those instructions. I must war you, though. It's not a pretty sight." Warnings and instructions aside, he swiped his card, and allowed the group into the ICU waiting room.

Kira woke from what had been a sound sleep. Flay had spoken to him again. This time, it was to get him to wake up. He looked around for Lacus, heard sounds coming from the living room, and got out of bed.

Upon his arrival, his eyes were met with a weeping Lacus. He sat on the couch next to his wife.

"Lacus, what's wrong?" He looked at the pink haired songstress with compassion and kindness in his eyes. And she looked back, her eyes red and puffy. She had obviously been crying for several hours. Her face, which was usually full of life and happiness, was now contorted in sorrow and anguish.

"It's about Sai.." she managed to say between sobs. Kira's expression had changed to one of genuine concern for his friend. "What about Sai."

"Kira, he's in the ICU. They… They don't think he's gonna make it." She then buried her head in his shoulder and began to cry again. Kira looked up, and in his heart, he knew what he had to do. "Lacus, let's go."

The couple then climbed into Athrun's black Mercedes and drove off in the direction of the hospital.

All preparations were halted.

Upon arrival, the receptionist told them to head directly to the ICU, where they were met by Yzak and a room full of their friends.

"Yzak…" Kira started to say, but he was cut off by Mu. "Kid," the Hawk said, "He only wants to see you and Lacus." Kira looked at the floor. He then followed Lacus and Yzak to the room where he knew he would more than likely witness another friend's death. They paused outside the door. "Lacus, you ready," Kira asked. She nodded, and they entered the room.

Sai was hooked up to every machine except for a ventilator and a dialysis machine. Kira also noticed the missing appendage. "Yeah, I know. It's gone." Kira looked up at his friend's face. The entire left side was a mass of gauze.

"Sai, you've gotta pull through this." Kira was ready to loose it. Sai knew this, and said, "Kira, listen to me." The brunette looked back, with tears welling up in his eyes.

"Kira, the reason I wanted you and Lacus here was…" the blonde winced as pain shot through his body. "… was to ask you each a favor." The couple looked at each other, then back at Sai. "Sure," they said in unison.

The blonde looked back at them. "Thank you," he sighed. "Look, I know I don't have much time left, so I'm gonna make this quick. Kira, in my apartment, in the computer desk. Second drawer. That is for you and Cagalli. Lacus…" the blonde trailed off as he reassured himself that he was doing the right thing. "Would… Would you sing for me?" Lacus looked back at him and agreed. She then closed her eyes and started to sing.

"…And Kira," Sai whispered, "don't let them revive me." And he closed his eyes and slipped away. As she stood there singing, Lacus began to cry. She knew that those were his last requests. But she also knew that he was going to be with the woman he loved.

She stopped and flew from the room when the familiar "Beee…" sounded from the ECG. Immediately, the room was filled with doctors. Kira looked back at all of them. "He said not to save him. Just let him go." Kira then looked back at the corpse that was once Sai Argyle, and left the room.

And that was it. Sai Argyle was dead at 1:02 AM.

The funeral was short. They held the service in the hospital church, and buried him in space, among the wreckage that contained Flay's body.

After several days, the guys began to build the room that would be the nursery. Mir, Murrue, and Cagalli all kept Lacus busy with various questions, shopping trips, and other "baby friendly" outings.

It didn't take long. The room was finished and Lacus had chosen a neutral white, over which the boys had done a pastel color wash.

With only one month to go, things were beginning to get hectic. Lacus was now practically a blimp, so she had decided not to go anywhere if she could avoid it. It was Kira who was running all the errands, but Cagalli still didn't trust him to cook or shop for food, so that task fell to her. Dearka had agreed to help with yard work and other odds-and-ends, and even Mu was doing all he could.

Murrue was busy helping Mir, who was now five months pregnant. Sai had died Late in March, and it was getting to be the middle of April.

Lacus loved all of the attention she was getting, but she secretly longed to be free. She just wanted to go to the beach and relax. She put her head back on the pillows that Mu had put on the couch for her. There was only one thing that was troubling her. There was only one baby, right? She thought about this a while longer. Then the door opened.

She could hear Kira, but couldn't see him until he put down all of the bags that his sister had almost unmercifully placed into his arms. He then hung up his coat and went to the couch to say that he was home. That accomplished, he walked into the bedroom that he would share with his wife in a month, and fell asleep.

Assured that he was home, Lacus drifted off into a contented sleep. In her dream, she saw both herself and Kira, along with their children. They were all peacefully relaxing in the meadow, without any worries at all.

To Be Continued…

With the work completed, things fall into place. Losses are a natural part of life. Like a puzzle, though, some things still remain a mystery. With only one week remaining until the baby arrives, Kira is working his butt off. How will the infant affect life around the house? Next on Mobile Suit Gundam SEED: Post Chaos – Arrivals. Rise up and return in a Blaze of glory, Gundam!

A.n./- Okay. I realize that this one took me really long to get out. I pre-wrote it, so it took a little longer. As you read this, I am working on stuff for my info tech classes. Web Development if a major P.I.T.A.!

And I will do a special edition release that will be distributed via email or this site. But primarily through email. I even have the stuff that didn't make it into the original!

Also, the song that Lacus sang in Sai's hospital room is "The Dream Within". It is from the soundtrack for Final Fantasy The Spirits Within. If you have a copy, watch after the "bird watching" scene and you will hear it. It plays under the credits. As the first song. It really is beautiful.

And now…

As always…

CAST RANTS!

Mir: I really don't like this.

Athrun: Why?

Mir: SHOVE IT, BOY BLUE!

athrun: 00

Athrun: Geeze…

Yoda: Kill me now you must.

Mir: ALLOW ME!

Yoda is engulfed in flames as Mir fires the Impulse Cannon on the Buster. There is a small Yoda shaped patch of wall where the diminutive Jedi Master once stood.

athrun: Nice shot!

Dearka: Now you know why I began wearing Kevlar.

ALL: oO'

That's all for now! Hope you enjoyed these! See you next Phase! And as always, R&R!