After Chairman Allster was dead, the EA needed a new leader. Many bouts were fought over the person who would emerge and change the war for the greater good. One man, Jaylin Takahashi took over the reigns of the crumbling nation. Little did the residents of the world know that this new leader had a grudge against ZAFT and anyone who protected it. When he first met Patrik Zala, he knew that Zala was a bad influence to his government.

Takahashi heard about Zala's death nearest to the end of the war. Although this was a load off of his mind, it was found that Zala had a son, a boy by the name of Athrun Zala. This seemed to worry Takahashi and soon, he found himself not only grudging against ZAFT but the inherited leader, Athrun.

He was going to go talk to Cagalli Athha, who was the new leader after her father's death. She was head of the ORB nation and was his main point for weapons if needed against the threat he thought was still existent: Coordinators.

Cagalli was dreading her visit with Takahashi. He was always condesending with her. Cagalli thought he figured she was still a child, even though she was 18. It made her angry when leaders of the same merrit treated her like she was a little kid.

She banged her head against her desk, waiting for him.

"Late as usual," she muttered, glancing at the clock in the conference room.

The door opened. Cagalli expected to see Takahashi there, with his usual grimace at her. Instead, she saw Athrun standing in her doorway with a thermos of tea.

"Thought you could use some cheering up," he smiled.

"Thanks Athrun, you're a life saver," said Cagalli, feeling brighter already.

"I know," Athrun replied, "You know I'm always here to help."

Just as he poured tea for her, in walked Takahashi, followed by his normal group of EA cronies. They followed him as if he were some god that was going to save all of them when the world ended as long as they kissed his ass. Cagalli hated them.

"Miss Cagalli," greeted Takahashi in his cold voice.

"Hello Takahashi," she replied, "Shall we get down to buisness then?"

"Of course," he told her, "But I'd like to know who this young man is first."

Takahashi had a sneaking suspicion of who the boy standing in front of him might be, but he had his doubts. Athrun hoped that this man did not realise who he was.

"This is Athrun," Cagalli replied, purposely leaving out his last name, "He's been a big help to me lately."

"Athrun? As in Zala?" Takahashi spoke coldly, "Surely Cagalli you won't let a ZAFT member help shape you're country. Especially this one."

Cagalli gave him a cold look when he emphasized the words, "Especially this one."

"I'm sorry Takahashi, but who he is related to is of no importance to a man like you," she said in her lowest tone.

"It is," he replied, "because I am a leader and need know the safety of my people."

"Sorry Cagalli," Athrun said apollogetically, "This is not my place right now. I'll see you later."

Athrun gave Cagalli a quick peck on the cheek and left the room. Takahashi waved his men away, and they left the room after Athrun.

"Leave him out of this," Cagalli said bitterly.

"A Zala? Surely Cagalli you have thought of where he comes from," Takahashi replied, folding his hands.

"He's left ZAFT and he is with ORB now," Cagalli told him, "He has helped me more times than you have badges for your experiences with the Earth Alliance."

Out in the hallway, Athrun was walking back towards the outside door towards his waiting car. He had only stopped to see how Cagalli was holding up. Athrun was worried about her. She was overworked and needed to get away badly. That man stressed her out and made her feel insignificant. He never wanted to see her like that. Takahashi's men were following Athrun down the hallway. He was aware of them and began to walk faster.

He was only beginning to get into his car when one of the men grabbed his shoulder. Athrun twisted the man's wrist and began a struggle with the other three men. He was trying his hardest to keep the few men off of him. They just kept coming at him though.

One of the men took a cheap shot at him and punched him in the stomach backwards into two of the men. The men took a hold of Athrun's struggling arms and tried to lift him into a black car only ten feet from his own. He got a few kicks in on the other two men following.

Athrun was going to scream and yell for help. He knew there were soldiers around who would come to his aid. He was stopped by a hand grasped over his mouth when he opened his mouth. Athrun didn't know what this attempt at kidnapping him was about, but he did realise that it was something to do with that man that scared Cagalli so much.

After the exhasperating meeting with that terrible man, Cagalli went to go and find Athrun. She looked out the window and saw his car still in the place it was three hours ago when he arrived. She went out into the hallway and called for him.

"Marshall?" she asked one of the soldiers, "Do you know where Athrun went?"

"I'm sorry Miss Athha," Marshall replied, "Mr Zala left at least two hours ago, maybe more."

"Are you sure?" she replied, "His car is still here. Mattheu, did you see Athrun leave?"

"Yes I did Miss Athha," Mattheu answered.

She shook her head and went outside. She knew something was wrong when she saw the keys in the ignition of his car. Cagalli decided to walk back into the town building and call Kira. She asked him if he had seen Athrun, but Kira was as clueless as Cagalli was.

"Don't worry Cagalli," he told her, "Athrun will turn up. He always does."

Cagalli waited at home for Athrun to come back for hours on end, but she gave up when darkness and night fell upon her. She wished that she knew where he was.

The men kept Athrun in that car for another few hours until one left to escort Takahashi out. He arrived and got into the black limosine. Athrun frowned at this man, only imagining what he told Cagalli during that meeting. It might have been the worst thing he had done since Cagalli began to talk about him.

Athrun wanted to yell at Takahashi, to scream at him for making Cagalli cry all of those times before. He thought his father was insane after the attempt to kill him, but Takahashi took the cake with this little charade.

"Mr Zala," Takahashi said with a smile, "It's nice to finally meet the son of Patrik Zala."

Athrun still couldn't say anything with a hand over his mouth so Takahashi continued, "You need to help me with something Athrun. You see, since I am the leader of such a powerful national orginization, many people would follow me into war if necessary. But the young lady that I have just spoken to would stop me in an instant if I even so much as attempted it. She has her powerful beliefs and I have my powerful armies. It's as simple as that."

The driver in the front began to drive away with a small tap on the glass to the front seat.

"There is one more thing I need besides my army," he continued, "Another nation would be nice. The closest one is ORB and it seems like a nice place. The thing you need to do for me Athrun is to marry Cagalli, your little girlfriend. That's only the beginning though. I also need you to give me control over the nation after I kill her."

Athrun was shocked. He couldn't let Cagalli die. This man was crazy.

"Oh don't look so surprised!" Takahashi continued, "You don't have to kill her, but my men will. It will take some time, but I will make sure that it looks like an accident. You won't be part of the murdering part at all. I need you to do this for me so that I can get control easier."

Athrun bit into the man who was holding his mouth closed's hand. The man screamed in pain and let go long enough for Athrun to yell, "You're a madman! I'll never let you do that!"

Just as he yelled, another man held a gun up to his head.

"One more word," said the man through gritted teeth, "And I will blow you sky high."

"Now don't kill him," said Takahashi calmly, "I need him. You can kill him later. Now Athrun, what do you say to my proposition?"

"Never," said Athrun, "I could never let you kill her. I won't be a part of this."

"Well," replied Takahashi, "You're going to have to, because if you say something incriminating about me to your little girlfriend I will shoot your best friend."

"You're going to shoot Kira?" asked Athrun in amazement.

"Yes," Takahashi said, "I've had him followed for the last day or two, and he will be easy to pick off if necessary. What do you say now?"

Athrun didn't answer for a while. Finally, Athrun replied.

"Fine. I'll do whatever you need me to."

Cagall fell asleep on the couch in the front corridor of her house. She was so tired from waiting for Athrun to come back. He wasn't home and it had been seven hours since he had gone missing. She was worried about him, but at 1:30 in the morning she had to give into sleep.

All of a sudden, the doorbell rang. It had startled Cagalli so much that she fell off of the couch. Rubbing her back, she got up slowly and opened the door. To her surprise, there was no one there. She stepped outside onto the front verandah and almost tripped over something. Cagalli looked down.

"MYRNA!" she yelled into the house, "COME QUICKLY!"

Cagalli had tripped over Athrun's crumpled and unconcious body on her front porch.

Kira walked into Athrun's room the next morning with a tray of breakfast for him. Opening the door quietly, Kira pushed his way into the room. To his surprise, he saw that Athrun was awake and sitting up, but Cagalli was the one asleep in the chair next to his bed. Kira smiled at his sleeping sister and greeted Athrun with a quiet hello.

"How are you feeling?" Kira asked.

"Besides the throbbing muscles and migrane, I think I'm fine," replied Athrun.

"Myrna asked me to bring you this," Kira said placing the food on the fold out table, "I didn't expect Cagalli to be in here though. Poor girl, she was worried about you."

"Was she?" Athrun asked, "I didn't know that she cared enough to stay here all night."

"What are you talking about Athrun?" Kira replied, surprised, "Cagalli would have been here if it was anyone she loved."

The two boys sat in silence for a few minutes until Kira tried to start another conversation.

"Well Athrun, I have to go and pick up Lacus from her shuttle. She's getting in today and I promised I would be there," he said, walking towards the door.

"Alright," Athrun said, "Tell her I say hello then."

Kira smiled and left the room.

Only ten minutes later, Cagalli began to stir. Opening her eyes and lifting her head, her immediate sight was Athrun looking out into the courtyard window. He was staring into the sunlight, somehow lost in his own thoughts. She smiled.

"Morning," she said stretching.

Athrun turned around quickly at the sound of her voice. She expected a smile from him, but none came her way. Instead, she got the coldest greeting from him that she had ever recieved.

"You stayed all night didn't you," he asked bitterly.

"Of course," she replied, "Why wouldn't I have?"

"Nevermind," he replied, turning back towards the window.

"What's the matter?" she asked, getting out of her chair and walking towards the bed. She sat down and smiled at him. He didn't return it.

"Nothing," he replied.

He's getting defensive, she thought.

"I wasn't being accusatory," she said, surprise in her voice.

After so many minutes of the same silence Kira had experienced from him, Cagalli got up and left the room.

On her way out, she met with Kira again, who was followed by Lacus.

"Kira?" she asked, "Can you check on Athrun for me? Something is definately wrong."