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Minerva (Bridge 18:00)

Meyrin expanded the screen showing a Humvee leaving the premise, zooming in on the plate number and listing down the data of the vehicle.

"I only gave them dispensable data about the ship." Eyeing the two men on the table who were endlessly nagging about how he shouldn't have let anyone get information about the vessel. "80 percent of the data was restricted. If that device can do what it's supposed to do then we better keep an eye on it."

"If they accessed confidential information, we will never know". Andrew rested his chin on his arm, "Though, looks like we got more than what you bargained for Yzak." He looked around for a certain person which he saw leaning on the wall with a worried expression on his face. They are all used to him just listening but this time they could tell what's bothering him.

Dearka sighed at the sight of him. "Hey! Kira! That girl shot me when I was on the Archangel. It seems to me like she loves getting even and back then she thought you were dead- No thanks to Athrun…" Glancing at the blue hair beside Cagalli.

"Dearka!" Yzak warned.

"What I'm saying is, if they ever attempt to do something funny to her, she probably won't make it easy." He shrugged. "She didn't make it easy for the Dominion either if you remember she gave us the warning before they abandoned that ship and it saved our ass". Dearka has been around Kira for a good amount of time and due to his keen observing nature, he knew that something has changed since they first met. He saw the coordinator throwing away his own safety as he desperately tried to save her a couple of times and he also heard his cries when he thought he lost her. Those actions meant more than saving just a friend and he knew he'd do the same if it was Miriallia. If no one noticed, his overprotectiveness towards Lacus could be because he failed to save her.

Minerva Conference Room (01:00)

Murrue squinted as her eyes adjusted to the dark room. The screen on the wall was the only source of light making it hard for her to count the people inside.

"Good, so no one told Kira-kun." she smiled at everyone. "I'm sorry for calling you out here at this hour but, we need to take extra precautions about some situation." She massaged her hand as she tried to look for better words. "We have received a report from Commander Kisaka today and he confirmed that something is amiss with the Alliance." She shuffled some paper on the table.

Sensing her discomfort, Kisaka joined her to take over. "We are certain they are covering something up but we are unable to pinpoint what exactly. We decided to use the God's Eye and investigate it ourselves. If those bastards are up to starting another war- "

"Is there any other solution?" looking up at him. "I'm concerned about Kira-kun, he tends to lose control when it comes to Flay and using that device means she will be on board. We don't know the enemy or if there is one." She looked at the file on the table. "This girl killed so many people without getting on a mobile suit. If the enemy is using her to do that again, that would become our responsibility."

A hand rested on her shoulder, "Trust him a little bit Captain, he's not that kid anymore." Mu patted her on the back. "Besides, everyone here will make sure that doesn't happen. Right?" lousily waiting for a response from the audience who responded with some nods and hai's. "We will put a bug on her too, so we can track EVERYTHING, okay?" He assured her and shifted his attention to the group. "We will discuss this again tomorrow with Kira-kun except for the last part is that clear?" another wave of nods and hai's came.

Andrew turned to the girl sitting beside him "Is that ok with you Lacus?"

"I have faith they know what they are doing Commander. If this is one way to prevent another war. Then we have to take it."

He knew the answer before she even said it. "Have you spoken to Kira?"

"Yes, he said he will figure it out. I have no plans on letting her take him either." Everyone in the room heard her but they said nothing. They are aware that there has been a shift in the atmosphere between her and Kira and unnecessary misunderstanding could lead to something none of them wants.

Andrew just smiled at her "That's good to know."

"How do we get in contact with them?" Cagalli with her arms crossed, not convinced with the decision asked, only to receive a mix of sighs and hums from the audience.

They were racking their brains off thinking of a way to get the attention of their target when they heard the buzz on the door. Everyone helplessly thought of a reason why they were there in the middle of the night when the door opened. A soldier urgently entered sweating with a worried look on his face. "Commander, one of the girls who left today is here. We sent her to the infirmary she's wounded. She said they were attacked on the way to their lab." The people in the room got up and quickly ran to check what's happening.

"Somebody go wake Kira." Mu ordered to which Athrun immediately responded.

Minerva (Infirmary)

The doctor left the door open while stitching Alice's wounds. She only allowed three people inside and the bystanders were left outside to listen.

Ignoring the pain from her arm and head she cried to the person who was sitting beside her. "Please Commander send somebody to find them" she was desperate. "We heard an explosion and the car turned over and then we heard gunshots. It was so dark but I know we were around Gidya." She was grabbing both of Mu's arms as she tried to give him all the information she has. "Please, please!" hoping it would convince the person in front of him.

"How did you get back?" Andrew who was checking the map beside Mu asked.

She leaned on the side to see the person asking "There- There were plenty of them, Commander, I took one of the abandoned cars and came to get help. Please." Quickly returning her eyes on the Commander beside her.

"I'll go." Athrun volunteered to overtake his friend who he saw pulling away from the wall to enter the medical room. This idiot would really sell himself out. He cursed knowing Kira has no military training.

"The area she mentioned is 3 hours away by car it's best we take a mobile armor." Mu glanced at the map as he headed out followed by Athrun.

"Commander Zala!" Alice called out. "If you find Flay, please be cautious of her. Those people told her she's helping the people who killed her father. We didn't tell her about that information yet. It's a bit farfetched but at her state, we still don't know how she's gonna take it." Her voice was full of concern.

Somewhere between Carpentaria and Gidya 2:00

"Oi oi what's happening here?" The bridge heard Mu's voice on the comm.

He aimed his flashlight around looking for the Humvee they saw earlier. The place smelled of burnt flesh, blood and tires. It was almost daybreak and he can slowly make out the number of dead bodies on the ground.

"Commander, do you think they were after the girl?" Athrun asked.

"You can say that kid but look at this" pointing the light at a soldier wearing a ZAFT uniform. "What's ZAFT got to do with a natural?"

A few more minutes passed and they finally spotted the vehicle they were familiar with and after inspecting it, they slowly pulled a girl with blonde hair out. "She's unconscious."

"Athrun can you hear me? I sent you a location, Alice said the device sent a ping from there it could be the other girl." Watfield's voice rang on the comm. "Be careful, we don't know these people."

Mu carried Setsuna to the mobile armor "I'll take her back." To which the other person just nodded and immediately took one of the cars driving away to the location on his GPS.

Athrun turned the engine off when he heard gunshots coming from his destination. He sprinted across the plain until he reached the forest, looking for the river. His steps were calculated and his breathing was slow, attentive of the noise around him and then his sense caught a whiff of something. Roses. He instinctively followed the scent and then Damn it! The rain started pouring. He suddenly felt the need to rush, afraid that the rain would wash away the scent soon. The fog started going down as the rain began to pour harder. He gave the area a quick scan and then he saw it. He pushed the weeds off the rock and peeked inside.

"Hey!"

The girl was covering her mouth scared that her sobs would give away her location. She was curled up at the innermost part of her hiding spot, she was muddy but the bruises on her legs and some scratches were visible.

"Athrun Zala…" she crawled to him and he held the hand she was reaching out and pulled her as he secretly placed a bug on her watch.

A green light blinked on Meyrin's screen "He found her." As she leaned in configuring the trace they placed on her. She typed in a few more encryptions and then they heard her voice.

"Stay here. I left it just a few meters up there."

Athrun tried to pull her down. "Let's get you to the Minerva first."

"No! If they find it- people will be in danger if they find it." She was twisting her hand off Athrun's grasp.

He was glad the sound of the rain outside is enough to drown out their noise. "I can't let you do that!"

"Please, just let me get it I'll be quick!"

"You're injured!" he stared at the bruise on her knee.

"It's nothing… please Athrun, let me get the V1 and you take it with you."

"Stop being so difficult, this is not the time!" his voice was angry as he pulled the girl down which to his surprise fell pretty easily.

They heard a loud thud an aww then followed by sobs.

"I'm sorry!" he was in shock at how easily he overpowered her without any effort.

"If they find it, they will start another war and Kira will be out fighting again." She wiped her tears. "Please help me, he's been hurt enough, I don't want this to be another reason he'll get hurt again." The pain was laced on her voice. "I made him fight his friends I used him to get revenge on the people who hurt me." She got up to get out. "So please understand let me just get it for you and make sure you keep it safe."

"They are looking for you too!"

"I know, so once you have it, use that on me" pointing at his gun.

"Are you crazy?!" he was alarmed.

"If they are looking for me it means they need me for something. Let's not give them that chance." She looked deep into his eyes. She meant it.

Athrun grabbed her and shook her desperate to wake her up. "Can you hear yourself?" he tightened his grip. "If you insist on not hurting Kira, you shouldn't be thinking that way! I came to get you because if I don't, he would!" He closed his eyes and opened them again. "We will get that device and you are coming with me."

"They will follow you if it's true that they are after me!"

"No! You have to be with Kira isn't that what you want?"

She squeezed her eyes shut as more tears run down her cheeks shaking her head. "No. I've had my chance to be with him and all I did was manipulate him. I don't wanna do that."

"This is not the time for this! If you feel sorry then tell him!" Athrun didn't care anymore if the enemies would hear him. He needed the girl in front of him to listen.

"I used enough words on him… my words mean nothing." Pushing Athrun back but he didn't let go of her arms. "I need to protect Kira. If it means dying again, I don't care."

The boy let out a loud annoyed grunt. "There is no talking to you." He surrendered. "Fine, let's go get that thing." He pulled her out.

The girl didn't move an inch. "No, you stay here."

"Please, I'm begging you. I'd rather get shot." His eyes were pleading, tired and scared of another round of convincing the girl into listening. The people on the bridge couldn't be sorrier for him. Murrue and Kira knew how difficult it is to deal with Flay Allster. A few spirits came back to him when he felt the girl move.

Athrun checked his GPS as he pulls the girl behind him. Contrary to the girls he's been with, his best friends' ex-girlfriend is quite feeble. He looked back to check on her and he noticed her hand is again covering her mouth. "Why do you do that?"

"Huh?" she struggled to walk with the mud, random tree branches and rocks under her feet.

"Why do you cover your mouth all the time?"

"I don't know." She lied.

"It's good to be quiet but don't you think it's better to look for a good hiding spot?"

Insulted she tried to pull her hand. Tried. "Well, I'm sorry if my hiding skills disappoints you."

"That's not what I meant." He felt like an idiot. Why would a natural girl living in a neutral colony need to learn how to conceal herself from enemies.

"You should make yourself less approachable Athrun Zala." She picked up a stick and used it to fix her balance. "You make the girls around you misunderstand your niceness for attraction."

"Mmmm is that so? Am I making you get the wrong idea?"

"No. You're not my type." Swatting away some branches away from her face with her stick.

Athrun just smiled as he squatted down. "You should've hidden this deeper." Handing her the device.

"That's the best I can do" She took the device from him with her wounded hand and broken fingernails.

He could only give her a sorry look. "Let's go!" he turned around offering his back to her. "Get on, it will be faster if I run down the hill."

Flay hesitated but did as she was told, she wrapped her hand around Athrun's neck as he hooked his arms under her knees lifting her up. "hentai…" she muttered when she saw him blush.

"Sorry, I wasn't expecting you to be so… soft." Of course, he meant nothing wrong with it. Flay wasn't as toned as the military women he's accustomed to and he was ready to grip on muscles, not flesh.

"What the fuck is Athrun doing?!" Yzak yelled behind Meyrin who was quite upset. Luna and Cagalli were listening too and each of them had a bone to pick with the poor soldier when he gets back.

"Why do people hand this girl these kinds of things anyway?!" he slammed a palm on the table recalling she was also handed the N-Jammer canceller data.

Intrigued, "You met her before Yzak?" Dearka asked.

"Mmm, onboard the Vesalius."

Athrun dashed down the hill with Flay on his back ignoring the branches that were hitting his face, the difficult ground, and the rain. He knows the encounter is closing in and it wasn't long until they are dodging the bullets that were aimed at them. "Are you ok?" feeling the girl move. She didn't answer but he saw her take the V1 off her belt and turned it on. He took the risk of running straight to the car when they were out of the woods starting it as soon as they got on.

"Take this route, they could be waiting for us back there. It's safer to take this one."

They evaded few more bullets until they were off the grid. The shortcut was an easy ride but Flay had to double take on the data that was flashing on her device.

"Athrun, there are four hostiles at the base." She informed him as they were arriving.

"What? That's not possible!"

The people on the bridge immediately armed themselves.

"Lock up the ship do not let anyone in!" Andrew ordered.

Athrun drove past the gate and they were immediately greeted by firings. "Stay down!" He held Flay's head down as he tried to park as close as possible to the Minerva.

Shinn took down one of the enemies as they exited the ship. "There's two up in the tower" he informed them.

Athrun grabbed Flay out of the car then they heard a gunshot behind them and an unknown soldier fell to the ground. He handed her to Shinn as he followed Dearka and Mu up the tower.

Minerva (Bridge) 6:00

"We have no record of these people" Andrew spread the photos of the dead soldiers on the table. He held one of the guns that they took from the bodies and examined it. "These were made by ZAFT though no question about it."

"So now we also have to doubt our people," Lacus stated turning around to face Cagalli. "I suggest you stay here before we make hasty moves, we don't know the enemies."

"But we have a conference in a few days, we can't just not show up!"

Lacus shook her head slowly. "We will be there, but we need to have a better perspective of what's happening. If they have infiltrated this base, they could be inside ORB as well. The possibility that these people could be after you or me is on the table too."

"Were we able to reach the Professor?" The fact that she would need her help hurts her pride.

"Yes, he said his patient shouldn't be exposed to this environment." Yzak gave the reply.

"But they took her here!" she fisted her hand as the thought of being denied creeps in.

"Yeah, for a quick tour. Besides, we ordered them to get her out of their shuttle." He smirked as if mocking. "That girl's bad luck is extraordinary." He pressed a few buttons on the screen and showed Cagalli a call that was on hold. "We can keep her if she passes a test but don't get your hopes up. This set-up would make that girl relive a nightmare that killed her. Professors' words, not mine."

"Where is Kira?" she looked around noticing her brothers' absence.

Luna who just arrived answered "He's on his way here. He was by the medical room few minutes ago."

"Murrue was right, we should keep him away from that girl," Athrun spoke as he slouched. "He shot a person today like it was nothing."

They waited a while until the door of the bridge opened. Flay slowly walked in gripping the towel around her. She was still in her muddy dress but her injuries already received first-aid. She had no time to clean up as the bridge called her for something urgent. Her hair was a damp mess and she hated it, but most of all she's worn out.

She slowly approached the Minerva's Captain, as she hesitantly opened her mouth. "How's Alice and Setsuna?" her eyes were worried, red from crying and from lack of sleep.

"Your friends are safe they left earlier and we called the Professor to have you stay here. We need your device to know these people." Yzak slid the photos on the table towards her which she quickly avoided. "But we can't hold you here without your permission." He flatly explained.

She lowered her head slowly looking for that familiar presence she knew too well. "Mmm, I'll do it." She always prayed for that opportunity but within her, that strange feeling is rising and she knows she needs to fight it. It's as if an invisible hand was choking her, she tried to breathe.

"While you're on board, you can wear these- "She instinctively backed away when Meyrin handed her a set of green uniform to change in to.

She felt a wave of electricity hit her and she felt cold, she stared at the familiar green fabric, to Yzak and his Commander's uniform, to Murrue with her EA uniform and the whirring machines around her. She heard the voice, "You're helping the people who killed your father" and the image of her father's ship being sunk by the Vesalius seemingly played before her. It's as if she was inside a box that was slowly filling up with water and she's drowning. She heard the loud gunshots and the screaming and she felt her skin burn. Her body trembled as she hugged herself, desperate to stop her body from trembling. Her knees felt weak but she knows they will send her back to the lab if she can't get a hold of herself. You have to be strong to help them. You will be fine. She repeated the words in her head. "I will do it," She said it clearly as the feeling of her skin scorching worsen and the images spun faster in her head.

"Oi are you ok?!" Yzak caught her when knees gave away. "She's burning."

"It's just the rain." She grabbed the uniform from Meyrin's hand as she tried to fight her own body.

"You don't need to wear that!" Yzak retrieved it from her and threw it on the table.

"I'll take that" Dearka took her off Yzak's arms helping her get on her feet. "I'm taking her back to the medical room."

The door closed behind Dearka.

"How'd she do Professor?" Yzak asked the person on the other line.

"Keep her safe." Came the reply and the line disconnected.

Medical Room 8:00

"Thank you." Flay turned to her side to face Dearka who was sitting on the chair beside her bed.

"What can I say? It's the knight in me…" with his chest out and proud face he joked.

"I'm sorry." She looked into his eyes. "For what I did to you on the Archangel."

The blonde male just smiled at her. "My best friend did the same thing to me too and he used a Gundam!" he rubbed his chin "It's ok don't worry about it. Besides, that's how I fell in love even more with the love of my life!" he proudly announced.

"Milly…" she thought about her friend.

"Come to think of it, if you didn't go missing you could've been my girlfriend!" Dearka joked again trying to make the girl feel at ease.

Flay just made a face "Playboy, you get off when a girl threatens your life? What kind of M shit are you in to?"

"Oi! A girl shouldn't be saying words like that" he scolded her to which Flay immediately covered herself with a blanket.

"I'm an adult."

"That's not kawaii!" the male pointed out.

She removed the blanket over her head "But it's hot."

Dearka shot a finger gun at her "You're right on the money! Anyways, get some rest someone will show you to your quarter when you're better."

The girl on the bed just nodded and closed her eyes to get her rest.

Medical Office 12:00

The doctor showed a test result on the screen. "The girls' body has fully recovered but it's still weak. The record shows that she was unconscious for more than 2 years and right now her body is trying to build up its resistance. The main problem is her mental state. This girl is traumatized and they only used therapy for grounding. If at the early stage of the recovery they performed some memory wipe I wouldn't be surprised." She sat across Murrue, Mu and Andrew. "Nightmares, panic attacks, suicidal tendencies, depressions, nervous breakdowns, she could be experiencing all of this. Her grounding must be strong if she can stabilize herself like she did today." She opened her laptop and handed it to Murrue. "I received the records of her files; this should help us if anything happens to her."

"Thanks, Doctor." Murrue kindly smiled at her.

Flay's Room 14:00

Minerva's rooms are larger compared to the Archangel and Vesalius. She found her white uniform on her bed and she frowned at how she only had one pair of clothes to change into for God knows how long. She peeked at the shower room and saw one sad three is to one liquid soap. She slowly took off her medical gown, pulled a sachet of perfume from the V1's pouch, and stood under the warm shower examining herself in the mirror. The scars are gone but I can still see them. She pushed the thoughts away. Why do you have that look in your eyes? Annoyed at her own mind she exited the shower and saw a green light blink on a monitor mounted to a wall.

"Oh, a message from the Bridge" she was amused "Hmmm…"

She sat on the table and carefully configured her room computer as she let her hair drip down her shoulders. We might be at the verge of starting a war but that's not an excuse to abuse your hair follicles. After a few backs and forth from the wall monitor to her computer, she managed to connect the two and she felt victorious. The message showed her a list of assumed coordinates that appears to be in code. She quickly grabbed the V1 and entered the coordinates and the images of islands that were not mapped showed up. "Oh".

Dining hall 17:00

"Hurry up!" one of the soldiers yelled at his friend and another one nearly passed by Yzak, Dearka, and Kira without performing a salute. Some more footsteps were heard at the nearby corridor and then he saw three figures running in the same direction. Confused, Yzak tailed his men while Dearka and Yzak who were supposed to have coffee followed him.

"Ugh she makes me feel lonely man if you know what I mean.." one man from the front of a crowd said.

A younger soldier pushed through the crowd. "Oh, I heard nothing good about her. They said that woman is crazy!"

"Like complicated?"

"She sure doesn't look like the easy kind". They pushed each other trying to see through the window.

"Well yeah? Haven't you heard she was rooting the Commander Admiral before she went missing?"

"What?! That's Commander Yamato's ex-girlfriend?"

"Ask Shinn! I heard him say that to the mechanics"

Across the balcony covered by a one-way glass was a girl laying down on the window sill one floor down. Her blazer and shoes were discarded on the couch facing the large window she was resting in. Her skirt was pushed up as she angled her right leg while letting the other leg hang on the side swaying from time to time. The golden radiance of the sun made her skin glow and made her red hair look blazing. Her right hand shielded her face from the glare and on her left hand was a device which she raises above her face every now and then as if studying something.

"Look at that body bro, those legs and jugs…"

"I don't know about you man but the way her breast oves while she breathes is hypnotizing"

"Imagine if that stupid dress isn't there!"

"Where did they find her though?"

"Marco if you push me again, I'm gonna punch you!" a soldier warned.

"From the heaven!"

"Don't be so sure I heard she put people through hell" Shinn informed them.

"Looks like she got the devil's eyes too." Another mentioned when they saw her look at their direction.

"That makes it even better who doesn't like girls with horns?"

"Kai shut up! You're too loud!"

"Dang look at all that, it's all natural! I'd do anything to get a private session with her"

"I'm tired of these shy girls, I've had to put up with shit for months to get some, it's tiring!"

"Fuck it! I'm gonna ask her out!"

"Oho? And which Article of Conduct states the penalty for that, soldier?" Yzak towered over the men who nearly peed their pants seeing their Commander and Captain of the ship appeared behind them.

"How long was he- uh article, uh," the soldier mumbled.

"How did my trained soldiers turn into a bunch of perverts I wouldn't know." his arms crossed as he looked down on his men. "Go punish yourselves for abandoning posts, don't waste my time."

"But it's lunchtime…" an invisible voice came from the back.

"I don't recall giving half the crew the same lunch hours." He barked at them.

And the crowd immediately left after sorting out their group punishments; Kitchen duty, toilet, housekeeping, and common rooms. The girl on the window was already gone when Yzak turned his head over to where she was then he heard it. "Miss Allster! Ano, uhm, would you like to have dinner sometimes?" Dearka could only facepalm himself.

Flay's face turned from shock to amused then she saw Yzak and Dearka from behind the people crowding her. "That's not a problem." She smiled covering her mouth with her finger, "As long as you get to his level." She pointed at Dearka and politely excused herself.

Several hands landed on their friends' shoulders. "Long way bro! looks like you need to be a commander first!"

"Or maybe you have to dye your hair blonde and get a tan!" another suggested.

Shinn who was still hanging around the guys spoke "Nah! I heard she tried to pull a headshot on the Commander before, maybe it just means she wants you dead." He pouted sipping on his juice.

"These mixed signals are turning me on!"

The blonde male checked his reflection on the wall, "I should be flattered right? Right?!" Dearka asked the furious male beside him but his best friend didn't answer. "Right Kira? -oh, where did he go?"

Next update will be in a week or two

RR!