The bridge was silent, all eyes focused on the viewer. The news report showed footage of a battle that had taken place earlier that day between the Alliance and ZAFT - one which the Alliance had apparently lost. The scene shifted to show the remains of ships and mobile suits, ZAFT personnel working to salvage what they could and rescue any survivors. It had been a given that they'd go after the main base....with that out of the way any resistance the Alliance could put up had been significantly reduced..

"Good riddance."

Surprised, all looked up at the voice. Mwu had his arms folded, scarred face set and expressionless. "I hated that place," he continued quietly. "They sent me there to recover. It's the most miserable place I've ever been. No-one ever spoke, no-one smiled....like they were afraid to. That was because of them. Blue Cosmos."

"That was their base?"

He nodded. "They called it 'Heaven's Base'. A less fitting name they couldn't have imagined."

Kira-kun frowned. "So their leader would be there? Whoever took over from Azrael?"

"Djibril? I doubt it. He'd have run the moment he worked out the Alliance were losing."

"So he could be anywhere.."

"Well, not anywhere." Mwu leaned against Neumann's console, looking back at the rest of them. "Somewhere he could be sure of finding sympathisers, but where no-one would think to look right away. Arzachel - the moon base - or.."

"Orb."

Everyone turned to look at Kira-kun. He smiled thinly. "It makes sense. Sympathy for the Alliance there goes right to the top, and how many people would think of looking for Djibril there?"

Murrue sighed. That makes more sense than I wish it did... "And if the Chairman works that out, it gives him a perfect excuse to attack Orb.."

"It was only a matter of time. Whatever the reason, ZAFT would have attacked them sooner or later."

"So we fight them off." Neumann shrugged.

"With what?"

"The Murasames." Amagi-san stepped forward. "Even if no-one else back home will fight, we will."

Mwu smiled. "And so will I." Murrue nodded, glancing over at Kira-kun. The boy smiled himself, just a little, but the expression was a sad one. Ever since he'd lost Freedom he'd seemed to feel like he'd lost his purpose, not quite sure what to do with himself. Mwu had done what he could, spending time with him in the simulators and in the mess hall, and the presence of his friend Athrun-kun had helped....but there was still something missing. I think the biggest part of it is that Freedom was a gift to him from Lacus-san. She trusted him with it and he's lost it..

"Yeah, I think you're right."

She shook her head with a small sigh, leaning back against him. "He looks so lost sometimes......I'm not sure whether it's because of losing Freedom or because Lacus-san isn't around.."

"Maybe it's both?"

"Maybe it is." Stretching out until her joints popped she peeked back up at him. "So....you were at that base?"

"For a while, until I recovered, then they shipped me back and forth between about four other bases. I think they were trying to keep me on edge. But I remember that place better than I'd like to. It was winter then, and the sun barely rose above the horizon most days. And it was cold, but I was used to that." He didn't say anything about Djibril or the others there, and she didn't ask - it was obviously a painful subject. If he wanted to tell her one day, then she'd listen, but until then she'd be there for him like she always had. Taking his hands she squeezed gently, smiling when he kissed the crown of her hair.

"We'll be home soon."

"Yeah.." The nervous edge in his voice was easy to hear, and she turned around to look up at him.

"It's going to be alright. Nothing's changed."

"I've changed."

Murrue poked him in the chest. "No, you haven't."

"To you, I haven't."

"To everyone who knew you, you haven't. I already told you that." Shaking her head she stood on her tiptoes and kissed him lightly. "And if anyone says you have, they'll have me to answer to."

Mwu chuckled. "You'll stick up for me?"

"Of course I will."

He hugged her. "Thanks."

"What did you do to my ship?"

Murrue rolled her eyes, hands on her hips. "Can you wait till I'm out the damn door before you start complaining?"

"If you'd brought her back in one piece, then I would have." Shaking her head she examined the scorch marks on the ship's once pristine white hull, taking in the missing engine and damaged weaponry. "You are so helping me fix this. And you're going to owe me."

"Like I expected anything else." Her friend stepped through the hatch into the underground dock, running a hand through her hair. She looked tired, stressed....but oddly happy. Her ship had been damaged, Freedom was apparently in fragments at the bottom of the ocean, and if the rumours were accurate ZAFT were on their way - what did she have to be happy about? Erica opened her mouth to ask....then her mouth sort of hung open as someone stepped through the hatch behind Murrue. He had longer hair, a scar, but was instantly recognisable. But..

"What the hell are you doing here?"

He had the grace to look sheepish, glancing down at his feet. After all the pain he'd put Murrue through she had half a mind to smack him round the head (and that was just for starters), but before she could rail on him her friend placed a hand on his arm, her smile one of real affection. And Erica sighed. She's forgiven him. Why am I not surprised? "So you brought a stray home?"

"I did." She hugged his arm. "Can I keep him?"

"If you must." He nodded politely, glancing up and around at the dock. He seemed to understand that she wanted to talk to him, as he leaned in close to murmur something to Murrue, and she looked sideways at Erica with a small sigh.

"Okay." She pointed up at the gantry where technicians were already beginning to work on the damaged Archangel. "When you're done, come find me." With that, she walked away, leaving the two of them there watching her before he peeked up rather shyly at Erica.

"Where did she find you?" she asked without preamble.

La Fllaga smiled a little. "Berlin. Mobile suit got shot down."

"You were with the Alliance, then?"

"Not willingly, but yes." He leaned on the railing and gazed out over the dock. "They found me and patched me up before setting me to work for them. There are a few excuses, but none that really stand up."

"Murrue forgives you?"

His smile grew slightly. "She does. I have no idea why she would, but.."

"She loves you. She always has, no matter how hard things were for her." She didn't mention the nightmares or the tears though she wanted to - that could come later. "How....did you survive?"

"I don't know. The first thing I remember after the light was waking up on an Alliance ship. I hoped it was Archangel at first but realised quickly that it wasn't, so I kept quiet.."

"She found you in Berlin?"

He nodded. "Kira found me first. He took out my suit rather too well, and I saw Murrue after that. The kid says he did it 'cause he owed us both and wanted us to be happy again." He looked up at Erica. "Murrue....did she miss me?"

"Did you miss her?"

Another nod, this one fervent. Not that she was surprised. Back in the first war they had always been together. Murrue had mentioned that they'd grown to depend on each other a great deal, his presence providing stability and comfort. "I never knew how much I needed him until he was gone.."

"There's going to be quite a few people who won't be too happy to see you. Murrue's gotten quite a following."

He crinkled scarred nose. "Is that right? Murrue mentioned staying with the Tiger guy.."

"Yes, she did, and they worked here together. Bartfeld's gotten pretty fond of her."

"I don't blame him, I guess. But still.."

Erica grinned. "Nothing to worry about. She's the loyal kind. She told me once how hard you'd had to work to get more than a kiss, or even to get her to call you by your first name, and she always felt guilty about it, because she loved you but.."

"But she still loved the guy she'd been with before," La Fllaga finished, his smile now a fond one. "I knew it, and never tried to go further than she wanted me to. She was too important to me - she still is."

"And you are to her. That's why no-one here, not even Bartfeld, has ever been more than a friend to her."

"Thanks."

"No problem. Just....do things right this time, okay? I don't want her to cry anymore because of you."

"Me either."

The kid was in a bad way. He lay there barely conscious, heavily bandaged, and muttering under his breath, tossing and turning in the sickbay bed. The young miss he'd brought with him was completely uninjured, leading many to believe the kid had shielded her somehow. Kira had said it was something his friend would do, an assertion later backed up by the kid himself. He said that she helped him escape - that he owes her his life. I'd say they're pretty even now. The girl peeked out of the adjoining room timidly, lavender eyes widening slightly as she saw him sitting there on the bed beside the kid's.

"Hey there. Don't mind me - the docs wanted to check over my road map here." He gestured to the scars that criss-crossed his bare chest and arms. "If you want to sit with him, then go ahead."

"I didn't want to disturb anyone.." she murmured, hiding her face behind a curtain of red hair.

"You won't be. I think the kid would like some company. C'mon..."

The girl nodded and scuttled out to sit on the chair beside the kid's bed, expression downcast. "Athrun-san.."

That's right, his name is Athrun.. He remembered the kid from the first war. He'd been pretty indecisive about what he was actually fighting for, and it seemed as though that hadn't changed. Not a bad kid by any means, but.. "You know him well?"

The little miss shook her head. "Shinn and onee-chan knew him better than I did. They're all pilots - I was on the bridge most of the time. But.."

"But you like him, huh?"

She blushed and didn't reply, but he thought he knew the answer. Chuckling softly he moved to put on his T-shirt, intending to leave them be, when suddenly Murrue's voice rang over the intercom.

"We've just received word that Eternal is under attack in low orbit!" Mwu ran a hand through his hair. Eternal was the pink princess' ship. If that was destroyed.. The Athrun kid evidently thought the same, as he struggled to sit up even though he was in a lot of pain. The girl gasped, moving forward to help him.

"Athrun-san!"

"The Eternal... Kira..."

Moving to the wallscreen Mwu tapped in the code for the bridge. "Hey, the kid here's making a lot of noise. I think he's telling Kira to go.."

The Athrun kid clutched at his chest. "You have....to protect...Lacus..."

"Well, everything might be lost if she is.." he mused, glancing up at the others on the screen. Kira nodded, turning to the missie.

"Cagalli, lend me Rouge! And a booster!" Without waiting for an answer he ran from the bridge.

"Ah, Kira!"

"Kira-kun!" Murrue sighed and shook her head, smiling up at Mwu. "Thanks. Is Athrun-kun all right?"

"Not really, but at least he's awake."

Nodding, she deactivated the viewer and he turned back to the kids. Athrun was smiling slightly. "Thank you, Commander La Fllaga."

"No problem."

"Lacus-sama?" The girl was frowning. "But I thought she.."

"Yeah. Murrue - our captain - told me about her. She says that the princess you guys had with you isn't the real one, but someone who looks and sounds like her. The real princess has been living in Orb with everyone else."

"Mia.."

"Hmm?"

The Athrun kid stared up at the ceiling. "The other...Lacus. Her name is Mia Campbell..."

"But why would she pretend to be Lacus-sama?"

"Everyone...in the PLANTS..."

Mwu nodded. "They all look up to her, huh? If she told them black was white they'd probably agree. Having someone to act as her is pretty clever.."

"Yeah.."

Back on the bridge he found Murrue alone, gazing out of the window at the dock. The scene brought back so many memories he couldn't help but smile, leaning against carrot-top's console to watch her a while. I never regretted that day, no matter what happened. Being with her made me happier than I'd ever been, and it still does.

"I know you're there."

He grinned. "Busted. Whatcha dreaming about?"

"Nothing special." She held out a hand for him to join her, smiling herself when he moved close and drew her into a hug. "Hoping we can get Archangel fixed in time, hoping Kira-kun can get to Lacus-san in time.."

"And you're worrying." he scolded gently. Pulling away from her a little he sighed, leaning close to kiss the tip of her nose. "The guys here can work miracles, and the kid can save the princess no matter what colour his mobile suit is."

"Actually when he launched it was the colour of the old Strike," she admitted. "He must have tinkered with the phase shift.."

"Really? I should have asked the missie if I could borrow it."

Murrue huffed, thumping him in the chest. "You're not going near it."

"Relax, love. I was joking."

She actually pouted. "Don't joke about things like that."

"Sorry." Hugging her close again he kissed the top of her head. But really, I think we'll be okay. The Director told me that the damage to this old girl isn't as bad as it looks - because it's so like Kusanagi they can get a replacement engine fitted pretty fast. And you know the kid'll be fine."

"Yes, I know. It's just hard not to worry." Perhaps thinking about what he'd said she peeked up at him. "Erica didn't grill you too badly, did she?"

"Nah. Just asked me where I'd been and told me not to make you cry anymore. Not that I would."

"If you do, you'll regret it." Murrue smiled sweetly and he sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"Yeah, I get the feeling that I would."

She turned to look out of the window again, her smile becoming gentle when he wound arms around her waist. Neither spoke for a time, enjoying each other's presence and old memories.

"How long has it been?"

"Two and a half years," she replied, dark eyes fluttering closed when he began to press tiny kisses to her neck. They'd spent only a fraction of that time together, but still considered the time in between as part of their relationship. I never forgot her, or stopped loving her, and it was the same for her. We're just picking up where we left off..

"That long, huh?"

"Mmm.." She murmured contentedly as he continued the attention, tilting her head to one side to let him kiss more of her.

"Want it to be longer?"

"I'd like that."

"So would I." And it will be. I won't let her go again.

( Hee. Today I channelled my inner AsuMeyrin. Brought to you by lots of tea, some golden syrup cake, homemade cookies and four Kinder bars. I write better on sugar.

please read and review! )