The room was dark, just a thin sliver of pale light shining underneath the door to provide any illumination. Smiling, she closed her eyes again, nestled in the warmth of the blankets covering her, as well as the arms wrapped around her waist. She could hear and feel his soft breaths, and, if she listened carefully, the faint breathing of her baby daughter. The infant Rin, now almost four months old, was sound asleep in the bassinette close to her parents' bed, snugly wrapped in blankets, and never even stirred as her mother leaned out of bed to brush a finger over her tiny cheek.

After all that's happened...here I am. Married and a mother...and only a year has passed. One year...since the ceasefire was declared between ZAFT and Orb, and the war ended. And now..we have peace, we're going home. Back to Earth...Turning, Murrue gazed at the face of her sleeping husband, his expression one of peace. Reaching up, she gently traced a finger across his scarred nose, smiling as his nose twitched a little. After two years of loneliness, Mwu had returned to her, with nothing more than longer hair and a few scars to show for the incident that had almost taken his life. Seeing him there like that in the sickbay bed, blue eyes distant and impassive - it had brought all the feelings she had tried her best to suppress right back to the surface. Not even two years had been enough to lessen the hold he still had on her heart, or the strength of her love for him. She sighed, shaking her head. It's as though you knew. As though you could tell how lonely I was, and came back to find me. Even though you didn't remember me at first, you still didn't leave when you could have. You..stayed with me, and I couldn't have been more grateful.

Then, on the day you finally remembered, finally reclaimed your life...the first thing you did was take me into your arms and promise me that I'd never be alone again. That night, the first we had spent together in two years...it was wonderful, and I'll never forget it. How can I...when it gave us her? Our Rin...our daughter? Snuggling close to him, resting her head on his shoulder, she smiled, breathing in his scent. I know you were scared at first, and so was I. After the two of us being alone for so long, being hit with such a huge responsibility, one we had to shoulder together..it could have torn us apart. It took our friends, the people who know us best..to make us realise that our child was was a gift we could share, rather than a burden we had to shoulder. And then...we got married. I think that shocked everyone, but only because it happened so quickly, rather than the fact that it happened at all. Things took a while to settle down, of course, especially since you didn't believe that you deserved me after what the Alliance had made you do. But here we are...it's been eight months now, and we're both still happy.

Closing her eyes, Murrue smiled again as she imagined the expression on her best friend Erica's face when she arrived back home in Orb with a husband and four-month-old daughter in tow. Erica would kill her for not letting her know that she'd got married, let alone that she had a baby now. She knows how lonely I was..and she made me promise that if I ever met someone else who stole my heart, that I'd let her give him the third degree...so she would be certain that my heart would never be broken again. But...I don't think she'll mind...the young woman thought as she fell asleep, cocooned in a loving embrace.

The day Archangel finally landed in Orb after more than a year spent in space, there was a large crowd waiting for them. Much had been made of the ship, her crew and their contribution to saving the small island nation, and there was a spontaneous burst of cheering when the stately battleship finally docked. Amongst the crowd were several workers from the Morgenroete dockyards, including the facility's director, Erica Simmons. She remembered all too well her friend's reluctance to board her ship again after two years, and also the change in her when Archangel had returned to Orb for repairs. Murrue had seemed to have been in the grip of some terrible hidden pain, yet...there had been happiness there too. Erica had heard the rumours, of course. That Commander La Fllaga was somehow alive, but with amnesia, but she had intially dismissed the rumours as being just too far-fetched. After all, everyone had seen what had happened to Strike at Jachin Due...

But then, she had seen him. Standing in line the day Archangel left for Copernicus, beside Murrue. As though he'd never left. His hair had been longer, his face scarred..but it was him, just like people had said. Standing with the others, Erica wondered just how her friend had fared in the last year, serving with someone who was so like, yet unlike, the man she had loved...

Then the outer door to the ship opened, her captain stepping out...and Erica had to stifle a gasp at the change in the younger woman. Murrue was smiling, happy in a way she hadn't been in years. Her amber eyes were bright, sparkling, and she appeared to have even gained some weight. As she saw Erica, her smile broadened, and she ran down the gangplank, embracing her friend. "Erica! How are you?!"

The older woman smiled back, returning the hug. "I'm fine. But what about you?" Stepping back, she looked Murrue up and down, shaking her head in amazement at how happy and healthy her friend looked. She was almost...glowing. The auburn-haired woman grinned. "A lot has happened. I could tell you, but it's easier to show you.." Turning, she looked back at the open doorway, but no-one else had appeared save for a few other crew members. She scowled, placing her hands on her hips. "Will you get out here?" Slowly, a face peeked around the door, half-hidden by shadows save for the piercing blue eyes, but whoever it was wouldn't go any further. Huffing, Murrue stormed back up the gangplank. "Fine. You can stay there all day if you like. But give her to me." Reaching out, she lifted something from the person's arms, and walked back down to her friend, who gasped, eyes widening.

In Murrue's arms...was a baby. The child, a girl, was staring all around herself with wide blue eyes, the soft sea breeze ruffling her wispy dark hair. She was beautiful. Erica blinked, once, twice, then shook her head. "And who is this?" Murrue blushed, but smiled, hugging the baby close. "This is Rin. She was born four months ago, at Copernicus..." She looked up at her friend. "Would you like to hold her?"

Erica carefully lifted the baby into her own arms, gazing at her intently. "She looks just like you," she said softly, as Rin looked right back at her, clearly curious. "She's beautiful, Murrue.." Then she smiled, shaking her head. "I could always picture you as a mother...but who the hell is her father?" The younger woman smiled cheerfully. "I'll just get him," Running back up the gangplank, she grabbed the hand of whoever was there, and yanked them out into the daylight. "You can't hide forever!" she scolded. "What are you afraid of?" The man made a token effort of protesting, but sighed, following Murrue down to the dock. Erica raised an eyebrow. It was him - the Colonel. The man who looked like La Fllaga, but didn't seem to be him. Or was he? The way Murrue was acting around him, her exasperated sigh mixed with a loving smile..."Commander La Fllaga? I suppose I should have guessed.."

The blonde man grinned sheepishly, hand finding the back of his neck. "Yeah, well..."

"Let me guess," Erica said mildly, still holding little Rin. "You really did have amnesia, but got your memories back because of some damn stupid heroic gesture that almost got you killed. And the very same night you remembered, you slept with Murrue and got her pregnant. How am I doing so far?"

Mwu's eyes widened, and he gulped. "Uhhh..." Murrue was giggling helplessly at his discomfort. "You guessed perfectly!" she gasped. "But at least he made up for it.." She held up her left hand, letting her friend see the two golden rings shining on the third finger. Erica leaned close, examining the jewellery. "And you got married without letting me know.." Her friend shrugged, wrapping her arms around her husband's middle. "Things sort of just worked out this way.." she replied.

"I can see that," Erica said. "So, what are you going to do now?"

"I'm...not sure yet," admitted Murrue. "The house was destroyed...right now, the only home we have is Archangel. I guess we'll stay there until we can find a place of our own.." Her friend clucked in annoyance. "No, you won't," she said firmly, handing Rin back to her mother. "My husband's away on a fishing trip right now, and he's taken our son along with him. I don't know when he'll be back, but the spare room's plenty big enough for the three of you. You can come and stay with me for a while."

"But...Erica.." Murrue protested, glancing up at Mwu. The scarred man didn't say anything, but he did look surprised. Erica shook her head. "No 'buts'," She pointed back up to the ship. "Go on and get your stuff, and meet me back here. And don't you dare even think about not coming!"

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A few months later, Murrue sat on the beach, watching the sun set over the sea. Things had happened quickly since the Archangel had returned to Earth. She and Mwu had stayed with Erica and her family until they had been able to find their own place, a tiny one-story house not far from the ocean. The garden was small, but there was enough space to plant the flowers she had so wanted. And not long after that, the two of them had taken their daughter to the beach for the first time. The look of wonder on Rin's face at the sight of the sea had brought smiles to both parents' faces.

Both Rin and Mwu have taken to this life like ducks to water. I was worried that Rin would have trouble adjusting, since all she's known is the ship, but she's so happy. The way she is with Erica's son, too...she adores him, and he's so good with her. Erica even joked that she and her husband should have another baby, or that Mwu and I should. Mwu's face when she said that...it lit up. He told me later...that he'd love another child, a little brother or sister for Rin. And...so would I.

Mwu loves it here. The heat bothers him a little, as it was cold where he grew up, but the fact that we live close to the beach makes it easier for him, I think. He enjoys his job as a test pilot, but he likes it even better when we can spend time on the beach, or in the ocean, and he plans to teach Rin to swim when she's a little older.

He's so different now...so happy. He has a home, a job, me and Rin..and because of all that, he has something now he never had before.

Stability.

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( Yes, this is the end. Well, almost. I plan an epilogue, as well as a short sequel set at Christmas time lol

Please read and review, and I hope you've all enjoyed reading! )