:hey guys…I hope none of you have given up on me…its been quite awhile…but IM BACK! So its all good…so anyway…this is the hot spring chapter im hoping you've all been waiting for…its not going to disappoint you…ill tell you that right now…things will get just a touch...how do you say…intimate if you know what I mean ;) if not…allow me to explain…wet…naked…Murrue, Milly, Cagalli, Lacus, Mu, Dearka, Yzak, Athrun, and Kira…hmm…the trouble I can start with this...brace yourselves…here it is…we'll start off nice and easy…a nice dramatic beginning…to a very wild chapter…lets do it:

wow i actually remembered the disclaimer: they're not mine...but Yzak's bear is ;)


"WOW! This is amazing!" Milly exclaimed as she looked over the vast expanse of hot springs.

Mu let out a long whistle while Murrue rested her head on his shoulder. Mu noticed the weight on his shoulder and turned to face Murrue. She had her eyes closed and she looked more tired than usual. Mu waited for the others to go gallivanting off while kicking off shoes and socks and other articles of clothing on to the ground. The girls waited until the guys were all stripped down and in the water before they slipped behind the part of the rock dividing the hot springs through the middle that jutted of onto the land so that they could strip and dive in. Mu then took the opportunity to nudge Murrue.

"What's wrong?" He scanned over the hot springs quickly before returning his gaze to her.

"Nothing, what makes you ask?" Murrue didn't even open her eyes as she tried to weasel her way out of the situation.

Mu made one last look over the hot springs until he found what he was looking for. Another rock dividing the other two parts of the springs where the kids were. He then began to nudge Murrue over to where he wanted them to go. Sweet Solitude.

"Something's wrong, I can tell. You can't lie to me Murrue, I know you so well that it sometimes scares me," Mu wasn't about to lose to her stubbornness today, she was getting to be as bad as him, definitely not good.

"Awe, come on Mu, let's go in there now and talk about this later," She playfully tugged at his sleeve dragging him in the direction of the water.

This is the most she smiled the entire time they were on this whack job adventure, so he couldn't possibly say no. They needed this after all. The couple tripped down to their underwear and boxers. They took a quick glance at each other before pretending not to notice the other. Murrue shyly covered her chest up with her arms, causing Mu to puff his lower lip out slightly in a pout.

"Oh don't give me that, Mu La Flaga, let's go I'm freezing," Murrue commanded sternly while making her way into the water and up against the rock divider to rest her against it.

Not long after did Mu join her as he settled down next to her as he allowed her to rest her head against his right shoulder.

"Now you need to tell me what's going on with you, and don't tell me nothing cuz I know it's not just nothing," Mu was going to continue to badger her until she told him.

"You do recall me getting a concussion, right?" Murrue questioned, swimming circles around the subject Mu wanted to discuss. Her eyes opened lazily to watch the steam rising up and out of the springs.

"Yes, I remember, speaking of which, you shouldn't be sleeping," He realized as he nudged her head off of his arm with his shoulder. She made an unhappy noise when he did this, but he ignored it.

"Murrue," He continued to drag it on, he wasn't letting this one go and he made that clear.

She spoke up, surprising him out of his questioning. "I feel like something bad is going to happen to all of us. The feeling is there nagging at me almost all of the time. It's almost like the feeling alone sucks the life right out of me, but I think the ability to sense it is what takes the energy out from me," She didn't really understand what was happening, and that's part of the reason she didn't want to tell him, but she knows better then to think that he won't get it out of her.

"Kind of like a sixth sense? Like you can feel something you know is there but you just can't see it?" He understood.

"Yeah, it's like it's there, but…not," Murrue answered, and then her eyes suddenly widened. "But how-

"I felt the same thing with Rau Le Cruset, it's like it's another part of you. Do you get headaches when you start to sense something?"

"Yes, but the minute I lose the feeling the headache vanishes," She was amazed yet relieved all at the same time at how he understood exactly what she was going through and how easily he could relate.

Mu looked up at the sky. This was the exact same thing that he had to go trough. But why was it happening to her? Was it because of him? If he was making her suffer because they're together, than what would things be like for her if they weren't? He was causing her pain.

"Wait, no, stop it right there, Flaga. Do you actually think she'd be happier without you by her side? There's no way in hell I'm leaving her, so whatever's going on we're gonna get through it together," Mu fought with his inner self. He could not, would not leave her. Not a chance.

"It scares me, Mu. Like there's something out there that knows I'm here," Murrue looked down, away from his piercing blue gaze.

"It's alright, whatever it is that's out there; it's not going to get to you. I promise you that," Mu soothed, but it only made Murrue shudder.

"It's not that I'm afraid…of whatever is out there, I'm afraid because of what you just said. That you'll protect me, but yet, the last time you tried to save me, you almost…you almost…"

"Murrue,"

"NO, MU! I'm not going to let you sacrifice yourself for me anymore! If you're going to fight then-

"Murrue, what do you expect me to do? Sit back and watch you- Murrue held her hand up to silence him.

"If you're going to fight, then I'll be right there next to you, fighting by your side,"

The day that I first saw tears

I couldn't do anything

I just gripped your hand

Mu was amazed as she smiled at him and reached for his hand in the water. He felt her squeeze his hand comfortingly. She trusted him, and that was more than enough to make him happy.

Tired from crying, about to fall asleep

You turned to me and whispered

"I'm Sorry," and smiled a little

"So, how's your leg?" Murrue changed the subject, but neither of them minded. The subject was starting to get stale anyway.

"Actually, it's not bothering me. I'm surprised, I figured it would," He was lying, his leg burnt like a mother the minute he stepped foot in the springs, but he hated making her worry.

"Liar," But she knew, she always knew.

The reason I couldn't even

Say "goodbye" properly was that

I got the feeling that I'd

See you again. Or…

"And how's your head?" Mu asked her, repeating her question like an echo, getting even with her.

"AS good as it's going to be given the situation," Murrue answered while looking up at him reassuringly. "It doesn't really bother me anymore,"

"Liar,"

That day I was first scolded

I was speechless I just

Hung my head in shame


On the other side of the rock, the rest of the crew sat there relaxing in the hot springs, lost in their own minds. The guys, of course, were still regretfully on their own side, while the girls were peacefully on theirs. But you guys weren't actually thinking it would stay like for long, right?

"There is no way I'm staying on this side of the rock, you all know that right?" Cagalli spoke up as she swam over to the gap where the rock broke off, leaving a hole for her to get to the other side.

"I was waiting for you to say that," Mir relied happily as she followed suit.

"Hey, Lacus, you coming?" Cagalli called out to her from the gap before swimming through to the other side.

"Coming!" Lacus didn't know where this was going, but she was prepared to find out.

Cagalli swam over to Athrun while the other two swam to their respective mates while Yzak just sat alone.

"Athrun!" She yelled excitedly.

"Wh- Cagalli?"

"Hi," She answered back, suddenly shy.

"Hi," He answered back, diverting his gaze.

"What's wrong, Athrun?"

You turned your back

And left the room

And made the same wounds in my heart

"Don't you think it's strange…at how we're just able to relax like this? It feels like it's too good to be true, and like we should be doing something about it," He answered uneasily, hoping Cagalli got his point.

"There's nothing we really can do, Athrun, it's not like we can fly out of here. Even if we tried, fly to where? There are just trees for miles and miles, we wouldn't get anywhere," Cagalli went over it in her mind. The chances of them actually being able to make something that would fl, is less than likely, but if for some strange reason they were successful, they'd need a cliff to drop off of.

Cagalli had to stop herself, but the thought wouldn't leave her alone. She'd have to bring it up with the group later. Building a flying machine is better than just sitting there imagining them out of there.

"Cagalli, Woohoo?" Cagalli had been so caught up with her thoughts that she didn't realized Athrun waving his hand in front of her face until her mind caught up with reality. She promptly snatched his hand and pulled it out of her face, and locked her golden orbs with his green ones.

That's what we were like.

Cagalli and Athrun's faces began to inch closer together slowly. Neither noticed…or maybe they just didn't care. Whichever the case, they were about to initiate in an intimate moment. They were a hairs breath away, caught up in the lusty air surrounding them. They were breathing each others air, gold and green splashing within the other, their reflections in the water next to them. Their just might have been something, might have, but of course you can't win if you are Cagalli and Athrun, you just can't.

"Hey, save it for when we don't have to watch!" Dearka's loud voice echoed off of the cliff towering above them. It kind of made them want to strangle Dearka right then and there. One of them could grab his neck and start choking him while the other comes from above and drags him down underneath the surface.

Dearka watched as the same thought crossed across both of their minds. He didn't really know what they were planning but he wasn't sure he wanted to. But, before anyone could hurt Dearka, Milly came over to see what was going on. Upon seeing Athrun and Cagalli, she decided to dig deeper into the matter.

"What did he do now?" So much for digging, things are so obvious when it comes down to Dearka, no digging necessary.

"Nothing," Cagalli and Athrun said at the same time, no use in letting Milly know what they were up to, that might actually suck.

Milly, not interested in pressing the matter any further, grabbed Dearka and pulled him away so that she could continue her conversation with Lacus and Kira. Cagalli and Athrun were left blinking in confusion. Their target there one minute and gone the next.

"Well, now that that moment was ruined," Athrun blurted out mindlessly breaking them out of their trance.

"It's not the first one ruined by king of stupidity," Cagalli nodded her head in agreement to Athrun's statement and her own.


Meanwhile, with Kira, Lacus, Dearka, Milly, and Yzak, well, let's just say Yzak's having a bad day. All four of them were ganging up on him making fun of his inability to get a girlfriend. It resulted with all of them laughing at him and Yzak splashing the hot water at all of them causing them to laugh even harder. Too bad for Yzak he can't just get up out of the hot springs and leave, if he tried that, the entire group wouldn't stop laughing at him for a long time.
Moving back to Mu and Murrue, chill out I'm not done with the rest of them yet, their not getting off that easily, not by a long shot. This is gonna get lemony, I will warn you right now. No, not hot naked sex lemony, but the content of it all will be slightly…sexual.

Mu and Murrue had eventually settled down next to each other. Murrue was sitting in between Mu's legs with her head resting against his chest. He was leaning over her, his chin on the top of her head. Everything was peaceful and calm, that is until Murrue shifted positions and moved her body up against his, which was unfortunate for him. Now he couldn't stop thinking about her wet body sliding up against his. He kept picturing her butt sliding across his groin when she moved. Then when he looked down to shake off these feelings he was getting, he looked straight down into the clear water and saw her chest, her big, hard to miss, very good looking chest. Murrue must not have noticed him freezing up.

"Mu?"

His head shot up from where his vision was glued only moments before. Her eyes, those captivating eyes, and her face, it was way too beautiful to resist, and then his eyes landed on her lips. Her naturally full lips, the lipstick she had on for the party long gone. Before he knew what he was doing, he hungrily covered her mouth with his.

They meet again somewhere today

Those two people who understand each other

A tale of lost love

Is repeated again

She was taken aback by this, but only for a few seconds before she opened her mouth so that he could intensify the kiss. She pushed him back into the rock they were once peacefully leaning on so that she could use just as much force as the situation called. Her leg ran in between his legs, causing him to moan into the kiss. They were playing one of their games again.

The reason I couldn't even

Say "goodbye" properly was that

I got the feeling I'd see

You again. Or…

Mu responded by sliding a hand up her side until it whispered across her breast, making her fold into his arms, collapsing against him. It was clear she wanted him, and it was even clearer that he wanted her. They continued to grope each other, touch each other, and feel each other. The insane passion of it all could probably kill someone. There's no way it can get any more intense, however. No matter how caught up in the moment they both get. He never goes too far, he never takes her where she doesn't want to go. If she wants to stop, then he stops, no matter how much he wants her, he respects her.

They meet again somewhere today

Those two people who understand each other

A tale of lost love

Is repeated again

"I'm glad I met you Mu," Murrue blurted out as they released their hold on each other slightly.

"I don't know where'd I'd be with out you right now," Murrue whispered as she rested her forehead on his, her arms around his shoulders.

"Well you most certainly wouldn't be making out with anyone in a hot springs stranded in the middle of the woods," Mu ruined it.

"Leave it to you to ruin the moment," Murrue smiled and kissed him lightly on the lips.

"It's my job," Mu moved Murrue's hair out of her face.

"Look, another impossible feat made possible by Mu La Flaga," Murrue teased as she moved away from him and made her way to the other side of the hot springs to explore a little.

Mu pouted slightly when she moved away from him, but he stayed where he was, giving her space.

Murrue half swam, half walked where she could stand over to the ledge, she didn't think she'd see much, but when she got to the ledge and looked over, she saw more than just rocks.

"MU, COME OVER HERE!"

Mu was startled out of his daze when he heard her startled voice. He was immediately making his way over to her side.

"What is it, something wrong?" He then followed her gaze and had to swallow a gasp.

Over the ledge was a beautiful opening. There was a waterfall flowing not to far away into what looked like a lake, except far more luxurious. Around the lake was land covered in green grass and flowers, the trees towered above it, leaving little blotches of sunlight here and there.

"It's just like a dream," Murrue mumbled as her eyes scanned over the paradise over and over again.

"I think we need to move camp," Mu couldn't resist the thought of staying down there until they got out of this mess, but suddenly their mess…wasn't so messy anymore.

"We should tell the oth- ahh!" Murrue stopped short and grabbed her head in pain.

"Murrue!" Mu caught her before she fell into the water face first.

"What's wrong?"

"That feeling…its back, but it's different this time. It's never hurt this bad before," She writhed in his arms as he held her.

Mu started to lead her over to the ledge of the springs to get her out of the water. He picked up his white dress shirt from the ground and put it on her. He sat her down in the grass not to far form the water. She dug her nails into his arms in her pain; the sharp bolt through her head was not letting up. He wanted to do something for her, but he knew better than anyone that's it's impossible to stop until whatever she is sensing leaves or is killed. Whatever is hunting them, it's close.


Back on the other side of the hot springs with the teen heat, Cagalli and Athrun separated themselves from the rest of the group, trying to finish their moment.

They found themselves on the side the girls originally started on. Cagalli wrapped her arms around Athrun's neck gently. Athrun decided to take advantage of this rare moment of calmness from Cagalli, and rested his hands on her waist. Cagalli brushed her lips against his, if only slightly, causing an involuntary shiver to run up his back. He tried to deepen the kiss, but the stubborn princess was in total control. She intensified the kiss so slowly it was almost painful for the ace pilot. It was officially the slowest make out session he had ever had with the blonde. He still couldn't decide whether or not he liked it more then their usual hungry attacks at each other. He eventually decided it didn't matter to him, as long as he was with her. After a while Cagalli let him feel her up a bit, his hands wandered all over her body, touching her wherever she allowed him too. What he really wanted was to just pick her up and throw her down in the woods and take her right then in there, but he knew that was wishful thinking.

The kiss eventually died down and they both relaxed in the water again. It was blissful silence until Cagalli had an idea.

"Hey, you wanna spy on the rest of them?" She smiled mischievously at Athrun who smiled back in much the same way.

"We got nothing better to do," He answered back while grabbing her hand and pulling her over to the crack in the rock making sure to stay out of sight.

During that time, Dearka and Miriallia managed to slip away into the woods. Dearka insisted that he thought he saw something on their way over to the springs and Milly said she'd investigate on it with him.

Then it was Yzak, Lacus, and Kira. Yzak and Kira still weren't on the best of terms since the war, but they still held a comfortable conversation here and there. Still, Yzak made the decision to explore the rest of the springs, they spread out pretty far, he probably needed some time to collect his thoughts, so no one questioned his leaving, and they'd find him before they left.

Now it was Kira and Lacus time. They were a shy couple, and Athrun and Cagalli knew that, but they were hoping that maybe the shy couples were the ones that did all the crazy shit. No likely, but, they were bored.

"Athrun, move over I can't see,"

"They're just talking; I'll let you know when something good happens,"

"No, Athrun, I wanna see now," Cagalli and Athrun started fidgeting, causing the water to splash and ripple, making Kira and Lacus turn to see what was going on.

Athrun and Cagalli quickly hid behind the rock divider, dead silent. Kira and Lacus shook it off and continued their conversation. Athrun and Cagalli quickly returned to their spots to spy some more. They were satisfied to see the situation becoming more interesting. Kira and Lacus were now facing each other looking into each others eyes, inching closer and closer. Cagalli and Athrun now stopped breathing and stared in awe as the couples lips met in a heart warming kiss. Of course it didn't last long, but it was something. They went in for another kiss, this was making Cagalli and Athrun's day, until that is they both started fidgeting again shoving each other out the others way. This went on for only a little while, it would've went on for longer, that is if they both didn't lose their balance and fall face first into the side of the springs Kira and Lacus were on. The both fell with a huge splash, snapping Kira and Lacus out of their kiss to watch in shock as the pair fell onto their side. Cagalli and Athrun looked up at the same time to meet Kira and Lacus's skeptical gazes.

"Uhm, hi how ya' doin?" Athrun blurted the first that came to his mind out, while Cagalli just face palmed.

While Athrun, Kira, Cagalli, and Lacus sorted out their slight issue, we'll move on to Milly and Dearka.


Dearka pulled Milly down the path they walked up only a little more than an hour before to get there. He wouldn't tell Mir where exactly they were going, so Milly was getting aggravated with him. She continuously questioned him about where they were going and that if he didn't spill or the surprise wasn't good then he was in trouble, and when Milly said there was gonna be trouble, there was definitely going to be trouble.

"Ugh, come on Dearka, what could you have possibly seen in this forest? The only things I see are trees and more trees," Milly whined yet again as he continued to hold her by the wrist now dragging her off the path through weeds and flowers.

"Just a few more feet," Dearka muttered, not really knowing if she heard him right.

Milly was just about to come up with another retort, until she saw where he was taking her. It was a small fountain almost. There was a tiny stream babbling into it. It wasn't big at all, it was just the end of a stream, the water having no where else tog o, pooling at the end, getting deeper and deeper as the years pass by. Someday, it will be a lake big enough to take a boat out on, but until that day, this was perfect for the two.

Dearka sat her down on a boulder by the little pond. He let his hand drift across his pocket to make sure it was still there. He then got down on one knee in front of her, causing her to swallow hard, feeling her heart speed up inside of her chest.

"Is he- Milly didn't finish her thought as he pulled the little black box out of his pocket, but before he opened it, he said something that she wouldn't be able to shake off for a long time.

"Miriallia, it's been an honor to be with you. These past 3 months have been…unforgettable to say the least. You have an amazing family, and I'm grateful that you allowed me into your home. There is no way I can ever repay you, but, don't think that will stop me from trying," There was no laugh in his voice. His eyes were dead serious, the cocky air to his personality forced out and far away from him.

He then opened the little black velvet box to reveal a beautiful diamond ring, gold band engraved with tiny flowers, a large orange tinted diamond placed in the center. She felt her breathe get stuck in her throat as she looked at it. He pulled it out, and she could barely make out an I Love You engraved on the inside. He slipped it on her right ring finger, and then looked up into her eyes. The look she gave him made him smile; she was demanding an explanation without even opening her mouth.

"A friendship ring, nothing more, nothing less," His reasoning caused her to let out a long sigh. She almost started to think he was proposing to her. That would have been one shock too great for her.

She then realized the sun starting to sink in the sky slightly, it would be dark in a few hours, and they still needed to get back to camp and start a fire and give a taste test to that weird looking fruit her and Dearka had picked earlier that day.

"We should head back, we have some things to do back at camp," Milly spoke up while standing.

"Yeah, I guess your right," Dearka managed with a yawn and a stretch, it wasn't until then he noticed they were both only in their undergarments, although it seemed Milly had forgotten, so he wouldn't embarrass her. He then moved forward and began to walk, until that is she stopped him in his tracks.

"Oh, and Dearka," She moved in and stood right in front of him. "Thank you, for the ring…for everything," She then stood on her tip toes and kissed him on the lips and then just as quickly, left him in her wake, dazed and staring with his mouth hanging open, just like always.


Back at the springs, Athrun and Cagalli's little quarrel with Kira and Lacus turned into a full force water fight. Lacus, who had been trying to keep her hair dry now gave up on that feat as she splashed water allover Cagalli who was too busy to care. She was too occupied trying to soak her younger brother. It was an all out war. Yzak, who had come back from his venturing, stopped short when he saw the quartet battling it out in the springs. He decided it best to step back a little and watch in amusement from a distance.

Just as Yzak sat down by a tree in the shade, Milly and Dearka popped out of nowhere, scaring the hell out of Yzak.

"Geeze, give me a little more warning next time!" Yzak exclaimed as he jumped up upon seeing Dearka's feet by his side.

"Sorry man, I didn't even see you there," Dearka replied in a kind manner rather then snapping back at him.

"Well someone's in a good mood," Yzak teased his friend as Dearka flashed his trademark cocky gin at him before moving forward to break up the fight in the springs.

"Ok ladies, parties over, move along please,"

Milly and Yzak chuckled as he returned to sitting on the ground, Milly eventually following suit. It was then that Yzak saw the ring.

"So he finally gave you that thing huh?" He questioned casually as he watched Dearka put Athrun in a headlock.

Milly looked over at him surprised.

"He's been saving up for that thing for a long time now,"

"Really, just how much has he been saving up?" Milly questioned eyeing Yzak as he spoke his next few words, a smirk on his lips.

"Take it from me, if I told you, you'd no doubt go into cardiac arrest,"

Milly smiled as she watched in admiration, the boy that never ceased to amaze her.


Back with Mu and Murrue, they still sat in the grass, Murrue still in his arms. She was still conscious, surprisingly, considering how much pain she was in not long before. The tears that had begun to fall during her twinge were now dried to her face as she finally lifted her head from his chest.

"Are you ok?" He questioned, looking deep into her tawny orbs for an answer.

"Yes, I'm alright, Mu, thank you,"

"You think your ok enough to walk back over to see what's going on with the others, I think it's time we to back to camp anyway.

"I'm fine, Mu, have you forgotten what I told you? Once the feeling is gone things are back to normal, I'll be fine until I have another 'attack' we'll put it.

"As long as you're ok," MU eyes her suspiciously until he heard screaming and laughing coming from the other side.

"Come one, let's go se what's going on!" Murrue exclaimed as she pulled Mu along. He went along with her smiling and laughing, but made sure to tuck his concern away where he could regain it quickly, he knew it wasn't the end of those 'attacks' for Murrue, that's for sure.

The minute they got over there they stepped in the water the grass could not absorb, making them leave footprints everywhere.

"What happened here?" MU asked as the girls finished putting on the guys white dress shirts that were formally tossed all over the ground.

"Water war, you can ask Athrun and Cagalli what fueled it," Kira answered while casting a side glance over to his best friend and younger sister.

"I don't think we want to know," Murrue butted in before they heard something they'd live better without knowing.

"I think what Murrue really means is that we should head back to camp, right, Murrue?" Milly winked in Murrue's direction and Murrue winked back seemingly unnoticed by the rest.

"You must've read my mind Milly, let's get back, we still have some unidentifiable fruit waiting for us to test," Murrue reminded slightly cringing at the thought of eating the fruit Milly and Dearka had brought back, it looked really whacked out.

Everyone agreed and moved forward, grabbing their clothes as they went, along the trail that led back to camp. Cagalli, Athrun, Yzak, Kira, and Lacus all trailed behind while Dearka and Mu paired up behind Milly and Murrue.

"Man, we're really scoring good with our ladies aren't we, Mu?" Dearka laughed as he put his hands behind his head.

"Damn straight, kid, damn straight," Mu agreed as he let out a casual sigh.

"I gave her the ring," Dearka announced suddenly serious.

"Bout time," Mu smiled at him and ruffled his hair a bit, then continued to move on in silence, the air suddenly a lot lighter than before.

The whole ring thing was a secret between all the guys. Dearka saved for 2 months before he could afford to buy a ring worth a whole whopping $700. All of the guys offered to help pay for it, but Dearka insisted that he would do it himself, which is exactly what he did. But now that he gave it to Milly, the secret was out. Then again, he knows that the first person she will tell is Murrue, and he knows Murrue wouldn't breathe a word if Milly told her not too.

Milly and Murrue were walking talking about random things and places when Murrue suddenly decided to ask Milly a random question.

"So, how are things with macho man back there?" Murrue asked with some humor referring to Dearka. That was a new habit of hers, she was laid back and joked around a lot more then she had ever done. Milly couldn't decide if that was just how she was outside of the war, or if it was from being around Mu for the past few months, or maybe a combination of both, who knows, which ever the case, she was happy to see the former captain in high spirits, it was good for her.

Milly flashed the ring on her right hand up into Murrue's view. Murrue grabbed Milly's hand to closely examine the ring.

"My god, it's huge! That must've cost him a fortune!" Murrue gasped as she turned to Milly.

"Tell me about it, Yzak told me that if he told me the price that I would have a heart attack, and for some weird reason I believe him," Both women laughed at this as they continued to walk.

Before they all knew it they were back at camp plopping themselves down on random logs and on the ground after tossing their cloths down everywere. All at one time they shifted their gazes over to the piles after piles of fruit.

"So, who's first?" Mu broke the uncomfortable silence.

"Age before beauty," Dearka blurted out.

"Smart ass," Mu muttered under his breath before picking up a weird looking fruit that looked like a cross between a peach and a banana.

"Oh well this should be fun," Yzak smiled a wistful smile as he picked up a fruit that he didn't' know what to compare to. It sort of looked like an apple with grapes stuck to it.

"What the hell happened to this fruit?" Kira questioned as he picked up a mutated one and held it before his eyes.

Before Kira could even guess what he was about to eat, Dearka snatched the fruit out of his hand.

"May I present to you, a strapple,"

"Oh boy," Milly covered her face with her palm. "This is gonna take awhile,"

Everyone eventually had a fruit in their hand, now they had to decide who would be going first.

"Why don't we flip a coin?" Cagalli suggested, eyeing up her strange looking fruit that she really didn't want to eat.

"We could if any of us had a coin to flip," Athrun stated looking down, thinking of an alternative.

They sat for awhile in silence until Kira came up with an idea.

"I have one, why don't we go boy girl from youngest to oldest,"

Mu and Murrue cast happy looks at one another, seeing that they were oldest, they got to see all of the others suffer before them while they sat back and watched.

"That's a good idea, let's do it like that," Lacus nodded her head in agreement, even though she knew that she will end up ultimately being one of the first girls to go.

"Alright," Cagalli spoke up next. "Now we need to find out whose birthday is whose and go through the order.

We'll start with myself, my birthday's on May 28, C.E. 55

"Athrun?"

"October 29, C.E. 55,"

"Dearka?"

"March 29, C.E. 54,"

"Milly?"

"February 7, C.E. 55,"

"Lacus?"

"February 5, C.E. 55,"

"Kira, your birthday is the same as mine, but I'm still older,"

"Mu?"

"November 29, C.E. 43,"

"Murrue?"

"October 12, C.E. 45,"

"And Yzak?"

"August 8, C.E. 54,"

"Ok, did anybody write that down by chance?" Cagalli smiled sheepishly while rubbing the back of her neck,"

Everyone was about to yell some form of profanity out at her until Mu spoke up.

"Kira will go first, then Cagalli, then after them it will be Athrun and Lacus, then Yzak and Milly, after then Dearka and Murrue, and then the last to go is myself,"

"Wow, good job, Mu," Dearka applauded Mu on his memory so they wouldn't have to go through that again.

"Thanks, kid, now can we just get this over with?"

Kira picked up a fruit that looked like, well, he couldn't really decide, maybe a pear? No, it was more like a mango, but then again it could be a peach. Whatever, all that he knew was that this could be the death of him, he survives an entire war with no military training and then he gets killed by a fruit, wonderful.

He stared at it, then smelled it a little, then went back to staring.

"Come on, Yamato, we don't have all day," Yzak spat impatiently as he tapped his foot against the long he was perched on.

"Im going, I'm going! Just lay off would ya?" Kira snapped back as he brought the fruit a little closer to his mouth.

He finally took a bite seeing that Yzak was losing his patience. He chewed for a while, trying to get the taste, then after a lot of tasting and staring from his comrades, he swallowed.

"Well?" Now Cagalli was getting impatient.

"…"

Everyone stared some more, waiting for Kira to answer.

"…this one's a keeper," Kira spoke as he put the fruit in front of him.

"Why don't we make two piles, one for the good ones, one for the bad ones," Athrun suggested to the group as they all nodded in agreement.

Cagalli was about to go one and taste her fruit when she suddenly heard noises coming from the direction of the fire.

"Yzak, what are you up to?" Cagalli questioned him.

Yzak didn't answer but instead threw some wood in the fire and stuck some leaves underneath it. He then pulled out a lighter from his pocked and began igniting some of the leaves.

"What are you doing with a lighter in your pocket, Yzak?" Dearka inquired as one of his eyebrows rose.

"It's a standard military issued lighter, you know, the ones they gave us in case of an emergency and we get stranded on an island," Yzak looked over to a blushing Athrun and Cagalli as he said this.

"WHAT? There's nothing wrong with getting stranded on an island," Athrun defended with Cagalli backing him up.

Yzak just shrugged his shoulders and continued doing his work on the fire. He eventually got a small flame going and returned to his spot on the log.

"Alright, my turn," Cagalli said confidently as she picked up her fruit.

"Hey, of you look at it sideways, it kind of looks like a, a plum," Mu turned his head to see if he wasn't just hallucinating. Murrue then turned her head like him to see what he meant.

"You know, it kind of does," She agreed with him as she squinted her eyes.

"Hey, can I just get this over with?" Cagalli snorted as Mu and Murrue turned their heads back.

Cagalli then took a vicious bit out of her fruit, but as soon as her teeth dig into it, she was immediately spewing the fruit out in front of her.

"NO, DEFINETELY NOT!" She yelled as she tossed the fruit into the fire. It was calm for a few seconds, then the flame started sparking causing Yzak to jump and hide behind Murrue protectively. The flame then grew a little bigger, which was a good thing kind of.

Murrue smiled at Yzak sweetly. "Hey, Yzak?"

"Yeah?"

"Move,"

"Yes, ma'am,"

"Now who goes?" Lacus asked from beside Kira.

"I think it's me," Athrun answered regretfully.

"Ok, Athrun, go for it," Mu said as he tossed Athrun a fruit.

"I think I'm just gonna classify this one as unidentifiable," Athrun spoke as he swallowed the lump forming in his throat.

"Don't be such a pansy Zala," Cagalli said mockingly.

"I'm NOT a pansy," Athrun said as he took a huge bit into his fruit. After he finished chewing he smiled and put the fruit in the piled that Kira started to form.

"Another good one it seems," Athrun announced happily.

"Lacus, you're next," Kira said while handing Lacus a friendly looking fruit. It looked like a cross between a pear and an apple. (There are such things as a pear apple, I ate one when I was in California)

Lacus bravely took the fruit form Kira's hand and took a bite. Judging by the look on her face it was a good one. She then gently placed the fruit in the keepers pile.

"Yzak, your turn," Murrue smiled as she passed Yzak a fruit.

"If Lacus can do it like a man, then I guess I can," Those were Yzak's last words before biting into the fruit that sort of looked like an apple with grapes popping out of it.

He sat there almost like he was thinking about what to say about it. He eventually spoke up.

"Hey, this is pretty- Famous last words I suppose. Yzak spit the fruit out on the ground and continued to spit out the vile taste.

Murrue's eyes widened slightly as she watched him spit it out, now not feeling to confident about when her turn would come up.

Dearka handed a fruit to Milly while Yzak added to the fire, making it grow a little more. Milly's fruit kind of looked like a pineapple combined with a cantaloupe except without the outer peel. She looked it funny before talking a slow bite out of it. It didn't take her long to make her evaluation. She didn't make and faces or anything. She kept it straight, making everyone wonder if it was good or not. She then slowly leaned over and set it in the good pile.

"Dearka," Milly began. "You can eat your strapple now,"

Dearka's face lit up, "Yes!" He then quickly bit into it.

"So, how is it?" Milly asked.

"Good, just like I thought," He answered while tossing the fruit into the pile.

"Murrue,"

Murrue flinched at her name, she didn't want to, but things were going good with the other fruits for the most part, she had nothing to worry about.

Mu passed her the fruit that she was about to eat. It looked pretty normal to her. It kind of resembled an orange and a strawberry. She slowly brought it up to her mouth and then took a bite. It tasted good for a few seconds until-

"Ewe,"

Murrue turned around and spit the fruit out. Mu gathered her hair as she continued to spit the bits out into the bushes. She then turned around and threw the fruit full force into the fire knocking the logs over, surprising even herself, causing the fire to spark and then explode into a wild flame. Everyone just sat and stared at the fire until it died down a little about a minute later.

"Mu," Murrue whispered to her lover.

"Yes?"

"Your turn," She answered as she shoved a fruit into his hand.

"It looked like a freaking mutated banana," Dearka pointed out.

"Nah, it looks more like a peach," Kira argued.

"No way, peaches aren't pointy like that!" Dearka snapped back turning to face Kira.

"Yeah, just like bananas aren't round!" Kira defended getting his face even closer to Dearka's.

"ALRIGHT, THAT"S ENOUGH OF THAT!" Mu hollered shutting the two up.

"Let's just get this over with," Mu took a bite out of the fruit. Right after it touched his mouth he stuck it in the pile forming in the middle.

"Hey, we're done," Cagalli announced happily.

"What about the rest of the fruit though?" Lacus inquired.

"We'll take it as it goes, we don't need to make ourselves suffer anymore," Milly answered back trying to ignore the fruit sitting behind her.

"Second me on that one," Athrun agreed as did the rest of the group.

"Well now what?" Yzak asked out of nowhere.

"Looks like we didn't get as much fire wood as we would've hoped," Murrue pointed out at the small pile on the ground next to their now, thanks to the fruit, roaring fire.

"I guess we should go find some more, huh?" Cagalli asked as she stood up to go on another firewood hunt.

"I'll go get some, you stay put, Cagalli," Mu cut her off as he stood up and stretched.

"I'll go with," Murrue also stood.

The duo was about to walk away before Milly spoke.

"Maybe we should get dressed first," Everyone then blushed and scrambled around for their clothes.

The guys pulled on their pants as the girls gave up their shirts and slipped dresses back on. Once that was done Mu and Murrue were on their way again.

"What do you want us to do?" Dearka looked up at Mu as he turned around.

Separate those fruits and throw the nasty ones in the fire," He answered back simply as he and Murrue disappeared into the woods.

"Be careful, it's starting to get dark out!" Milly called out to them, but she didn't think they heard.

"I'm worried about them," Milly frowned as Dearka touched her hand gently with his unnoticed.

"They'll be fine," Dearka reassured.

"Yeah, I sure hope your right,"

"So, Mu, are we really out here for fire wood?" Murrue asked slyly as they slowed to a stop.

They were close enough to the campsite to run back if there was a problem, but far enough to be alone. The sun had set, so the only thing giving them light was the brightening moon.

"You must've been reading my mind again, love"

Just as Mu went to push his lips against hers, they heard a rustling in the bushes. Mu stopped and looked in the direction of the noise, Murrue hid behind him as they approached the bush.

"Dearka, if I find out that's you your done," Mu snarled as he went to kick the bush, that is until he heard a low angry growl.

Murrue whimpered and pulled him back away from the bush. They were about to turn and leave when whatever was in the bush jumped out. It was too dark to make out what exactly it was that was after them, but judging by the way it was snarling and coming at them was enough convincing that it wasn't happy.

"Murrue, run," Mu said quietly yet forcefully as he grabbed her arm and pulled her back through the woods.

They continued to run at a fast pace, the creature that had just emerged from the bush right on their tails. How far had they gone form camp? They continued to speed up, that is until Murrue lost her footing and tripped.

"MU!"

Mu immediately turned around and pulled her up as they continued to run. They could then make out the fire that was burning at camp. They approached it fast, the thing still on right behind them. They stormed through camp scaring the shit out of the teens who were now sorting through he fruits.

"RUN!" MU yelled as him and Murrue continued running into the other half of the woods.

"WHY!" Dearka yelled back.

"JUST DO IT!" The group then saw what they were running from and got up faster then hell.

They all eventually all caught up to the fleeing Mu and Murrue.

"MU, WHERE ARE WE GOING?" Dearka voiced out for the group.

Mu scanned the forest until his eyes landed on something.

"JUST KEEP GOING STRAIGHT!"

They all eventually came upon a cave that they made no hesitation in sprinting into. Once they were all in Murrue collapsed to the ground with Mu right behind her. She lay in his arms panting heavily, tawny eyes wide as a saucer.

"Murrue, are you alright?" Mu questioned.

Then the headache came. Murrue cried out as she started to squirm in pain, Mu held onto her as tightly as he could.

"So those are the things that she's been sensing," Mu thought to himself.

"What now?" Milly asked. As if to answer her question, the ground started to shake, knocking them all off their feet. The rocks at the opening to the cave started to fall around them, the small cave rattling around like it would crumble. The entrance started to grow smaller and smaller as the rocks blocked the mouth of the cave. When the rumbling stopped, the entire entrance was covered.

Dearka approached the entrance and stared up at it almost angrily, eyes slightly widened.

"Oh shit,"


:yes! Chapter 6 is finally here! Im so sorry guys! I've been so busy lately with school and what not.. my mom is also in the hospital so there's where half of the confusion came from right their…but now its here and I hope you enjoyed. the next chapter wont take nearly as long to post, so don't worry about that.. please excuse the spelling errors I know are there.. ill edit later.. I just wanted to get this thing posted.. as much as I hate the snow, if you live in pa... pray for snow cuz im not in the mood for school tom ;) I don't even have a voice right now.. damn cold.. so anyway.. I havn't decided what the creature that was after them is going to look like, so if you have an idea feel free to share xD until next time - - lith - - oh and also.. I have an estimation of how long this story will be.. probably 5 to 6 more chapters and a sequel.. so don't worry, its far from being over :3 see ya! ahh i almost forgot.. thelyrics i used in here.. meanig the italisized stuff i used when they were in the hot springs.. the song's name in "Scar" and it belongs to Ayumi Hamasaki..not me..ok, now im done...see you all later :)