Hi, guys! I'm sorry that it took me longer than normal to update! I couldn't get to my computer. I hope this chapter you'll enjoy, though.

Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam SEED Destiny.

Shinn held his gaze with the gawking people, the fear in his eyes evident, before hurriedly limping to the abandoned corner in the room. Shinn escaped from the couch too quickly and met the consequences with a wave of drowsiness and a pounding headache throbbing beneath his skull. Luna called to him, telling him to sit back down. He didn't listen. He couldn't even comprehend what she was saying. He was frightened. His eyes resembled those of a deer caught in blinding headlights as his pupils darted from one person to the other. He pushed his back into the wall, wishing he could slip through it, away from everyone.

He didn't understand. He couldn't tell if they knew or not. They just stared. No one moved. Before his mind's eye, the people in the room charged at him, waving their hands in the air. They called him a monster, a murderer. A freak. Insults were thrown at him, fear and disgust glazed over their eyes. They were in a trance.

Destroy.

Destroy the creature.

Destroy the thing. He can hurt you. He can kill you. He can kill those important to you.

Kill him.

"Shinn!" Luna screeched. She ran to his side noticing the quiet hyperventilation escaping his mouth. He was frightened. Truly frightened. She needed to get everyone out of the room.

"Can you all step out of the room, please?" she asked politely, or at least as politely as she could with the panic lacing its way into her words.

Doing as she said, the group of soldiers vacated the room leaving Shinn with Luna who gently guided Shinn back to the couch. He was now coming out of his fearful state and forcefully brushed her helpful hand away.

"Shinn," she called to him carefully. "Don't worry--"

"Don't worry?! Luna, how can I not worry?! You and your big mouth spilled my biggest secret! What were you thinking?!" he snapped, standing up sharply, ignoring the pain in his head and the sudden urge to fall to the ground.

Lunamaria knew that this was going to happen. She knew...but she didn't think that it would hurt so much to feel Shinn's anger. It wasn't the first time Shinn had yelled at her, but it was the first time that the fault was hers. Other times he unleashed the strength of his vocal chords it was because he was troubled, angry with himself. He had never actually been angry with her before.

The sting of his words brought on her own anger. She helped him! She stuck her neck out for him! He could've died if it wasn't for her decision to call the Archangel! That's a wonderful way to thank her, Shinn! Great! That's just great!

"I was thinking of saving you, Shinn! Is that so wrong?! I had to tell them! Or did you forget that you fell unconcious?!"

"You didn't have to tell them the whole damn story! You could've lied! That would have been better!"

"You want to make me even more of a liar, now?! I already have to lie to the entire ZAFT military, my own sister, my friends, and now you'll have me lie to the people who helped you live?"

"Rather than let all of the people who are with me on a daily basis give me looks of disgust!"

"This is ridiculous! They won't hate you! They know you!"

"What about the last person who 'knew' me?! Nothing stopped her from pointing a finger at me or telling me how much of a disgusting creature I am, or did you forget?! What's stopping the same thing to happen twice, huh?!"

Luna momentarily stopped, her face flushed, her breaths ragged from their heated arguement. Of course she couldn't forget! She remembered everything. She remembered the fear she felt. She remembered the blood. She remembered the tears. Nothing could ever cause her to forget such a traumatic experience--not even Shinn, who tried with all of his might to forget it himself.

"The same thing will not happen twice! Everyone outside that door knows who you are! They don't care about what you are, Shinn! Circumstances are different and history will not repeat itself!"

"History always repeats itself!"

Luna cried out in annoyance. He was impossible! This argument was impossible! She couldn't stand this anymore! Sucking in as much courage as she could, she slapped Shinn across the face. Touching his fingers to the red mark on his face, he stared at the girl in front of him with shock written on his features. He searched her face, trying to find the answer as to why this sudden impulse of hers took place, but only found tears welling up in the corners of her eyes.

"Stop this!" she screamed, waving her hands in the air. "Stop being afraid of yourself!"

"...What?"

"You're so scared of those PINE genes inside of you! You think that you'll end up hurting people, so you push everyone away! You're a fool to think that you're a monster and even more of a fool to believe that your friends feel the same way!"

Silence met her outburst, so she continued, finally lowering her voice. "We want to help you face your fear, but we can't do that if you won't let us come close to that fear, Shinn."

"I don't even want to come close to it," he whispered to her, guilt rising up in him now. He knew that she was right, but after all of this he couldn't quite keep the bonds of friendship together. The fear inside of him never fails to cut away at the bond, slowly snipping at the strands, until it finally breaks, losing any chance at showering him with the feelings of happiness and love and trust. He wanted to tape the strands back together, but it's hard.

"All of us will be there. All of the people here are your friends or are willing to be your friend."

The latter of her statement caught his attention. Were there people she told who he doesn't know. He couldn't remember who was all in the room when he awoke from his nightmarish slumber. Their faces were all a blur to him now.

"Who did you tell, Luna?" he asked, now sucummbing to his body's weakness and plopping down on the couch. Luna followed him down, but sat down much more gracefully than Shinn.

"Rey and Athrun," she named off. She was going to name them off slowly to make sure he didn't explode again. "The captain, Arthur, and my sister."

"Anyone else?" he asked, eyebrow raised. He didn't like how she was reluctantly telling him who was now involved in his secret.

"My father was here."

"But he was on..." he let the rest drift off, taking in a deep breath. He didn't want to hear this. He went on the Archangel! The Archangel!! He couldn't have come here by himself. Shinn was extremely close to yelling at Luna again.

"The Archangel's captain."

He tapped his foot on the ground

"Lacus Clyne."

His teeth ground together.

"The pilot of the Freedom."

He stood up once again, his eyes hard.

"And...Cagalli Yula Atha."

...

"...Shinn?"

...

She cleared her throat nervously

"I can't stand you, Luna."

Review, please!!