And, just like the First War, the Second War was drawing to a close.

Thanks to the strenuous efforts by ZAFT, the OMNI was all but completely stripped of any real power. The war was now being fought for something completely different from their original purpose.

The Destiny Plan, which Dullindal had finally uncovered to the entire world.

ZAFT was no longer fighting to protect the homeland for all Coordinators. They were fighting against the entities that protested against a world ruled by an absolute criteria nobody could defy: genes. The Chairman had proposed a completely different kind of reality from the one they lived in. A new world where people were assigned their destiny even before birth. Perfect order, eternal peace –but only at the expense of freedom.

They were to fight against Orb. Against the Archangel. Against those who simply wanted to be able to choose their own future.

Yzak Joule was furious when Dullindal unveiled his master plan, and he was still just as furious as he stormed down the hallway of the Voltaire fifteen minutes before the planned start of operations. He had just given his team some final words, just like in the First War. Despite the years that had passed in between, his basic message stayed the same: survival was just as important as the protection of the PLANTS. He also remembered to add, to the relief of Dearka and incredulity of Shiho, to not engage unless fired upon. By then, even Yzak had accepted that they were definitely not fighting on the right side of the war. Besides, there was no justifiable reason to destroy seven perfectly functional ZAKUs, which was what engaging against the Archangel invariably would result in.

And, just like in the First War, Shiho disappeared the moment he dismissed his team, which was what sent Yzak off in his angry tirade to begin with.

No, he wasn't angry.

He never really was. Not at her, anyway.

He felt a sense of déjà vu wash over him as he entered the pilot's locker room. Shiho threw him an amused glance as she closed her locker door.

"Fancy meeting you here, Commander."

Yzak almost smiled, remembering the few minutes they shared before the Second Battle of Jachin Due. So much had changed since then, but it seemed like it always came back to the same scenario. He kicked himself off the ground and embraced her; they both floated to one of the nearby lockers.

"I might just have landed myself in another court-martial, Shiho."

She laughed lightly in his arms.

"Yeah, telling your team to not engage with the enemy? Nice one. There's only so many death sentences you can dodge, you know?"

"But this is bullshit…"

"I know, Yzak. I know you don't believe in the Destiny Plan, or Dullindal and his sketchy tactics. You've been good about hiding your doubts from the rest of the team, but you're not that good."

He let out a frustrated sigh; Shiho knew him too well for his own good.

"It's just…we didn't come here to defend some delusional asshole's crazy ideals. We haven't gone through all of this to become guinea pigs for some glorified science experiment."

She raised her head and stared into his eyes.

"Your team would follow you if you switched sides, you know?"

Yzak wondered for a moment if she was joking, but her eyes were completely serious. He shook his head; he had, in fact, been mulling over that option for the last few days, but in the end he always rejected it.

"Yeah, and end my entire team in a court-martial? Even I'm not that much of an ass."

He paused and ran his fingers through her hair. It was a fascinating process, especially with the lack of gravity that sent her locks floating everywhere. He stopped abruptly and tore himself away.

"Shiho, do you believe in the Destiny Plan?"

The doubt had been eating at his consciousness ever since Dullindal's speech. He himself made it very clear that he did not believe in the Plan the very moment Dullindal's stupid smile disappeared from the screen, but he never had the chance to discuss it with Shiho alone. What if she believed in it? Supported it?

It was an extremely attractive alternative to reality, in theory. Especially to anybody who had lost so much –given up so much- to war.

He was not as shocked as he probably should have been when Shiho scoffed in his face.

"Honestly? You, of all people, should know how much I hate being told what to do."

Yzak wished that he could stop time right then and there, simply the two of them, with her unyielding eyes staring into him. He pulled her in by her arm and kissed her lightly on the forehead.

"Be safe."

The words left a bitter taste in his mouth, and he felt her stiffen under his grip. The fact was that another battle would be starting in fifteen minutes, and she would be launching. This moment would not last forever, and she would fly into the battlefield beyond his sight, beyond his protection. The simple thought of it nearly killed him, and he had no idea how he would even begin to appear calm in the bridge when the CIC ordered his pilots to launch.

But this was the unfortunate reality.

"You too."

"Once this battle is done, it'll be over. We just have to make sure our home don't get burned just one more time."

Shiho averted his eyes with a faint, sardonic smile.

"I don't really have a home to go back to either way, Yzak."

He froze. That very night when they finally reconciled right before the Second War started, Shiho had told him how her parents were killed in the Junius 7 attack. It was the only time in nearly three years that he actually saw tears in her eyes. He felt like his heart was being torn out of him, and he needed to do something, anything, to wipe that expression from her face.

"Then come back to me."

Shiho looked back at him, completely lost. He could feel the blood rushing to his head, and the words spilled out of him before he even knew it.

"Come back to me. Marry me, Shiho."

Her lost expression was replaced by one of complete shock, and he ruffled his hair trying to mask his embarrassment. He had not been planning on saying those words ever, really, and definitely not at that particular moment. It was a cruel thing to do –making promises right as they were approached by battle. By the imminent threat of death. It was a curse, another chain potentially binding them to complete devastation.

But at the same time, it was a link to the future. The hours he spent with Shiho on their last leave gave him a glimpse of what life could be away from the war. What a life with her could be. And he knew that that was what he wanted more than anything in the world.

"You're a goddamned idiot."

"I know."

"…Why?"

Yzak widened his eyes in surprise; he was expecting any response but that. He paused, trying to collect his thoughts. There wasn't just one reason that made him blurt out something like that at the most inopportune time possible. In fact, there was a whole swarm of them buzzing in his head. There really was no way he could put in words every single reason why he needed her, wanted her with him. Why he loved her so much, with all of her perfections and her imperfections.

"Because you are the only person who could get me to say something like this."

Shiho tried to smile, but something about her expression was not quite right.

"If you don't make it, Yzak, I think I'm going to die."

"I'll make it, and so will you."

She wrapped her arms around him and nuzzled into his neck. Her hand against his back was shaking ever so slightly.

"Thank you, Yzak."

She barely whispered before tearing herself away. Her breath tickled the back of his ear, sending shivers down his spine. He pulled her in his arms one last time, holding her tightly so she would not slip away from his fingers.

Thank you to each and every one of you. Every single reader, every single review keeps me going.