In the Promised Land

Lacus laid in bed clutching her blanket and curled into a ball. The sheer force of everything that had transpired the other day completely exhausted her. She wasn't entirely sure what had happened. A tidal wave of emotion took over her. A mix of anger, sadness, determination. All she could think about was Kira. What horrors of war did he have to face this time? She sat up as her eyes wandered her dark room. A feeling of guilt sat at the bottom of her stomach. Here she was sitting on Aprillius One constantly worrying over Kira and wishing for a way to help him. Kira was a kind soul. He didn't deserve to partake in the cruelty of war. If only there was some way to help him. If only there was a way for Lacus to take action and protect him…

"When you said you had wanted to pay me a visit, this was not at all what I was expecting!"

Lacus nearly shook at hearing her father's voice boom up the stairs. Curious, she snuck out of her room to listen more closely to this new development.

"Siegel, I understand this is rather unorthodox…"

"Unorthodox? With all due respect, Reverend Malchio, this is INSANE!"

"Reverend Malchio?" Lacus whispered to herself, "What's he doing here?"

She scooted closer to the steps overlooking the foyer, now completely intrigued by the events.

"It is a rather complicated situation, Siegel."

"Complicated?! Patrick Zala is up my ass trying to find ways to get me off the council so he can exterminate all naturals on Earth. Excuse my language, but this is the last thing we need right now!"

"I understand that. But he needs to be here."

"But why? Why did you risk space travel from Orb all the way up here? For what purpose!?"

"He calls to her…"

"To who?"

"…"

"Lacus?!"

"Yes."

"What does my daughter have to do with this pilot?"

"Pilot?!" Lacus realized.

Immediately, she looked out over the railing to see her father and Reverend Malchio conversing at the door. At the bottom of the steps was a gurney. She didn't need to look further than the brown spiky hair to realize who had appeared at her doorstep.

"KIRA!" she shouted aloud startling her father and the blind Reverend.

Quickly she scurried down the steps and made her way to the side of the rollaway bed. Tears nearly forced their way out of her eyes, but she bit her lips hoping to stifle them and not make a bigger scene than she already had.

"Oh Kira! Kira! What happened to you!?"

"The boy was very lucky. An associate of mine found him by the shore near the wreckage of a tumultuous battle. He carried Kira to my doorstep. We brought him here because he only uttered one word the entire time," Reverend Malchio kindly answered.

"What word?" Lacus asked with concern.

"Your name, my dear. He kept uttering 'Lacus' as if his life depended on it."

The revelation shook Lacus to her core. She was Kira's last dying thought? Looking back down, she placed a hand on his cheek. It pained her to see Kira so broken and scarred. Moments later, she found her resolve, her calling. This was her chance to protect Kira and shield his heart.

"Mrs. Hughes, Carson!" she called.

"Yes, Ms. Clyne," the two head servants answered.

"Prepare space in the gazebo. I want a bed prepared for Kira immediately. Be sure to place it in the center to give him as much light as possible."

"Uhhh…" Mrs. Hughes and Carson awkwardly stared at Siegel.

"Lacus? What's the meaning of this?! How do you know this boy?"

"I will explain everything later, Father. Right now, Kira needs immediate care."

"But Lacus! We can't house an enemy pilot here?! Not when…" Siegel stopped himself before revealing too much…

"He is not an enemy pilot. He's my friend," she said matter-of-factly.

"But…"

"Mrs. Hughes. Please fill the gazebo with as many flowers as possible. The fragrance will surely sooth Kira as he rests. Once he is set up, ensure that no one is allowed to disturb him."

"Uhhh right away, Ms. Clyne."

Hurriedly, some more staff members came and wheeled Kira away towards the garden with Lacus following closely behind. Siegel could only stare with his mouth agape. Confusion plastered his face with what had just happened. Next to him, Reverend Malchio did his best to hide his amusement.

"Hehe."

"Something funny, Reverend?"

"Just that God truly works in mysterious ways. But everything he does has a purpose."

"Really now?"

"I have a feeling, dear friend, that the arrival of this Kira will not only help Lacus, but you as well…"


Everything hurt all over. His joints felt stiff. There was a slight stinging sensation in his shoulders and ribs. But somehow, he felt warm, calm, and at peace. He could feel the sun on his face, or at least something that felt like the sun. The smell of freshly cut flowers entered his nostrils. He could hear the wind gently blowing by. A familiar bounce started to make its way closer and closer to him.

"Time to play! Time to play!" the high-pitched voice called out.

Soon he could feel a ball land on the bed with him. It settled neatly near his thigh and became surprisingly quiet.

"Mr. Pink! You mustn't go there. Kira needs to rest," a soft angelic voice called out.

Hearing the soft, delicate, and familiar voice spurred every bone in Kira's body awake. His eyes immediately opened to fully take in his surroundings. Glass panels surrounded him as he laid in bed. Pots and pots of flowers outlined this octagonal glass building. An end table sat to his left. On it was a vase with a small purple orchid. The glass ceiling above allowed Kira to see the bright blue sky. Such a view was then obscured by something (or someone) just as beautiful. Her gold hairclip glistened in the light. Her pink hair was smooth and smelled like strawberries. Her beautiful blue eyes conveyed feelings of love and care. It was unmistakable who he was with.

"L-Lacus…" he croaked out.

"Good morning, Kira. It's good to see you again," she smiled back.

"Y-you're so beautiful," he blurted out.

"Oh! Uhhh," she blushed, "Thank you."

"A-am I….am I dead?"

"What? No! Of course not!"

His eyes widened as memories flooded back into his mind. The Blitz rushing him with a lance. Kira moving the Strike but slicing into the Blitz's cockpit. Rain and thunder crashing down on an island. Athrun throwing the Aegis's shield at Tolle's skygrasper. Then all a blur. One saber strike after another. The Aegis grappling the body of the Strike. A flash of light. And then darkness…

"AHHHHHH" Kira abruptly sat up.

"Kira!" Lacus panicked.

"I…..I should be dead. I shouldn't be here!" Kira trembled clutching his head, "I-I killed him! I k-killed Athrun. Didn't I?!"

By this point some staff members had rushed into the gazebo after hearing Kira scream out. The poor pilot kept shaking and mumbling to himself.

"So much fighting. So much killing. I should have died. I shouldn't have…" he heaved and breathed uncontrollably.

His head shook back and forth with his eyes darting everywhere. In his mind the sound of booming thunder and the blinding flash of lightning startled him. He remembered barely seeing the Aegis's positron canon light up and fizzle away, then a red figuring floating up towards the blackened sky, and finally just darkness. All of a sudden, a warm feeling enveloped Kira. Arms had reached around and pulled him into a caressing hug. A hand had placed itself on one of his cheeks. On the other side of his face, he felt warm skin. The smell of strawberries overwhelmed him.

"Shhhh Kira. It's ok. You're ok. You're safe here. You're safe with me…" Lacus cooed as she pressed her cheek to his, "It's ok Kira. You are ok."

Slowly his breathing leveled out as he closed his eyes. That feeling of fear and stress melted away instantly as Lacus slowly stroked his hair with her other hand. Not caring about the skeptical looks from her staff, she continued to hold him. Relaxing under her touch, he began leaning towards her, letting his weight onto her support. Seeing as they were no longer needed, the staff let Lacus and Kira be, though not without knowing smiles. Little tears crept out of his eyes. Slowly, quietly, he sobbed. It pained her heart to feel Kira in so much sorrow. All she could do was hold him close letting him know that he was safe with her.

Soon, Kira's eyes felt heavy. His breathing slowed as his eyelids fluttered. Briefly though, he could hear Lacus's singing soothe him slowly to sleep. It was the same tune she sang on the Archangel. It was beautiful. It was serene. Lacus continued her song even as she felt Kira fall into a deep slumber. Smiling, she adjusted herself gently so that she was leaning against the headboard and Kira laid in her lap. She continued stroking his hair as she finished up the last bit of her song.

"I will always be at your side, to embrace you when you're cold, and though we're far apart now, we'll surely meet again, in this quiet night…"


Moments later, Lacus felt a slight strain in her neck. Apparently, she had fallen asleep for quite some time againstthe headboard of Kira's bed. She twisted her head to stretch a bit before remembering there was a weight on her thigh. Though blushing, she was still grateful that Kira was alive, that he made it back to her. Her hand continued stroking his hair as her eyes blinked to readjust. Now fully awake, Lacus could see Reverend Malchio sitting across from her sipping some tea.

"I'm starting to understand why this young man kept uttering your name while clinging onto his last shred of life," he chuckled.

"Uhhhh yes," she blushed as red as a tomato, "Kira had a uh…profound impact on me when last we met."

"I understand, child. Though it is not me you need to convince."

"Right…" she bit the inside of her cheek, "Where is my father anyway?"

"He's taking some time to process everything. I cannot completely fault him to be honest. It's not every day a blind man shows up to his house with an injured enemy pilot whom his daughter insists on taking care of."

"Kira's not an enemy!"

"Be that as it may, your father is correct that having young Kira here is not a good look for him."

"Is my father planning something?"

"That is not for me to discuss."

"Hmm. Then why bring him here, Reverend?"

"The Lord himself. He tells me that this boy is special. And this is the place he needs to be right now."

"I see. I am forever grateful, Reverend, that you took care of my friend up till now."

"It is my pleasure. Although, Ms. Clyne, I believe you are special as well."

"Oh? I thank you for the flattery, but I'm just a simple girl who sings a song of peace."

"You are much more than that, Lacus. Your impact on people's hearts is far greater than you realize."

"I…um," she squirmed uncomfortably.

"Uhhhh," Kira groaned below.

"Kira?" she brushed his hair out of his face.

Blinking a couple of times, Kira groggily woke up once again to Lacus's smiling face. His purple eyes locked onto her blue ones and finally he smiled.

"So, it wasn't a dream. I'm really here. Here with you," he whispered.

"Yes. It's real. I'm real, Kira."

Slowly, with Lacus's help, Kira sat up and stretched his shoulders. Lacus helped turn him so that now he was leaning against the headboard. She scooted a bit to sit by his side. Still coming to, Kira looked around the room to assess his surroundings. Flowers still adorned the glass abode, but outside Kira could see a vast yard with an ever-thriving garden. He could spot a balcony that gave a broad view of the rest of Aprillius One. It was a grand place to be. Honestly, Kira had to remind himself that he was still in the land of the living given how beautiful this place was.

"Where am I?"

"You are at my home in the PLANTS. Aprillius One to be precise."

"Oh…PLANTs? I'm in space?"

"Yes."

"How did I get here?"

"Erm…Reverend?" she looked over asking for assistance.

"A young scavenger carried you from your last battle to an orphanage I run. From there we arranged a transport up to Aprillius One. It was a perilous operation given your condition at the time, but it seemed worthwhile," Malchio stood up approaching the bed.

"Why here?" Kira asked.

"You insisted. You strained to utter a single word: Lacus."

"Oh…" Kira blushed trying to look away from Lacus.

Smiling with her own flush, Lacus got up from the bed and began walking away.

"I'll go bring us some more tea. And some snacks as well. Kira, you must be hungry. I'll have the kitchen make you something. Any specific requests?"

"Huh? Uhh no I'm ok. I can eat anything."

"Perfect," she scurried away trying to calm herself down.

After a moment, Kira's face returned to normal. He and the reverend sat in a comfortable silence. Birds chirped and flew by adding to the serenity of the garden. Soon, the reverend moved back to his seat to sip his cup of tea.

"How am I….How am I still…" Kira started to mumble.

"A little bit of faith. A little bit of luck," Malchio answered.

"I'm starting to remember what happened. A-Athrun, the other pilot, grappled onto the Strike. There was an explosion in my face. I should be dead…"

"Do you believe in God, Kira?"

"I-uh well forgive me, Reverend, but I haven't really thought much about it. Uh Him. Sorry."

"No apologies necessary. One does not need to believe in God to experience his effects. See, Kira, I'm a firm believer that we all have a role to play in God's plan. And in all honesty, you surviving that battle is nothing short of a miracle. I believe that you are special, and that you still have a much bigger role to play."

"A bigger ro-"

"Tea and biscuits!" Lacis cheerfully barged in.

"Uhhh," Kira stared at the spread.

"Hmm," Reverend Malchio raised an eyebrow at the interruption but decided to let it be.

"So, Kira, I wasn't sure what you preferred, but we have a large selection of goodies. We have simple butter biscuits, oatmeal cookies, and an orange marmalade scone. Oh! And this one has raisins in it!"

"Uhh orange marmalade scone?"

"Perfect! That's my favorite as well. And here's some green tea to reinvigorate yourself."

"T-thank you, Lacus."


Kira and Lacus sat for a while in comfortable silence. The plate of biscuits was nearly eaten while the teapot still sat warmly. Reverend Malchio still wanted to continue his conversation with Kira, but he had a feeling Lacus wouldn't be leaving Kira's bedside for a while. So, he had gotten up to take in the serenity of the garden, leaving the two long lost friends by themselves. Lacus quietly sipped her cup of tea as Kira rested back down onto the bed. Images of that cruel fateful rainy day still lingered in his mind. He recalled swinging his sword right into the cockpit of the Blitz. Then Athrun throwing his shield ending Tolle's life almost instantly. And then just mindless fighting. There were no thoughts. Just action.

"I-I killed his friend," he thought aloud piquing Lacus's interest.

"I see."

"T-then…..he killed Tolle."

"O-oh. I didn't realize…" she set her cup down, "Poor Miriallia…"

"Everything just spiraled after that. Athrun and I fought, but it just felt so mindless. It felt like we were both just relying on instinct."

"Hmm."

"I-I didn't want that to happen," he started to cry, "I didn't want to kill his friend. I didn't want him to kill mine. But he….he…"

"He became your enemy?" Lacus asked while placing her hand atop his.

"Y-yea," Kira looked away in shame, "I didn't know what else to do."

"I told you before, Kira," she now held his hand, "War is cruel. And you are too kind to have to go through it."

"I failed my friend, Lacus. I was supposed to protect him. B-but I couldn't…"

Lacus wasn't really sure how to respond to that. She could feel in her own heart the pain and guilt that weighed down on Kira. She desperately wanted to tell him he did the best he could, but she also knew saying so implied that maybe Kira's best wasn't enough. Doing as she did before, Lacus climbed into bed and hugged him. She pulled his head to lean against her shoulder while her head rested on top of his. Her hand gently stroked his hair trying to relax him as much as possible.

"War is a terrible thing pitting friends against each other, forcing people to do unspeakable acts," she started.

"I hate it."

"I know, Kira. I know. Finding peace is such a difficult process."

"I just wish we didn't have to fight anymore. I wish we could just….understand each other."

"Me too, Kira. Me too."

They sat like that for some time, with Lacus holding and caressing Kira as he leaned against her for both emotional and physical support. They were just lost in their own little world. The garden felt quiet to them. No birds chirping. No Haros bouncing around causing mayhem. It was just Kira and Lacus connecting and being there for each other.

"I missed you, y'know," Kira whispered.

"O-oh?" Lacus blushed.

"I thought about you a lot. And that promise I made to you. I don't know if I kept it very well."

"Kira it's ok."

"No. It's not. It didn't feel right in my heart to continue piloting the Strike after I destroyed the Blitz. I'm not saying I wasn't focused on protecting my friends and the Archangel. But I felt so much doubt. I had killed more people than I would have liked after I brought you back to Athrun. Is that all that war amounts to? Just killing people back and forth?"

"I-I don't have all the answers right now, Kira. But what I can tell you is that you had a noble purpose. You cared about the people on the Archangel. You took up the role as their protector. You fought bravely to keep them alive and….I'm sorry that you had to kill to do so."

"I don't want to fight anymore, Lacus."

"I know. And that's ok. You can rest. Here, you will never have to fight again."

"Did you know his name? The pilot of the Blitz?"

"Yes. His name was Nicol."


Soon after, Kira felt sleepy again. So, Lacus let him rest as she went off into the kitchen to prepare dinner. She knew Kira needed something warm and simple to regain his strength. Thus, the opportunity for her to put her cabbage roll recipe to its greatest test presented itself. With newfound enthusiasm and glee, she quickly gathered the necessary ingredients. A mix of beef, pork, and a touch of lard mixed with some flavorful spices and crisp cabbage leaves. Lacus floated around the kitchen chopping veggies here, maintaining the stove flame there. All while humming a lively tune.

"I'm slipping into the lava, and I'm tryna keep from goin under, baby who turned the temperature hotter, cuz I'm burnin up, burnin up for you baby…" Lacus sang along with the stereo again.

"My my. Cabbage rolls again?" Mrs. Pattmore walked in.

"Again? Seriously Ms. Clyne, with all due respect, there must be some other dish you'd like to cook," Daisy, the head kitchen aide, groaned.

"Now now Daisy. Ms. Lacus is an artist. And artists tend to tinker with things until they get it right."

"Hehe. Something like that, Mrs. Pattmore."

"But we've been tinkering with this recipe for months! Again, I mean no disrespect, but we must have bought all the cabbages on Aprillius One! Why is this dish so important?"

"Daisy, it's not that big a deal. I'm just making Kira some dinner," Lacus casually smiled.

"…..Ohhhhhh" Mrs. Pattmore and Daisy shared a knowing look.

"Huh?" Lacus tilted her head in confusion.

"No worries Ms. Clyne. We'll help you make the perfect dish. Daisy, do help with cutting the cabbages."

"Aye aye!"

Lacus paused for a moment stunned by the sudden change in atmosphere and newfound vigor in Mrs. Pattmore and Daisy. The two head cooks of the house were astonishingly flying around the kitchen, cutting vegetables, seasoning the sauce, mixing the meat. Shrugging, Lacus decided to accept the help. After all, the dish needed to be perfect.


Moments later, Lacus wheeled in a cart towards the gazebo. Kira had woken up from his nap and sat upright. All the little Haros hopped around his bed with Mr. Pink sitting comfortably in Kira's hands. As Lacus entered the space, the Haros all jumped with glee.

"Haro! Haro! Dinnertime!" they shouted.

"Hehe yes. It is dinnertime. Run along now. Kira needs some peace to eat."

The toys all bounced away leaving Kira and Lacus to themselves. The cart had a pitcher of water and a basket of bread, but more importantly, the main dish was hidden under a silver shiny cloche.

"What's with all the pomp and circumstance? You got a big surprise under there?" Kira asked.

"Sorta. I figured you'd like something warm to eat."

"How exciting. Now you've got me curious."

"Well, wait no longer!"

As if putting on a big show, Lacus pulled off the silver cover and revealed her masterpiece, a warm plate of cabbage rolls. Three individually wrapped pieces sat in a stew of warm tomato sauce filling the gazebo with a wondrous aroma. To make the dish even more fancy, Lacus stuck a little sprig of parsley on top. Though smiling, she was a complete wreck on the inside. Kira held a surprised expression but hadn't said a word. For several beats, he just stared at the dish before him.

"Are-Are these cabbage rolls?" he asked.

"Y-yes. Um a while ago, Athrun had visited and…" she paused for a moment realizing her mistake," …and said that your mother would mix ground beef and pork for the filling…"

Color drained from her face immediately. How could she be so insensitive? Here Kira was fresh from a battle where he believed he killed his best friend. Said best friend had killed one of his closest friends. Kira shouldn't be reminded of all the trauma he faced. She was supposed to protect him, to shield him from all the cruel things war had done to him. Day one of taking care of Kira and she failed. Tears almost burst out of her before…

"They smell wonderful," Kira said sharing a shy smile, "Did you make these?"

"Y-yes," she answered timidly almost in a whisper, "W-when I got home after you gave me back to Athrun, I wanted to try to make these."

"It looks like you put a lot of effort. May I try some?"

Some slight relief filled Lacus after worrying so much. Kira's kindness continued to amaze her. It almost felt like…..like he knew the turmoil she felt inside. Brushing that thought away for another time, Lacus grabbed the tray and placed it on Kira's lap. With the dish in front of him now, he picked up a spoon and cut a piece to eat. With intense anticipation, Lacus bit her lip watching Kira eat his first bite and chew. There was a look of curiosity on his face as he savored the little morsel. He didn't scrunch his face or spit out the bite, so that was somewhat of a win for Lacus. Finally, in what felt like an eternity, Kira smiled and looked back at Lacus.

"It's delicious. I really like the sauce. It's really fresh."

Lacus let out the breath she had been holding. He liked it! He really really liked it! No bizarre cosmic heart connection thingy was needed. He had a genuine kind smile and immediately dove in for another bite.

"Really?!" she asked trying to contain her smile.

"Mmm hmm. I'm starting to feel better already."

"That's great! That's really great to hear. I tried to make it all cozy like your mother used to make it."

"Haha. It does bring me back home. All those long school days and then coming home to the smell of cabbage rolls and tomato sauce. Although her sauce was a touch smoother and creamier."

"Oh…" Lacus's sails lost just a bit of wind.

"But but these are still so good! Just what I needed for dinner," Kira panicked trying to rectify the situation.

"Hehe," she giggled, "Well thank you for the compliment. I'm just glad you really like it."

"I do!"

"Maybe someday, I could meet your mother. She seems like a wonderful woman."

Again, Lacus seemed to accidentally touch a nerve. Kira's chewing slowed, and his face held a somber look again.

"Is something the matter?" Lacus asked.

"Uhh it's nothing. Nothing really."

"Kira it's ok. You can tell me."

"It's just. I would really like to introduce you to my parents…"

"Oh…" she nodded despite feeling a bit of warmth inside her.

"But I just don't know if they'd want to see me."

"Why wouldn't they want to see you, Kira? You're their son."

"Am I? I…..killed a lot of people. That's not how I was raised."

"But Kira, they're your parents. They will love you no matter what."

"I don't know, Lacus. I feel like I've changed so much since I last saw them…since I last saw you."

"I disagree," she said now resting her hand on his, "I think deep down you are still the Kira I first met. A shy boy with a kind heart. Someone with good intentions but thrusted into impossible circumstances."

"You say that, but I don't think I kept your promise."

"Sure you did!"

"Huh?"

"I did some thinking since we last spoke, but I don't hold anything against you, Kira. You believed the right thing to do was to protect your friends. Now I'm not saying killing is good, but you did what you felt you had to do so that your friends would be safe."

"But…"

"Kira, I promise you, your parents will welcome you back with open arms. Besides, you can always say you rescued a pretty girl like a knight in shining armor!" she winked.

"Haha," he chuckled, "I guess. A princess no less."

"Exactly! You're a good person, Kira. Don't sell yourself so short."

"T-thank you, Lacus. I appreciate it."

"Of course," she smiled.

"Now let me protect you…" she thought to herself.


Closer towards the house, a small crowd of house staff had gathered behind a window that overlooked the garden and the gazebo. The pink princess and her friend were completely oblivious to the amount of people watching them, but nevertheless the curious crowd slowly grew larger and larger.

"What are they saying?" Thomas, one of the footmen, asked.

"I can't quite hear them. Does anyone read lips?" Andy, the other footmen, answered.

"Oh he's quite handsome. I can see why Ms. Clyne took a liking to him," Anna, one of Lacus's maids chimed in.

"Oh she's absolutely smitten with him! This explains why she was fixated on those bloody cabbage rolls," Daisy added.

"She must've been worried sick when the lad rolled up in a gurney. I'm glad to see he's in slightly higher spirits now," even Mrs. Hughes joined the party.

"Don't you all have better things to do?" Mr. Carson's voice bellowed throughout the room.

Startled, most of the staff scattered fearing the wrath of the head butler. However, Mrs. Hughes stood her ground and continued observing the young friends.

"Mrs. Huhges?"

"Oh pish posh, Charlie. Aren't you at least a little curious about Ms. Clyne's new friend?"

"Not in the slightest."

"Charlie…" she gave him a knowing look.

"…..Oh alright! Move over, Elsie."

AN: Heyo! I hope everyone's doing well. I'm sorry for taking so long to update. I was on vacation again. I wrote most of it before and edited some on my phone. Then a lot of stuff happened. Someone in my family got sick, then we bought a new car. Buncha stuff. But we're here! We're finally here! Kira and Lacus are back together! It's been quite some time so I wanted to add oodles and oodles of fluff. I do kinda worry that I've made Lacus sorta kinda a Saint with all the answers, but I have a plan! I promise. She will be slightly flawed in the coming chapters. But yea, my intent was to add my own spin into the original series and I wanted to expand upon these moments Kira and Lacus have together. I've sorta hinted at the coming conflict that will arise soon. Plus, Lacus's staff has a lot of easter eggs ;). Anywho, thank you all for reading and I hope you enjoyed the chapter.