Title: After The Sunrise
Author: Jusrecht

Genre: Drama/Romance/Action/Adventure

Pairings: Main: Kira/Athrun, Cagalli/?; Others: Dearka/Yzak

Disclaimer: Gundam SEED's wonderful characters including its mechas belong to Sunrise. The title is a wonderful song by Yanni, my many inspirations. I own the plot though.

Warning: Male/male pairings and has some spoilers for Gundam SEED series and Gundam SEED Destiny. The story will not resolve around mobile suits even though they will be there in the background.

Notes: Here is another Gundam SEED fic by me. This story will have a couple of references to Destiny and some of its characters appearing (like Gilbert Dullindal and later on, Shinn Asuka and friends). The plot itself will not follow what is going to happen in Destiny unless I state so, which will be accordingly since I have only watched its four first episodes. Enjoy.

Stage One: Her Path

The office was dim that evening, the sole source of light a lamp on the medium-sized mahogany desk at one end of the room, the sun had long since sinking to the west, leaving a dark vast sky behind green-curtained window. The steady ticks of a grandfather's clock and shuffling of paper were the only sound spoiling the melancholy veneer of silence maintained in the office. Sitting behind the paper-covered desk was a respective member of Representatives of ORB, her head bent low almost touching a piece of paper she was studying. Minutes passed and her frown deepened as her eyes devoured every line written on the paper.

"Selfish bastards..." she hissed, her voice echoing hollowly in the empty room. The paper was put down roughly, leaving on it visible creases made by her long taper fingers, and she leant back to her plush armchair, closing her eyes to soothe the rising anger.

A minute later there was a train of knocks at the door and a slightly muted voice beyond the door following. "Athrun Zala reporting."

"Come in," she called out, still not opening her eyes. There were a faint creak and a sound of light footsteps on carpeted floor answering to her permission, ended by a sudden dawn of light surging through her tightly shut eyelids. She opened them on impulse, glaring to her personal assistant with narrowed golden eyes. So far, it seemed to have the smallest effect on the newly-arrived guy.

Athrun approached her desk, a disapproving look on his face as he reprimanded firmly, "Adequate light is important for your eyes' well-being, Representative Athha."

"Only you will say that sort of thing," she scoffed half-heartedly, which was right up to some points since there was no one save for him who dared – or cared enough – to remind her about her own health, probably due to the issue of her fairly young age in the world of politics she was trying to delve in. Or Kisaka in that matter, but he was currently having his day off today. Half desperate, she buried her head under her arms, moaning wearily, "Oh, damn it... Some of these days are really going to be the end of me."

"You can always ask me over to help in certain matters." The hint of concern in his reply was subtle, but it was there.

"You have your own affair to attend, Zala," the pair of golden eyes peeked from their hiding, lack of enthusiasm apparent in them. Then her voice raised a notch when she noticed his statue-like pose, "And get off that business-like attitude of yours. I'm sick of anything formal right now."

"Yes, Ma'am," Athrun's voice were full with flickers of amusement, which made her to look up to the little smile on his lips, to the way he slanted his head a bit while letting the desk to partly support his weight, and thought, 'Damn, what kind of idiot I was to let this strikingly handsome guy go?'

But it was the truth. Despite her former boyfriend's obvious lack of anything detestable or negative, a relationship more than a very close friend just did not work between them. They had realized, after one year of wondering and seeking why, that the affection they harbored on each other was not love in its romantic passionate shape. Comforting, yes, still he was not the person she wanted to marry one day and be with in that long journey until death parted them, but rather one she wanted to befriend closely. A very precious friend. And she knew that he too had his heart somewhere else, in someone else's hold, and every so often could not help but to tease him about it if the occasion was somewhere at hand. Usually he would just develop this lovely shade of red on his cheeks since there was no one he could use to call a decent counterattack.

True enough, there was no one such the person she fell in love with yet, but it was hardly bothering her. The matter of rebuilding ORB physically and governmentally rendered her hands full and she had wonderful friends helping her in various ways. In a way she still had him, as a trustworthy friend to guard her from any harm and that, for now, was good enough for her. They still loved each other in that way.

For a while, the revered representative remained supremely unaware that she was practically staring at her assistant until said assistant took an initiative to wave a hand in front of her.

"Cagalli?"

That effectively pulled her back to reality. "Eh, sorry," she mumbled quickly before burying her face back to her hands, hiding a blush which was threatening to spread, and finished lamely, "Just a bit tired."

If Athrun suspected her of being dishonest, he showed nothing of it and merely patted her on the back. "A hard day?"

The question drifted her mind to the letter she had previously read. Almost as immediate, Cagalli raised her head up and the strain she felt burst into trains of words, her tone sharp and accusing. "I've never liked ZAFT. I mean, I don't really have anything against Coordinators but I do immensely hate ZAFT. I swear that Dullindal really has nothing to do but looking for a way to piss me off."

"At least he shares your idea that peace is better than war," Athrun replied carefully, refraining himself from saying any personal opinion that might support his annoyed charge's idea. "Why do you say that?"

Crossly the blond-haired girl took a paper from under her elbow and waved it at him, "This is why. You'll be reconsidering your statement that he shares my idea once you've finished reading this. And he calls you Alex Dino there."

For a moment Athrun only stared at the offered piece of paper, evidently a formal letter with a ZAFT symbol embellished at the top, before taking it from Cagalli's impatient hand. There was a silence reigning over them as he thoroughly read its neatly printed content and once in a while his fingers would move, absentmindedly smoothing down the creased paper. His expression hardly changed when he put the letter back on her desk and returned Cagalli's waiting gaze.

"Put simply, he wants a meeting with you this Saturday in order to discuss a certain matter with high importance which, as he has written down there, may disrupt the perpetuity of peace we have been trying to preserve."

"Yep," she tapped her desk impatiently, her voice turning sarcastic, "that's how he put it, with those sugar-coated words and all. Basically he wants ORB's military to help him in this so-called important matter, that's why he demands for Kisaka's and your presence." Suddenly she stood up and slammed her fist to the desk, her eyes ablaze with anger, "He doesn't give a damn to peace! I bet he can't even spell it, that cruel arrogant bastard! He doesn't know how we struggled for it, how many lives were taken, how their families cried and cursed war! No, those things don't interest him! He wants something bigger, something that can put his name etched onto everybody's memory! He wants that kind of fame! He wants... he wants war!"

Athrun said nothing until she calmed down and slumped back to her seat with a long groan, "I really really hate him."

It was hard, he knew, for her to brace herself and take the responsibility of being the leader of ORB in order to fulfill her father's will. Girls at her age would not usually have that kind of formidable strength, but he always knew that she was different in many ways, and he loved her for that along with innumerable other reasons. His decision to stay at ORB – by her side – came so easy to him, almost like something he would naturally do, because she worth his every single effort to be protected.

Gently he put a comforting hand on her rigid shoulder. "It's possible that he was telling you the truth about this important matter. Maybe he does need our help."

"I really doubt it, looking at my previous encounters with him," Cagalli shot back sullenly before casting a fleeting look at her assistant. "Glad you're not a part of ZAFT anymore. I really want to kick their ass right now, Dullindal in particular."

"Not that I have that choice myself," Athrun chuckled recalling the whole irony of his position. "I'm a deserter, remember?"

"But your friend could do that, I mean, going back to ZAFT."

"Dearka is different. He has a reason to go back and it's an awfully obvious reason." There was a tinge of light amusement in Athrun's voice as a picture of a certain short-tempered ZAFT pilot flashed across his mind. "Besides, his reason to go back is also helping him from the other side, else he wouldn't have been forgiven this easily for helping us against them that time. But quite accidentally," his smile turned into a full grin, "that person holds some kind of grudge against me that I'm sure he'll kill me first before helping me to get back into ZAFT."

Cagalli rolled her eyes. "What a good relationship you have there with your fellow comrades. All the more reason to find ZAFT despicable."

"Yeah, maybe," he agreed but his eyes were distant, like they were seeing something from the dismal past, a fragment of a broken memory. "But he's a nice person all the same, even though terribly reckless. I think I can understand why Dearka felt he needed to go back."

At the end of his words, she sighed and made a face at him, "Great job, Athrun. You make me unable to hate them further."

"Mission accomplished then," he winked at her and laughed. It was one of those ways they often employed to refrain misery and despair from overcoming them – or to keep themselves sane – since the post-war era was not exactly a time where happiness ruled. His tone fell gentler when he continued, "Staying impartial is a quality you must have to be the future leader of ORB, you know. That includes keeping your private opinions hidden from public."

"I know," she groaned and started banging her head against the hard surface of her desk. "Politics and all of its rules please go to hell and stop bothering me... gods! I don't know how I can live through this!"

"Stop that," Athrun scolded, taking a firm hold of her shoulder to prevent her from inflicting more damage both to herself and the desk. "You don't want Dullindal to see a big red spot on your forehead this Saturday, trust me."

The blond girl shot him a sour look. "How do you know that? Maybe it will make him stop bothering me."

He gave her a look at the faint trace of hope in her voice, understanding nevertheless. "I know it's hard, Cagalli, everybody does, but not everybody can be ORB's leader or have the capacity to. But you can, you have them. At least if ORB is under your hand, you'll do your best to not let it and the world experience another war. Others may not have the same sense for peace and who knows what they'll do if they were in your position, holding that kind of power."

A faint gleam appeared in his green eyes and the next words fell from his mouth with the intensity of the greatest willpower. "That was why Uzumi-sama trusted this to you."

She looked up at the mentioning of her late father's name, staring into his deep cloudless emerald eyes. There was so little hesitation in them, nothing like the eyes of a blue-haired boy who had been swung around between two sides by fate two years ago, and it set a determination in her. Athrun had always had this extraordinary ability to assure those he loved that he would always be there by their sides, which Cagalli was grateful at since she had not many those she could turn to in times of need now. Entirely on impulse, her arms slid around his fairly slender waist and she pulled him close, sighing against the fabric of his sweater.

"You're just great, you know that? I'm glad you're still here with me."

"I know that Colonel Kisaka isn't really good at these things," he replied with a little grin, stroking her smooth flaxen-colored hair with a steady pace. Cagalli pulled him closer, feeling her eyes had moistened and trying so hard not to let the haze condense and fall, because like Kira had said, while wearing her formal white uniform, she had to be strong.

After some times she looked up, mocking a torn expression even as her eyes shone with mischief blending with silent yet palpable gratitude for his unvoiced support. "Is my brother going to kill me for this?"

Athrun's laughter was melodious, a rich flowing river with a quality to bring comfort to everyone who earned the privilege to hear it. She felt the rest of her tension melting to a warm smile when he once again gazed down at her, his eyes radiant with something she knew no one but her sibling could rouse. "Maybe not. He's not that kind of jealous type as long as you don't kiss me."

"Don't flatter yourself, Athrun Zala," she reproached and punched him lightly on the ribs. "You hardly worth the fight. And I won't sink that low as to steal somebody's boyfriend, least of all my brother's."

"You really need to find a guy," he mocked a desperate sigh which earned him more glares from the blonde. But his eyes promised something more, not only the merry trivialities they often had exchanged, not only a guarantee of his constant presence, but also a love that no longer could be stained by jealousy or distrust.

And Cagalli thought she understood.

-To be continued-

Ramblings: There goes the first chapter hurrah! It may seem Athrun/Cagalli-ish but this story is Kira/Athrun, trust me. To go on with the rambling, I'm a big fan of Cagalli (actually, she is the only anime girl I'm really fond of beside Kikyou from Inuyasha and Ayanami Rei from Evangelion) and I don't mind her with Athrun, but for this fic, I want Kira to be with Athrun. She really deserves someone though, but I don't have any idea who. I was thinking of Kisaka at first, but that... coughs will bring many issues on board, not to mention that the idea gives me a shiver. So, yeah, it's between Shinn Asuka or Rey Za Burrel or you can recommend another candidate. I'll make my decision in accordance with the majority vote.

One more thing I need to ask. Does anyone know the name of Andy's right-hand man? He was the one with red hair and later became some kind of bodyguard for Lacus when she was a fugitive. I think it's Da Costa but I'm not sure.

Lastly, I'm actually thinking of a beta-reader since I feel very self-conscious of my lousy grammar, sentence structures, and all those English issues. Please leave a review along with an e-mail address if there is someone who cares to help this poor writer. I will be very grateful.

The last but not least of the very last things, thank you for reading! XD