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Athrun's Fall

Prologue

It made the evening news.

The accident occurred on a mountain in northern Italy. As mountains went, it wasn't that majestic. But it was sufficient. Sufficiently high and rugged to win the respect of even expert climbers. A fall into a chasm of rock thirty feet deep was sufficient to seriously damage Athrun Zala's spine, warrant headlines, and pitch hundreds of his employees around the globe into a panic.

Kira Yamato could not believe what he's hearing as he looks at their plasma T.V.

"… the only survivor. He has just been flown here to Rome, where the extent of his injuries will hopefully become known later this evening. Other member of the mountain climbing who were reported dead was Nicol Amalfi, one of the greatest musician and composer and some tourist from Brazil who were also reported dead at the scene. Mr. Zala, an internationally renowned tycoon, is owner of the Zala Hotel chain. He is-"

Kira did not wait for the anchorman to finish his sentence as he call for his wife from outside playing with their other children.

"Lacus! Come over here right away! You have to see this!" he called for her. Lacus told their children to run along as she went gracefully to her husband.

"What is it?" she ask as she reach his side.

"Listen" Kira turn up the volume. By that time the anchorman asked the field reporter, "Are doctors speculating on Mr. Zala's condition at all?"

"No, they're not. Hospital officials refuse to release any information until Mr. Zala has undergone a through examination and his condition is fully ascertained. All we are being told at present is that his injury, or injuries, involve the spinal column and appear to be serious."

"Was he conscious when he arrived?"

"We've had no official confirmation of that, although he appeared not to be. As soon as the helicopter arrived, he was rushed inside. We'll have more information-"

Abruptly Kira turn the volume all the way down and slowly turn to look at his pale wife.

"Oh," she groaned, "how awful for Athrun."

"According to the report, one of them slipped into an icy chasm and dragged the others down with him."

"Knowing Athrun, whether it was his fault or not, he'll take full responsibility." After a moment she pushed herself away and looked up at Kira. "What should we do?"

"There's nothing we can do at this point."

"I've got to do something, Kira."

"You've got to think about yourself. And the baby."

He laid his open hand against her lower abdomen, which was firmly rounded with pregnancy. She was in her last trimester. "Athrun wouldn't want you to endanger his godchild."

"I could ask Miri or Shiho to come stay with the children. We could get a flight out of Chicago to Rome tonight."

"Uh-uh," he said, sternly shaking his head. "You're not flying to Rome."

"I can't just sit here and do nothing," she cried in frustration.

"You'll have plenty to do in next few days. There'll be a million and one detail to be taken care of. Everything will be in a state of chaos until Athrun's prognosis is officially handed down. He would rely on your level headedness in such a crisis. You're far more valuable to him here, taking care of his business, than you would be pacing the corridors of a Roman hospital, worrying about something you have no control over and wearing yourself out in the process."

She slumped dejectedly. "I guess you're right. I know you're right. It's just that I feel so useless."

Kira didn't say so, but he was thinking how much more useless Athrun Zala was going to feel when he regained consciousness-God forbid that he wouldn't-and learned that he had suffered a deliberating spinal injury.

"Poor Athrun," he muttered where Lacus couldn't hear, as he pulled her back into his reassuring embrace.

OOo

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