Sorry for the long wait, minna-san! I was suffering a HUGE Writers' Block these past few months so… Hehe! XD Maa, at least I'm back now, right? Err… Anyways, before I present to y'all the 3rd installment of this dear ficcie, I'd like to make some notices. You can skip the part if you want, but I tell you, you'll be TOTALLY missing out on some important details!

Firstly, I know y'all are already starting to get impatient with the slow development of the plot. Yes, it's already the 3rd chappie and yet there still aren't any apparent AxL scenes. I'm getting to that, dears, but please try to understand that I'm not the type to rush things. It makes everything OOC, in my part. Besides, the plot started out with Athrun and Lacus NOT having anything to do with each other, right? They weren't engaged here anymore, and like what the original series held, their relationship had been put to an immediate halt after their confrontation in the theatre. We follow that same thought HERE, and since we're only in the beginning of the plot as of now, we can only see the 2 of them worrying over each other's welfare as the sole AxL moment – in Athrun's part. Do you follow me? Err… Just take in that Athrun – for now, of course – will only feel nothing but pure concern over Lacus. He will look after her, and think of her often because he feels responsible for her, taking into account that her father is dead and that he's the only one she knew well who is still with her. The story will basically revolve on that for a while, with lotsa contemplations and internal battles from the 4 main characters (esp. Athrun!), and when I have finally stretched the story long enough, that will be the time when Athrun and Lacus will come around and realize SOME important things, which will – at long last – lead to more palpable AxL moments. But don't expect me to write mushy stuffs here, okay? Besides being an ANGST fic, I believe such scenes won't be appropriate, considering that they ARE in the middle of facing the deadliest war. Fluffs will be coming out later, after ALL the things that I have mentioned so far. So yeah… Hope you're still with me! XD

For the last comment, these are some little reminders for everyone regarding the ficcie format. I won't mention them ever again so please keep 'em in mind whenever you read muh stuffz, okay? C",)

Beef - Narrations

"Beef," – Dialogues

"Beef," – Thoughts

Beef – Flashback or dream (Narrations)

Beef – Flashback or dream (Dialogues)

BeEf - Haro speaking

Now presenting the 3rd chappie of our beloved ficcie! Enjoy! c",)

Disclaimer: Kidou Senshi Gundam SEED is a certified property of © 2002-2004 SOTSU AGENCY · SUNRISE · MBS… Happy now?

Fading Light
By: Sechskies

Song 03: Parallel

Good afternoon. I'm Athrun Zala.

Good afternoon to you too! My name is Lacus Clyne. It's such a pleasure to finally meet you, Mr. Athrun!

Same here. Uh… These are for you. He handed her the bouquet of fresh roses that he was holding, and he couldn't help but smile warmly at the way her crystal-blue eyes sparkled excitedly at the sight of his present to her.

My, they're so beautiful! Thank you very much, Mr. Athrun.

His emerald-green eyes softened. Athrun is fine.

She blinked, then smiled. Well then, simply Lacus is fine by me as well.

L-Lacus? He turned his last statement into a small squeak, and she, in turn, gave out a lighthearted giggle as she noticed the deep blush tainting his cheeks.

HaRo! HaRo!

At the sound of Haro's usual jolly voice as it entered the room, Athrun snapped out of his thoughts. His smiling image of Lacus lingered in his vision for a brief moment before gradually fading away, and all he could see was the empty and lifeless expression on the same pink-haired girl's face who he was currently looking after.

"Lacus…" he whispered, frowning.

LaCuS! SleEpInG? HarO!

He sighed, turning to the pink, mechanical ball that had just bounced its way to the bed, and grabbed it before it could even reach Lacus' face.

"Yes, Lacus is sleeping, Mr. Pink," he said, and settled it back down to the ground. "So please be quiet and go away,"

Heeding his words almost immediately, Haro happily obliged and rolled out of the room. Once the door closed and he was back to his solitude, he then returned his gaze to the lass lying unconsciously on the bed, a deeper frown working its way on his face as he carried on with his earlier musings.

Here you are.

Th-thank you. He gingerly reached for the cup of tea that she offered to him, smiling gratefully before drinking the hot substance. After a moment of silence, he looked up and was quite surprised to see her staring back at him amusedly. What is it?

A soft giggle escaped from her rosy lips. Athrun has blue hair.

W-well…

She ran a hand on her silky locks, her gaze turning thoughtful. Mine is pink…

There was a moment of silence before she turned her attention back to him, her crystal-blue orbs twinkling gleefully as she let out another innocent and cheerful smile. In that case, our children should have purple hair, shouldn't they?

He suddenly choked on his tea, his eyebrow twitching. What the---?

A slight smile tugged the corner of his lips as his mind wandered off to that particular moment of his life, remembering how happy and lively Lacus still was back then. Always surprising him with such blunt and sensitive questions coming out of the blue, she could be very playful and teasing at times, but that was what he liked about her; she was a fun girl who was never a boredom to anyone. A symbol of warm love, beauty and affection to all Coordinators, he had always believed that she would remain like that ceaselessly, which was why her previous action came out as a complete surprise to him.

Eyebrows drawing together, he sunk deeper into his seat, and felt his chest constricting as he recalled the state she was in when he found her in the cast off bathroom: her naked body sprawled lifelessly in the small tub; her cheeks pale, and her long, pink hair clung tightly on her cold skin like a blanket. He had to admit that she wasn't a pleasant sight to look at, and never had he expected to see her like that either.

But why would he anyway?

Always the innocent and carefree girl was presented to him, so not until the incident earlier was he able to realize that she had been showing him a front all along.

That there actually existed a vulnerable and dismal side to her.

That her naivety and amiability were merely pretenses.

That behind the childish giggles and sweet smiles was actually a broken being who desperately needed someone to turn to more than anyone.

And that despite everything, she was still a normal human capable of feeling pain and suffering.

"If only I was able to realize all of this earlier…" Athrun said to himself, turning his sad gaze back to the sleeping bundle that was Lacus. "I'm sorry, Lacus… for not knowing anything until now…"

Wiping his mouth with his handkerchief, he shakily settled the cup back down on the table. He stared bemusedly at the girl sitting across him, wondering why she had asked him such a blunt question, but immediately shrugged it off as he heard her call him once again.

Oh, by the way...

Y-yes? He returned his gaze to her as he added a dollop of sugar in his tea, and he merely raised his eyebrows in question as she flashed him another cheery beam, her eyes crinkling into a smile this time.

When are we going to get married?

The teaspoon that he was holding dropped into the table instantly.

Frowning, Athrun pursed his lips as he closed his eyes. He was beginning to get edgy about the whole situation, yet he restrained himself. So many emotions were already swarming inside of him, waiting to be released, and he didn't know how to control them all anymore.

Why did Lacus attempt to kill herself all of a sudden?

Why in the bathtub, of all places?

Why was he currently feeling angry at her for doing such a thing?

And most of all, why did he feel like a huge part of him had suddenly gone missing when he saw through her plan?

Athrun found himself reflecting on these notions, but try as he might, he couldn't come up with any logical answers for his unspoken questions. Was he merely being too dense or was he already losing some of his wits, he didn't know. All he was certain of was that from this particular event, things would apparently never be the same again.

"Lacus…"

And for the first time in his life, the young ace pilot was at a loss of what to do.

"Why…?"

oOoOoOoOoOo

"SHE WHAT?"

Kira's pensive expression wavered slightly at the deafening roar of Andrew Waltfeld, feeling the urge to cover his ears as his deafening shout boomed in his senses. He hadn't expected him to react like this, and had he not been too caught up with his own thoughts and anxieties, he would have felt the least trepidation at the enraged look on his superior's face.

"Lacus? Suicide? IN THE BATHTUB?" Andrew looked at the brown-haired Coordinator standing stiffly before him, disbelief evident in his expression. "HOW THE HELL DID THAT HAPPEN?"

Kira bit his lower lip, his amethyst-purple eyes trailing from the older man's angry face to the metal floor. "I… I don't know, Sir…"

And then, nothing but silence followed.

The rest of the crew could only gape in surprise at the two figures standing at the very middle of the Bridge, the news that the Freedom pilot had brought apparently shocking them. It was all too sudden and greatly unexpected; they couldn't bring themselves to believe that their young and pleasant commander would do such a thing, and it left them very much troubled.

Several minutes passed; the tension circulating the whole area was almost unbearable, until Andrew decided to speak up once again.

"Well," he began, his deep voice now calm. "Is she all right now?"

"I-I guess," Kira answered. "Athrun is currently looking after her,"

Another stillness ensued for a brief moment.

"…I see," Andrew closed his eyes, rubbing his creased forehead. He raised his other hand to signal the brunette to take his exit, and the young man tentatively obliged. "This is so troublesome…"

As soon as Kira was gone, he exhaled deeply and banged a fist on the control table before him in irritation, causing the other workers to jump in their seats. Terrified at the Desert Tiger's sudden outburst, they immediately returned to their positions to continue their own works, leaving the said man alone.

"What has gotten into that girl all of a sudden?" Gritting his teeth, he then opened his eyes, an unfamiliar emotion dancing in the depths of his blazing, cobalt-blue orbs.

oOoOoOoOoOo

Kira inserted his hands in his pockets as he walked down the Eternal's empty corridor, his amethyst-purple eyes fixated on the floor. Somehow, the whole area felt colder and more silent than usual, and his expression grew grimmer at perceiving the reason why.

"Lacus…"

Stopping dead in his trail, he sighed and turned to the window just beside him. His reflection looked back at him sadly as he gently pressed a hand on the glass, and he merely stood there motionlessly, as his mind's eye flashed back to a series of unnerving images.

He leaned his back against the glass wall in the hallway, feeling restless. Apparently, his bizarre insight about the pink-haired lass took the sleepiness away from him, and as he examined the silver ring that he found on his nightstand a while ago, he could only wonder why he had suddenly thought of such a strange notion.

It doesn't make any sense…

Yet, his train of thoughts was interrupted when he heard a frenzied sound of footsteps coming from the other side of the corridor. Raising an eyebrow, he clenched the ring tight in his hand and peered through the corner to see what the fuss was about.

And the next thing he knew, he was face to face with a familiar, blue-haired Coordinator, a frightened expression plastered on his usually emotionless façade as he gathered a drenched songstress in his arms, her naked form covered by a red, ZAFT uniform.

A-Athrun, what---

Kira. The younger man's voice was firm as he gave the brunette a sharp, yet meaningful look Seeing an air of comprehension slowly cross his face, he managed to give a slight nod before tightening his hold on the figure that he was carrying in his arms and continuing on his way.

The Freedom pilot, on the other hand, stayed glued in his spot as the other youngster took off. He felt his knees buckle with so much weakness at the shocking sight that suddenly met his unknowing eyes, and with his mind now a tangled mess of confusion and wordless queries, he could only watch his friend's moving figure fade away in the darkness, hearing nothing but the sound of footsteps echo faintly in the vast, empty area.

The vivid color and sounds disappeared the moment Kira felt a hand gently settled on his shoulder. Turning to his side, he jerked as he found himself staring back at a pair of bemused, emerald-green eyes.

"A-Athrun," he stuttered, suppressing a gasp as he recognized the figure.

The young man nodded his head and leaned against the transparent wall, his arms crossed. Eyeing his friend carefully, he couldn't help but notice the troubled expression on his face. "What's eating you?" he asked casually.

Kira didn't say anything and merely looked down.

"It's about Lacus, isn't it?"

There was a moment of silence before the brown-haired lad decided to speak up. "How is she, Athrun?"

Athrun closed his eyes, sighing heavily. He knew that his friend was bound to ask this sooner or later. "She had been sunken for quite a while, and had swallowed a fair amount of water as a result,"

"What?"

"But she's all right now," he continued, eyelids parting slowly. "Thankfully, I was able to save her in time,"

At hearing this, Kira felt a wave of relief wash over him and he let out an eased smile. "That's good…" he whispered, but immediately shot Athrun a disbelieving look upon realizing something.

Reading the brunette's incredulous expression, the former ZAFT soldier couldn't help but smirk. "Jealous?"

"N-no, of course not!" he answered immediately, his voice surprisingly higher than usual.

Athrun felt the urge to widen his grin at seeing the huge blush tainting his friend's cheeks, but decided to spare him the further embarrassment. Releasing another sigh, he shrugged his shoulders casually. "It's only a simple mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, Kira. No need to get all worked up over it,"

"I know that!" Kira remarked stubbornly. "It's just that…"

"Just what?" The other man blinked.

"…What exactly happened to her, Athrun?" He turned to him, his amethyst-purple eyes shimmering anxiously. "I've never seen her so… so…"

"Lifeless?"

"Yeah… Lifeless…" he sighed. "Have you?"

Athrun raised an eyebrow in question. "What makes you say that?"

The brown-haired Coordinator blinked innocently, then scratched his head. "Well, you've known her the longest, haven't you?"

"Yeah, so?"

"Then you obviously know a lot more about her than we do," he told him.

With this, Athrun's mouth twitched, the urge to punch his friend rising within him. "Kira, you're being an idiot. Just go to sleep, will you?" he said resignedly, rubbing his creased forehead.

Kira glared at him. "I'm serious here," he remarked darkly. "Why won't you tell me anything anyway?"

"What do you want me to tell you then?"

"ANYTHING!" he snapped, hands curling into tight fists. His voice came out almost like a choked sob as he whirled his head sharply to the Justice pilot, who seemed quite unaffected by his unexpected outburst. Taking a deep breath, he then hung his head limply, his shoulders slumping. "I'm deeply worried about her, Athrun," he mumbled, eyes staring uneasily at the metal floor. "When I saw you carrying her, I… I felt so afraid for her…"

He lifted his head once again, a frown crossing his features as he met Athrun's blank stare. "And even if she's all right now, I can't just sit around here and act as if nothing has ever happened to her when in fact there really has,"

Despite the troubling sensation inside of him, Athrun still managed to give out a smirk. "Wow," he breathed. "You really got it bad, huh?"

"What?" Kira blinked.

"Why do you care so much about Lacus anyway?" he asked back, shifting his position a bit. Looking at the brown-haired lad before him, he noticed that the grim expression on his youthful face grew deeper at his question.

A few minutes passed, then a tired sigh was heard.

"Lacus…" the brunette began, sadness flashing in his mauve depths as he thought of the songstress. "She had already done so much for me. I… I owe her my life…" Here, he took a deep breath, eyebrows furrowing. "And I can't help but feel responsible for all that has happened to her lately. Maybe… Maybe if I--- "

"Don't," Athrun suddenly said, cutting him off. His voice held a slight edge to it as he tilted his head to the perplexed young man yet again, locking him under his intent gaze. "You know as much as we do that it wasn't your doing, Kira,"

"But it's not Lacus' either," Kira retorted instantly.

"Now where did that come from?" the blue-haired Coordinator asked, his tone sounding irritated, yet almost incredulous. "I did not say anything like that, you idiot! I'm just stating the facts. For Pete's sake, Kira, why don't you just shut up?"

"No," he told him firmly, eyes narrowing into slits. "First, you tell me what I want to know then I'll shut up. Heck, I'll even leave you alone as an added bonus if you want!" Hearing no reply, he uttered another heavy sigh. "I… I just want to help…" he whispered. "So tell me, Athrun… Please…"

"…I don't know anything," Athrun mumbled, looking uneasily at the floor. "Even I am surprised as to why she attempted to do such a thing,"

"Do you think it has something to do with her father's death?" he asked him.

"Probably,"

"Or maybe--- "

"Kira," Athrun's voice cut him off once again.

"What?"

"Why aren't you shutting you up?" he asked him tiredly, closing his eyes.

Kira's eyebrow twitched. "And why are you being such a bastard?"

"Touché," He smirked.

The brunette could only shake his head, bringing his hand up to his temple. "You know, you act as if you don't care about Lacus at all, Athrun," he remarked. "I didn't know you were this cold,"

Athrun merely shrugged his shoulders. "That's because unlike you, I'm fully capable of controlling my feelings well,"

"Uh-huh," the other man scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Which is why you look twice your age right now,"

"Screw you," He punched him lightly in the shoulder, before straightening himself. He shuffled his feet and prepared to leave the area, yet stopped in his tracks the moment he heard Kira speak to him once again.

"When are you going to stop pretending that you don't care about anything, Athrun?" he questioned. "I know you're the one who is the most affected by what happened to Lacus, so just drop the act,"

And almost instantly, he felt something spark near the center of his chest. "…Kira,"

"What?"

"You've received proper military training from the Earth Forces, haven't you?" he asked him curtly.

Kira furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, not quite comprehending where his friend was getting at. "N-not really," he answered, somewhat hesitantly. "But Lieutenant Mwu did teach me some pretty decent martial arts. W-why?"

With this, Athrun turned around, determination glinting in his emerald-green eyes. "Spar with me,"

An unusual silence soon swathed the whole corridor, and Kira felt his jaw drop at the Justice pilot's unexpected demand as his wide, amethyst-purple orbs stared at his resolved expression in disbelief. "…O-Oh boy…" he choked out, and seeing Athrun's lips curl into a smug smirk, he could only nod his head hesitantly, whilst slapping himself mentally. "If I had known that he'd vent his anger out on me, I never should have provoked him like that…"

oOoOoOoOoOo

Black.

Everything was black.

Blindingly black.

Her tiny hands tried to grasp for something to hold on, yet she couldn't feel anything. I can't see. It's too dark! She was on the verge of crying, and panic was already about to overwhelm her, when a deep voice came out from the blue.

Why, of course it is, Princess. You're blindfolded, remember? Suddenly, she felt someone clamp her shoulder, patting it gently.

P-Papa? She sniveled, and almost gasped out loud as her hand was then taken by another; this time, much softer and smoother than her father's.

Don't be afraid, Lacus. It was a feminine voice, a very familiar one as well. This is simply a part of our surprise for you.

With this, she broke out into an excited beam. Mama! I-is that you?

Yes, it's me, Honey. She squeezed her hand. Is there a problem?

No… She smiled, blushing. I love you, Mama. And you too, Papa.

Regardless of the blindfold, she could still tell that they were smiling back at her.

We love you too, Dear. They took her hands and led her forward, guiding her to the place where she assumed her surprise would be.

Her excitement was apparent on her face by now – despite the piece of clothe that was covering half of it – and she beamed a bigger smile, one full of clear, unadulterated happiness.

Yes, this was her life – peaceful, grand and colorful. Her Mama and Papa would always stay by her side, holding her and smiling at her, and the three of them would love one another dearly.

She would always be their sweet, little princess.

And she would never be alone.

We're here! They stopped walking, and her parents let go of her hands.

Now, Cupcake. This time, she felt her mother kneel before her small frame, clasping her narrow shoulders gently. Count to three before removing the blindfold, okay?

Yes, Mama!

Giggling lightly, she kissed her in the forehead. That's a good girl. She delicately tapped her daughter's nose with a lean finger before standing up, and the pink-haired princess took this as a prompt to start her count.

One… Two… She reached for the blindfold and pulled it down to her neck, squealing in excitement. Three!

Yet as she opened her eyes, nothing but dimness greeted her sight.

There wasn't any surprise.

No cakes.

No gifts.

No ponies.

No giant teddy bears.

No Mama and Papa.

"Mama…"

It was just her. Only her.

And the cold darkness surrounding her petite form, threatening to engulf her whole being once again.

"Papa…"

Gasping softly, she gradually sat up, the blanket slipping off her naked self. She shakily raised her hands to her face, looking at them in disbelief. "W-why…? How…?" she breathed, a combined feeling of what seemed like confusion and disappointment working its way on her pale features.

LACUS!

The face of a familiar, blue-haired young man then flashed in her mind, and realization instantly dawned on her.

"He saved me… just in time…"

With this, her lips quivered into a bitter smile. "I'm… alive…?" she asked herself, feeling weak all of a sudden. She bowed her head feebly, pink tresses overshadowing her eyes.

"I'm alive…" Hardening her fists, the smile never left her lips despite the mixed emotions that were starting to flare up in her veins once again, and she hugged her knees tight against her chest, before finally letting the silent tears trickle down her porcelain cheeks. "I'm still alive…"

(tsuzuku)

May 27, 2005

This chappie – so far – has been the MOST DIFFICULT CHAPPIE I'VE EVER WRITTEN! MUCH harder than the 2nd one, mind y'all! Too much contemplation… Gah! It's making my head hurt a lot! And to think that I have to endure this all throughout the course of the story! OxO I think I'm gonna die…

Oh, please don't sue me for presenting such a poor chappie. Yes, there may be no AxL scenes here - except the certain flashbacks - but this chappie is very important to the whole story (It's not a filler!) because this one sets up the characters' moods for the future, heavier chappiez. So... umm... (looks nervously at the readers)

Anyways, I've made a new community dedicated entirely to the AxL coupling! XD It'll be so cool if y'all peepers would join it! Don't worry; you don't have to be a writer to join. Anyone can do so, actually! Just as long as you love AxL. If there are any AxL writers who would like to join, you may also submit your AxL fics there. Gathering all AxL aficionados, as well as ALL AxL fics in the Gundam SEED category is the main purpose of the community anyway so… err… I'm talking rubbish, doncha think?

Okay, so much for that! Thank you all for the wonderful support, minna-san! XD And now, I present you with my responses.

oOoOoOoOoOo

Lara - My, thank you very much for checking out the 2nd chappie! I know it was a late update, and the chappie was really shorter, but I'm doing my best to make it improve more. However, I'm still glad to hear that you liked it despite everything! XD Once again, thank you very much for supporting me, as well as acknowledging me as one of the best!

xTiNaeVr - Well, hello, fluffybmine! c",) It's nice to receive another review from you! Hehe... Anyways, thanks for liking my fic! And yes, I totally understand what you're trying to say. I've experienced the same thing too! So... What do you think of this chapter? Hope you review again, friend!

Heero De Fanel - OMG! O.o IT'S SUCH AN HONOR TO RECEIVE A REVIEW FROM YOU, HEERO-SAMA! ...Hehe... Well, you may think that I'm weird or something, but you're one of my fave authors! XD I'm super happy that you've read my fic! Thank you VERY much for your wonderful comments! Yoshi! I'll do MUCH better from now on! Hope to hear from you again! XD

deema - I like DxM too! I actually find it cute! Haha! Anyways, thank you for the review! And because you've made me so happy, I'll TRY inserting li'l DxM scenes in my story solely for your enjoyment! XD So please keep on supporting me, ok? (wink)

Crazy Neko - Wow. You really think the chappie was not a complete crap! O.o Waii! I'm so happy! T.T Thank you very much for cheering me up on that one! And you're starting to like the AxL pairing as well? SUGOI! Hehe... I don't see why you're thanking me though... I mean, honestly, I'm the one who should thank you for it! Because of what you've said, I've been motivated more than ever! XD Once again, thank you so much for liking the fic and for supporting me! Hope to hear from you again! XD

SteeldramonXL - Thanks for the awesome review! Yes, I've read your ficcie, but my PC was being a bitch again and didn't let me review... but I won't give up! I'll review it no matter what! Hehe... About Kira and Cagalli, well, it's quite hard to think of the perfect way for them NOT to be siblings, but I'll think of something! I don't want to disappoint one of my readers, y'know! XD Anyways, I hope this chapter was a satisfying one to you. I'd love to hear your comments on this, so please review, ok? And oh! Good luck with your upcoming AxL ficcie! I'll check it out as soon as it's posted! XD

botan-chan16 - Hello, gurl! Nice to hear from you again! Glad you've read this fic, even though you haven't actually watched the series yet. Pero sana lang pinapanood mo xa, db? MAGANDA UN, PROMISE! XD Hehe... Anyway, hope you review again, ok? XD Lookin' forward to it!

Imperialdramon a.k.a. Ten-chan - Err... Sorry sa pambubulabog! Nyaha! Well, at least you're done with your term papers na, right? So... What do you think of this chappie? And Lacus being self-centered? Well, that's the main point of the plot, right? She'll act like that in the WHOLE fic, so better get prepared! Haha! And yeah, thanx a bunch for the help! (glomps ATE) Review ka, ha?

white-rosekiss - Thanks for the review, as well as including this in your favorites! Yes, AxL fics are REALLY hard to find, which is why I made this one! Hehe... XD And yes, I'm actually planning to write another AxL one, and it will be the sequel of this. c",) I'm still not sure about it though, but I'll do my best! For the meantime, please bear with this fic, ok? I'd love to hear your comments on this one, considering that you're also an avid AxL fanatic like moi! XD

cherrygurl-990 - Thank you for being patient with my slow updates! I'm glad you liked the ficcie, and your comments about Lacus just makes me want to find you and glomp you! Hehe! XD Please continue reading this one, ok?

Lacus-chan - I'm always looking forward to your reviews, y'know... since you're a total AxL aficionado like me! XD Thanks a lot for the review! Hope you give me more! In turn, I'll do MUCH better in the future chappies! XD

Ame no Megami - Wow, so many AxL fans here! Hehe... Thanks for being one of them! I'm really glad. So what do you think of the story so far? Going good or not? Don't hesitate to give me comments, ok?

moonbeams-stardust - Well... Did you like the 3rd chappie? O.o I hope so... Hehe! But I'd really appreciate it if you give me another review! It makes me more motivated! XD And about your question, well, unfortunately, there isn't any AxL shrines in the Internet currently. Sorry! I'm trying to find one too, but I'm out of luck! However, I have some pretty cool and SWEET AxL pics and cute fanarts and doujinshis that I would like to share to any AxL worshippers! XD If you want them, just let me know, ok? And yes, AxC fics are inevitable, dearest, since they ARE a canon pairing and the MOST appreciated one... so... err... But don't mind them! As long as we remain loyal to AxL, well... you know what I mean! Err... right? O.o Haha! I'm starting to babble again. Anyways, please review, ok?

Cruel Fate - Well, what can I say? I believe I've already made my point in my Author's Notes above... right:D Just please be patient, ok? I haven't forgotten the fact that this is INDEED an AxL fic, but I strongly believe that jumping into sudden sappiness is just too OOC. As of now, Athrun feels nothing but concern to our Pink Princess. Not romantically though... But as the story progresses, I assure you that you'll finally be seeing some AxL scenes. Not too fluffy and mushy. This is an angst fic after all. (sweat drops) Anyway, I'd like to thank you for the review! I'm glad you liked the slight KxL-ness I've inserted! XD Yes, I know there STILL isn't any AxL going on in the current chappie, but please consider reviewing this one too, ok? Thanks in advance, dear! XD

PiNk PriNcEsSzZ - Hey there! Thanks for checking out my fic! You hate AxC too? Wow. But I guess we kinda share the same ideals on them. For me, I think that Athrun is too "refined" to be paired up to someone as "rugged" as Cagalli... Err... But thank God you're supporting AxL! XD I'm so just happy! Hehe... And I'm also glad that you also enjoy the other pairings I enjoy! XD So cool! Oh, yeah... you mentioned something about Ji Won and Mina (or something like that). Umm... What are they anyway? O.o

atori - Thank you very much! I'm so happy to have a supporter like you! I'm looking forward to your review, friend! Please tell me what you think! c",) Btw, I'm also a fan of your works! XD I've read them all and my ultimate faves would be "A Boy, a Girl and that OldTemple Atop a Hill", and umm... ALL YOUR TENIPURI FICS! XD (I've been an instant fan of KiriSaku because of your fics regarding them!). I'm not much of a reviewer, but I'll try to give you some when I have the time! I'm always looking forward to your updates, as well! Good luck! You have my whole support, man! XD

osnowdropso - Yes, you're absolutely right! Athrun and Lacus can work out quite well as a pair. XD Thanks so much for thinking the same thing as I do! Also, I'm really flattered that you love my story, and your review was one of the most "inspiring" ones I've ever read! Thank you oh so much! I'll try coming up with newer ideas for newer AxL ficcies! XD I hope you review again!

Melrose Stormhaven - You're not the only AxL fanatic here, dear! Many people like the couple as much as we do, and I'm so glad! Hehe... I love you too! XD Hope to hear from you again! And before I forget, I've also read your MaLoki fic, "In A Distant Time". I think the story's really cool, and the Mayura x Kou-chan friendship included there was really interesting to read. Hope to read more of Jasshin Loki (He's one HOT bishie! Ooh… Totally drool-worthy! XD)! Hehe… More power to you! C",)

Chloe - Thanks for the comment! I found the chappie crappy actually, but I'm glad you said it was beautiful! XD Thank you for the support! Please continue reviewing me, onegai? ;-)

Kawaii - One word: Thanks. Nyaha! XD Thank you very much for considering me as the best writer! Truly an honor, and I promise to keep it up and continue writing so as not to disappoint supporters like you! Thanks again! Don't forget to review, ok? XD

Feathertop - Nyaha! You're making me blush with your reviews, y'know! Hehe... Anyways, thanks again! XD And about the NEKKID thingy, well... err... I just wanted to try it out on them once. :D Liked it? Whehe! Looking forward to your review!

Mongolian-bbq – Gee, thanks for giving me another review o------------------this----------------o long! XD Hehe! Yeah, the chappie was shorter (by 2 pages! TxT), but I'm still glad you liked it. I guess it's also nice to see Lacus in such a heartbreaking situation, and I totally agree when you mentioned that she was like a false doll in the series, showing nothing but a smiling façade towards everyone despite all that she'd gone through. I was especially proud of what you said about understanding Lacus' feelings here. So glad! The comment was a wonderful motivation for me, y'know. Thank you very much! (",) I'll be waiting for your next review!

Barney – Yes, Athrun and Lacus is such a CUTE couple. I'm always wondering why people don't see that fact… err… but I'm glad you did! Thanks a lot! XD Now we have another new member added to the AxL club! XD Hehe!

ConfuseDAngel – Dear, from the sound of it, you really ARE a confused angel… O.o But I'm glad I inspired you to write! Don't get too confused though. If you feel more comfy in writing a KxL, then it's okay! XD I'll still review it naman e. Good luck na lang:) And yes, Lacus is fine. No need to kill me… X.x

LKC – Gosh, I thought you weren't going to review me anymore! T.T Anyhoo, thanks a bunch for having the time to comment on both chappies, and for helping me with them! XD I'm in the editing process as of now, so please pardon the wrong grammars! (I personally think I still work better alone. Beta-readers aren't much help – especially when you know you ARE better than them in English! XD) And I'm glad you don't see the characters too OOC; I'm always worried about that. Gundam SEED DESTINY? Yes, I've already watched them, but I'm not THAT bothered anymore by the AxC moments included in there. All I needed to do was to cover my eyes when such EXPLICIT scenes are being shown and voila! I'm worry-free! XD Hehe… I'd like to talk more of this with you, so I'll just continue with this one when we chat, okish! My supposedly short reply for you is starting to be more like a novelette, and that's not good, man! Why? BECAUSE I'M BABBLING! XD Nyaha! Review again, okay?

Shady Heaven – Thanks for the review! Truly appreciated! I'm glad that I was successful in making most of the readers 'feel' what kind of dilemma Lacus is going through, and that – of course – includes you, my friend. :D Thanks again!

Angel Starcalista – Wow, we share the same insights, man! I too was very disappointed when the series got to its later episodes. Lacus and Athrun's breakup was such a heartbreak for me, but it further toughened my already strong obsession for the couple; thus, "Fading Light" is produced! XD And yes, Kira and Cagalli sounds like a much better pairing for me too. Why? Because they understand each other – more than anyone, if I may say so myself. You get what I'm saying, do you? Many people apparently thought of the same thing, which is why KxC ficcies still remain in the net. Maa! But I'm glad you liked my fic! XD I'm so happy! Tottemo ureshii desu yo! Nyaha! XD Lacus? Oh, well, I didn't kill her, so I hope you continue reading (and reviewing!) my fic, okay? (winks)

AL4ever! – Thanks for the review! Hope this chappie was a contentment to you. Please stay tuned for the AxL scene in the next installment, ayt?

Mocha-chan – Nyaha! I guess this 3rd chappie answered your worry, yes? Don't worry, dearie. Lacus-chan isn't dead, as you can see in the final scene. Anyway, I'm glad you're liking the fic so far, and thanks for checking it out despite your love for KxL! XD

Chelsey – Thanks for reviewing! And as I mentioned for the umpteenth time, Lacus is NOT dead. XD I won't kill her; don't worry – at least, not YET… Joke! XD

hikari munchkin – Thanks! (blushes) I'm glad to meet another true-blooded AxL aficionado. Please keep supporting this fic, okay? In turn, I'll do my best to make this the best AxL story! Hehe… Ganbarimasu!

Sechskies' No. 1 Fan – Wow… I HAVE MY OWN NO. 1FAN! Sugoi! XD Hehe… I'm really flattered And this is your 3rd time reading those 2 chappies! O.O Tottemo sugoi! Thank you very much for supporting me so much! Words aren't enough to express how you made me so happy! Yes, yes, I'll do MUCH better so as not to disappoint you! XD Please continue backing me!

Uchiha Chizuru – Hey there, gurlette! I didn't expect you'll review this work of mine… Meh! Thanks for the review anyway! Truly appreciated, uh-huh. You're the 2nd person who told me na sana kasama talaga sa SEED 'tong story ko, and… Haha! I really don't know what to say! XD It was such a flatter for me. And don't get too worked up with Cagalli. Tatanda ka sa sobrang inis! Nyaha! XD Keep loving AxL na lang para mas masaya. (smiles) Thanks a lot ulet! Smooches to you (and to Chidori-chan!) XD

Clyne-Zala – O.o Umm… I don't really know what your being speechless means… Negative? Positive? Err… Anyhoo, let me thank you for checking out the fic and sending a review as well. I welcome it a lot. (",)

icemint - Hehe… I'm wordless… I'm glad you liked my fic, but no need to thank me for it! I'm just happy to know that AxL lovers like me are enjoying my humble fiction. Actually, I'm the one who's supposed to thank y'all for reading it. It's all because of your support that I'm still able to write like this. (",) Please continue sticking with me and this fic, okay? I eagerly await your next review, buddy!

Shirayuki – Yes, AxL fics are really rare, and that fact frustrated me so much! They're like diamonds, you know? So hard to find… Well, anyways, thank you very much for the review you gave me! It was more than enough to boost my enthusiasm in continuing with this ficcie! XD All my reviewers' words are the world to me, so I hope you continue reading (and reviewing!)!

LaJolie – I love you too for reading my fic! XD So sorry for the very long update, but this chappie – honestly – was SO hard to write! Much harder than the 2nd one, actually. Anyways, I'm glad to know that you're liking my fic so far, but I was kinda O.o when I read in your review that you were panicking while reading it. I didn't know how to react on that! I was laughing in amusement but scratching my head in confusion. But I'm glad! (",) From your reaction, I can tell that you were enjoying the chap… right? O.O Err… Moving on, umm… about your question, yes, I got my penname from the K-band, SechsKies! XD I just love Kang Sung-hoon so much, so I picked the name to always remind me of my (eherm!) obsession for him! Nyaha! Thanks for the review, btw! This chappie isn't really that great but I hope you'll still review me!

DarkRoxy – Wow! Your review was a piece of heaven to me, man! XD I'm glad you like my fic, and I'm SUPER happy that you even consider this as your fave AxL ficcie! Yes, yes, long live Athrun and Lacus! And don't worry, this story won't be ending yet. :D I have many plans for our fave couple, so please wait for it! Btw, I read your AxL fic just now and I also loved it! I'll be sending you a review as soon as I have the time, ok? (smiles)

Melon – Oh, so you have a fetish for angst and drama, huh? Well, hope you continue reading because I assure you that this fic has LOTS of them! XD Thanks so much for the wonderful review!

Puu-chan – Gosh, I'm flattered! Rating this an 11 out of 10? Aiya! So happy! (blushes) Thank you very much, and I'll definitely do more! (",)

Akizuki-02 – Thank you for the very pleasing comments, my dear! I hope you didn't get any nervous breakdowns while reading the fic, because I can tell that you're one emotional reader. J Tama ba ko, sis? Haha! I'm super happy to know that you think of this fic as the best, but I suggest you also read other GS fics. There are others out there that are also great and totally worth reading (especially AxL ones! Squee!). I can recommend to you some, if you want! Anyways, already at a loss of words here. Basta! Thanks for liking my fic, and I hope you… uh… O.o Nyaha! XD

rouge justice – Thanks for the review! Hope this chapter was a satisfaction to you, dearest. I'll do MUCH better next time, so please stay tuned, ok? (smiles)

diamond-dust08 – Nyaha! Dunno what to say! XD Thanks for reviewing! I wasn't expecting you to give me one, actually. So, umm… Oh yeah! Thanks for telling me Andy's eye color! Kahit pandescribe ko lang siya, important pa rin yun so thanks talaga! XD (hugs KUYA)

FUSHUU – Yes, I'll do more, so I hope you review more too! Nyaha! XD Thanks a lot!

AxL Supporter – My, another AxL supporter! Haha! Thank you very much for reviewing. :-)

Cryptkeeper – Wow. Another long review from one of my fave reviewers! XD Thank you very much for supporting all my stories so far. You don't know how much you've made me so happy. I'll work on the grammatical errors, and I'll DEFINTELY try harder! Hope you review me again! X-)

Mocha Creampuff – Gawd! Your name makes me really hungry right now! XD Anyways, I'm flattered about what you said. I didn't know my fic was THAT good. XP Hehe. I hope you liked this 3rd chappie, even though it doesn't have any AxL interactions as of yet. But I'm trying very hard! Like you (and I guess everyone who reads the fic), I want to see more AxL scenes, but as I already mentioned, fluffs won't be coming until the last part. This is an angst fic after all, so we'll just have to wait for it. :P Still, I hope you're not getting too impatient with the slow development of the plot. XP Maa! Thanks for the review anyways. :-) Totally loved it!

NoinK – Thank you for reviewing! Glad to know that AxL is also always on the top of your list! Me too! Nyaha! XD I so love them!

wheeXD – Why, thank you! XD (hugglez back)

ukyo16 – Thank you for the flattering comments, as well as your encouragement letters! XD It really helped me a lot! I'm so happy that you're supporting my fic this much, and words aren't enough to express how grateful I am to have you as my friend! (hugs) You're cool too, you know, and I hope you continue loving AxL as much as I do. :D Once again, thanks for the wonderful motivation! Hope to see a review from you again. :-)

Petal – Suspense? O.o Ahahaha! (sweat drops) But I have to agree that AxL is a really exciting pair. Thanks for dropping by and reviewing!

Tiramisu – Dry those tears now, dearie, because Seccie-chan is back in the house! XD Hope this chappie has answered your queries! Lotsa hugs to you for reviewing me! C",)

ISDA – Woah… A little flattered here. The best? O.o Aiyaa! Hontou ni arigatou! XD So whaddya think of this 3rd chappie? (smiles innocently)

meiri – Thanks for the pleasing comment! I always feel embarrassed whenever someone would tell me that my fic is the best… XD Ahaa, hazukashii! But really, thank you very much! Looking forward to your next review!

ChRnO – I'm so so sOoOoOo sorry for the long wait! XD Writer's block, need I say more? But I'm back now, so don't cry! XP Hope you review me again! Good reviews are one of my motivations! XD

--- Everyone, please say "Hi!" to my new beta-reader (and instant friend), UKYO16! Love you lots, girl! Thanks a bunch for putting up with my craziness! XD ---