New story! It's gonna be a short one though, I'm thinking it's going to be about 4 chapters…

Warning! This contains Character Death (Nicol's death doesn't count)

"…" Speech

"…" thoughts/ flashback speech

I do not own! - Takes place after the Archangel takes off from Orb, before Nicol dies.

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Kira sighed comfortably. He was lying on his bed, and the Archangel has taken off from Orb for a few days already. They hadn't met any enemies yet, and Kira hoped that they would lay off for the rest of this trip to Alaska. "I doubt it," he thought. "I've always been a person to have foolish hope though."

He turned to face the wall, deep in thought. "I wonder what Athrun would've said if Cagalli didn't appear at that time. Does he still care? Would he really kill me? Does our friendship mean nothing to him? Athrun…" A tear escaped his eye. Kira wiped it off furiously. "Curse you Athrun; you're confusing me so much."

Sighing he turned back so that he was facing the ceiling. "Might as well go and take a nap, I have to treasure the time I have." He got under the blanket and curled up into a ball in a comfortable position.

His eyes were about to close into a peaceful slumber when the intercom blasted. "All hands to level one battle stations! I repeat all hands to level one battle stations!"

Cursing and blinking the sleep out of his eyes, Kira snapped the blankets off and rushed towards the launch deck. "Why now of all times?"

Hurriedly, he put on his flight suit and helmet on and got into the Strike. He buckled his seat belt and started the MS. He waited impatiently as he looked on the familiar screen set up.

Miriallia's image popped up in the right top corner. "Hey."

"Hey," Kira muttered. "All set."

Miriallia looked at him worried. "Be careful."

Kira rolled his eyes. He went through with this every time he went out to fight. He said his line. "I will, you too."

Miriallia nodded. "All right, we're going to attach the Aile Striker Pack. All systems green, ready when you are."

"Kira Yamato, Strike, heading out!" Kira said as he blasted into the clear, blue, cloudy sky. He smiled at the sight. "It's so peaceful, looking at the sky, it reminds me of old times when me and Athrun used to do it. No one would've thought this place is a battlefield."

"Ensign Yamato," Lt. Badgirel's voice came through. "Stay close to the ship," she warned.

"Yes ma'am," Kira replied. Up ahead were the forms of four Gundams. The Blitz took off away from the three and headed towards Kira, the Aegis and the Duel went towards the Archangel and the Buster took on the Skygrasper holding Lt. La Flaga.

Kira swiftly dodged the incoming beam rifle shots. He took out his own beam rifle and repetitively shot at the Blitz. None of them hit the black machine; however, one of the shots was close enough so that the pilot had to jerk off course for a second.

Kira took out his beam saber and cut off the Blitz's left arm. Flipping quickly over the machine, he stepped on the back the Blitz and pushed off. The MS plunged downwards quickly.

"AHHH!" the pilot screamed in shock.

"Nicol!" Athrun voice cried over the intercom. He quickly took after the Strike to take over Nicol's spot.

"Athrun…" Kira landed on a piece of land a few meters away. Athrun followed him and landed opposite of him. Kira flicked on a switch and Athrun's face appeared in the screen.

"Kira," Athrun acknowledged.

Kira sighed. Well, at least he was acknowledging him right? "Do… do you hate me?"

Athrun paused, as if thinking for a while. Kira's face sported a hurt look, usually; Athrun would say it without any millisecond hesitation. Now… Athrun might actually hate him. "No."

Kira mentally sighed in relief. "Then, why are you fighting me?"

"I should ask you that question!" Athrun said angrily. "You're a Coordinator, Kira, yet you still fight with the Naturals! You say something about protecting your friends, so I suppose that I'm not part of that group anymore, right!"

Kira's eyes widened in disbelief. "You still are my friend Athrun. You always will be, but you can protect yourself, you're a ZAFT elite member. The friends I have aboard that ship were never trained to be a soldier. They are all volunteers, because the Archangel was short of people when we got on. I can't just leave them to die, I just can't! Why can't you understand that?"

"Because," Athrun said, "my orders were to kill you or capture you and the Strike back. But my orders have changed, and now, I have to kill you before you destroy more of our troops, before you kill more ZAFT soldiers!"

Kira winced noticeably at the harsh words. "So you will kill me then, because they were your orders."

Athrun hung his head. "I don't know anymore."

Kira's eyes flashed with pain. Tears were threatening to appear but he swallowed them down. "I see. Our friendship is in ruins now I guess."

"It doesn't have to be," Athrun said. "Come to the PLANTs, you don't even have to fight, just don't be on the Earth Alliance."

"I can't," Kira said stubbornly. "I told you already, I can't and I won't betray my friends like this." He took a deep breath and let it out. "I…I would die for each and every friend I have if I could save them."

Athrun bit his lip and didn't say a word. His head had snapped back up after Kira's last sentence.

"Do…do you remember our promise years ago?" Kira suddenly asked. "The one we made 10 years ago?"

Athrun nodded. "Yeah… we were both six…"

(Flashback)

A blue haired boy panted slightly as his emerald green eyes watched a brown haired boy run swiftly through the school playground. He groaned tiredly. "Kiraaaa!" He complained. "We've been running for a long time, can't we stop for a second?"

"Nope!" Kira said childishly. "I want to go on THAT hill over THHHERRRE!"

Athrun sweatdropped as the hyperactive child ran laughing and singing 'I like to move it', the song in Madagascar, over and over again. "Wait up! Kira!"

Kira turned and ran backwards just as quick. He stuck out his tongue towards his best friend. "You're just jealous that you can't run as fast as I can!" Laughing at his own logic, the little boy turned back and sprinted towards his beloved hill.

Athrun sighed. "I am not jealous of your running skills! Kira! KIIIIRAAAAAA!" He whined. "Come baaacckk!" Sighing again, he started running as fast as his little legs could carry him.

Finally, Athrun collapsed on a hill in front of Kira's hill. Kira was dancing on his hill, giggling and laughing for no apparent reason. Athrun sat down, crossed legs, on the soft green grass of spring.

"Awww, Athrun," Kira said. "Aren't you gonna come here, on MY hill?"

Athrun pouted a bit. "I'm too tired Kira. I'm not gonna move for another 3 hours!"

Kira paused for a moment then giggled. "Well, I'm gonna make you move!" Sprinting towards his oblivious friend, he tackled Athrun and the two of them rolled down the hill. Kira laughed childishly while Athrun screamed in terror.

As soon as the two of them reached the bottom, Kira bounced back up and pulled a terrified Athrun back up the hill. "Let's do that again!"

He dragged a flabbergasted down the hill again and then back up. Kira and Athrun rolled down the hill for a few minutes before stopping at the bottom of the hill, both of them laughing in pleasure and delight. Both had grass stains and mud on their clothes and pieces of grass sticking out of their hair.

Kira rolled over onto his stomach and looked at the blue-haired Coordinator. "That was fun, wasn't it?"

"Uh huh," Athrun replied. "But still, you scared me really bad when you pushed me off that hill."

"Sorry," Kira said cutely, pouting. "But you were just sitting there, I couldn't help it." He paused slightly as if waiting for Athrun's response. He got none. "You know, you should relax a bit more. You're always so stiff and formal around people you don't know. You should have more fun!"

Athrun snapped up in a sitting position. "Stiff and formal!"

Kira nodded. "Like when you bow and introduce yourself. You should play more often! Besides we are only 6 years old! We have 5000 more years to live!"

Athrun struggled to raise an eyebrow. "5000 years?"

Kira nodded enthusiastically. "Uh huh! I'm gonna out live you! I'm gonna live to 5006 years old!"

"Nuh uh!" Athrun said. "I'm gonna live to 5007!"

"I'm gonna live to 5008!"

"5009!"

"5010!" Kira laughed happily. Soon Athrun joined him. Kira suddenly stopped and looked at Athrun. "Promise that we would be friends forever?"

Athrun gave him a strange look, but nodded eagerly. "Definitely! We would be friends forever! Wherever you go, I'll follow! We'll stick to each other through thick and thin!"

Kira blinked, confused. "Whaattt? What does that mean?"

Athrun shrugged, a little embarrassed. "I dunno, I heard it on TV yesterday."

"Oh," Kira said.

"Why did you ask?" Athrun asked.

"For the promise?" Kira said. Athrun nodded. "Because you're my bestest best friend ever!"

(End Flashback)

"Guess we failed that promise," Kira muttered.

"Kira…" Athrun started.

"Athrun!" Nicol's voice blared over the intercom. "Are you okay?"

"Oh, yeah," Athrun quickly responded.

"What are you doing standing there?" Nicol asked, concerned and confused.

"Oh, uh," Athrun stumbled. "I'll be there in a sec!" As if he was acting, he shot a few times at Kira and shot off into the sky.

Kira nimbly dodged the shots. He took off as well, chasing Athrun but Nicol blocked his way. He tried to get around, but Nicol took out his beam saber and forced Kira back.

"Oh no you don't," Nicol said. "I'm your opponent now."

Kira cursed slightly, but he drove Nicol closer to the ship, so he could help out when the Archangel needed it. They exchanged shots, and Kira had to dispose his shield when one of Nicol's shots had hit it.

Kira fought desperately, trying to get Nicol out of his way, he could see the Archangel struggling. He took out his beam saber and it clashed with Nicol's beam saber. He tried to get the upper hand, but he was failing. Instead, he tried another plan.

He ducked under the saber, flipped backwards and kicked Nicol's head. Then, using his beam saber, he sliced the Blitz' legs off. Kira backed away as the bottom half of the Blitz exploded.

"Nicol!" Athrun screamed.

And then, without warning, Archangel fired its Godfrieds (AN: Spelling?) and as if time suddenly slowed down, the twin beams slowly hit the black MS. Two humungous explosions followed up, and Kira was blown away slightly.

Athrun's eyes widened as he saw his friends' machine blow up. "NICOL!" He screamed in terror. Nothing but metal pieces fell from where the Blitz used to be. Athrun's breath started coming in short gasps as disbelief overcame him.

His eyes narrowed dangerously as he glared uselessly at the legged ship. He could see that Dearka and Yzak were angry too, as both of them were fighting much harder.

Hot tears of sadness fell quickly down Athrun's face. Grief. That emotion again, the same one he felt when his mother had died, when Rusty had died, when Miguel had died, and now, when Nicol had died. He hated that emotion so much, he didn't want to feel it again, and slowly that grief turned into anger.

Screaming in anger, Athrun raced off to attack the Archangel but was intercepted by Kira. "Get out of my way!" he screamed. "NOW!" He used his beam saber and tried to get around Kira.

"Athrun!" Kira blocked the shot with his own beam saber. "Calm down!"

"CALM DOWN!" Athrun yelled, enraged. "HOW CAN I CALM DOWN? THAT SHIP KILLED MY FRIEND!" He continued to try to get to the Archangel. "DAMN YOU! GET OUT OF MY WAY!"

"I won't let you get to them," Kira grunted out. "I will not let you! I'm sorry for your lost, but still I won't let you kill my friends!"

"You don't know anything!" Athrun growled. "Your mother hasn't died! None of your friends have ever died! YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!" Slowly, his anger faded away and grief overtook him again. He landed on the same island, sobs racking his body. "You don't understand…"

Kira followed him and landed across from him again, knowing that Athrun wouldn't fly off anytime soon. Athrun's image was still on his left hand corner screen. He could see his best friend's red eyes and tears streaming down his face.

Athrun continued, "He was the only one who really understood me in the army." Kira knew that he was talking about the dead boy. Guilt consumed the brown haired boy. "He was so gentle and caring, he didn't belong in war. He only fought so the people he cared for, his people wouldn't waste away. He was only fifteen!"

"What the hell is your problem, Zala!" Yzak's voice screamed. "Stop standing there and kill that bastard! It's his damn fault that Nicol's dead!"

Yzak was being held back by a fighter plane, but he was winning by quite a bit. Dearka was also held back by a fighter plane, but it seems that this pilot was better than the one fighting Yzak. The Archangel was backing up both planes.

The Archangel neared the two Gundams on the island. "Stay close to the ship, Ensign Yamato!"

Kira nodded a bit weakly, still not used to death. It hurt him deeply to know that he had helped kill a good friend of Athrun's. It hurt him to see his best friend in so much pain. It was like a mental connection between the two friends, Kira could almost feel the mental pain his friend was in.

"Yamato! What do you think you're doing! Fight him already!" Lt. Badgirel's voice shrieked over the intercom.

Kira frowned. "I-"

"You can't kill him?" the strict lieutenant growled. "Get used to it boy, this is a war; you're supposed to kill your enemies."

Kira bit his lip to keep him from shouting at the superior officer. "But Athrun's not my enemy!"

"Athrun, I don't want to fight you or your friends, please just leave us to go," Kira begged.

"No," Athrun responded shakily. "I won't allow that ship to pass!"

"You want to destroy it," Kira said sadly. "You want to destroy it because it destroyed your friend. Athrun, revenge will get you nowhere, it won't satisfy you, and it won't bring Nicol back."

Athrun glowered. "I don't care. They killed Nicol, and they will pay!" He turned around as if he was going to take off.

"I won't let you get to them!" Kira said furiously. He took the same position, ready to intercept Athrun if he did take off. "They're my friends, just like Nicol was yours."

Athrun scowled angrily. "Then I'll have to get through you!" He threw his shield towards Kira as if he hoped it would distract him. Kira took out his beam rifle and shot down the shield and ran towards Athrun.

Athrun took out his beam rifle as well and the two of them exchanged shots. All of them missed. Annoyed, Athrun exchanged his beam rifle for his beam saber. He charged and tried to chop off one of the Strike's arms.

Quickly, Kira exchanged his weapons as well and was just in time to clash his and Athrun's beam sabers together. Both struggled to get the upper hand. Finally, Kira swiftly jumped back and avoided the incoming yellow beam.

"Dammit!" Yzak's voice was strained. "Why did it have to go right now!" Athrun looked over, and both the Buster and the Duel had run out of power, and their Phase Shift Armor had turned down.

"We have to get out of here, or all of us is gonna die here," Athrun mentally scowled. He didn't want to get out of this area before that damned ship is down and dead!

"Dearka, Yzak, you guys get out of here," Athrun said, barely containing his anger. "I have some business to finish here."

"What!" Yzak screamed. "Are you insane, Zala! You can't finish the legged ship and the Strike by yourself!"

"I am not leaving until Nicol is revenged," Athrun growled. "If I let them go now, there might not be a chance that we meet again!"

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End of Chapter 1 -

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