Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Seed.

Author's Note: If you're still reading this, I'm sure all of you must be thinking I'm a stupid liar (shameless BIG BANG reference, I know) for saying I'd be updating soon. Yes, I know, it's been almost a year and I have so many excuses but I'm sure you're not interested in hearing them. So yeah, I can only apologise to you all and hope this update makes up for the long wait (if it doesn't, I'm still sorry, I know my writing is a bit rusty). Anyway, I'm really really SO sorry... here's the new chapter .

Yzak opened the door, and glanced around, at the woman currently following him. He took a few steps forward, entering his home and opened the door even wider for Shiho to come in. It felt strange to allow a woman inside because, after Fllay, he had somewhat sworn the opposite gender off his property.

He didn't want to admit it but he was feeling very uncomfortable. It was mostly because she hadn't said a word since their conversation after Cagalli's phone call. He hadn't bothered trying to get her to speak, either. He had lied to her, had partly confessed and she had been hurt. It was understandable. There was nothing he could do about it.

Yet, some part of him really wanted to do something about it. To make up for his lie. To get back the impression she had first had of him, after he had proposed to give shelter to the dog, of course. He didn't know her. Yet, the disappointment he had perceived from her, it gave him a nagging impression that the feeling wasn't new to her.

It was as if she had become conditioned to being lied to, to being disappointed by the persons in her life. The look she had given him in the car had said it all. Now that he thought about it, it seemed like 'I should have expected it' had practically been written on her face.

Maybe he had started reading too much into things, or maybe he was just angry at himself for having, in a way, used her. Either way, part of him wanted to make it up to her.

He turned around and with a nod, prompted her to come in. Judging by the expression on her face, it was easy to guess that she only gingerly obliged.

She walked in, past him and quickly put the puppy down at her feet. While straightening up, she allowed herself to look around. He waited for her to comment. Everyone usually did. The architectural work inside his apartment was quite impressive. It had been one of his company's proudest renovations. One always featured in his and Dearka's portfolio.

She didn't.

Instead, she turned around, avoided looking at him directly and asked with a hint of uncertainty in her voice, "Are you driving me back or should I take a taxi?"

That did it. He took a deep breath and -

"Look," he started, heaving a frustrated sigh, "I'm sorry I lied to you."

He hadn't really planned the apology, but he didn't even have to ponder over what had urged him to do it.

Because when he saw her shrugging indifferently, it finally clicked.

He knew that look. Knew the expression on her face. He should have recognized it when they had been in the car. He had seen it on Athrun, time and time again. A mix of hopelessness and acceptance. It made him wonder about her past. Had she had her own version of Luna in her life? Had someone hurt her so much that now she was expecting everyone to do the same?

He inhaled, and stared hard at her, trying for a moment to reason why he even cared. He didn't even know her.

Those thoughts flew right out the window though, when she started moving. Towards him. Not, not him, he finally realized, but towards the door he had just closed.

When she came next to him, he reached out for her and held on to her arm. She looked up at him but he momentarily averted his eyes.

"Wait," he finally ordered, voice cold. When he sensed her glare, he looked down, realizing he probably shouldn't have used such a tone.

"Call Cagalli if the puppy needs anything," she said, voice as chill. "She'll let me know."

She gently tugged at her arm but stopped when he started talking.

"One of my friends…" he admitted, taking a steadying breath before continuing, "he's… well, let's just say that he's a friend of Cagalli. They had a fight and I drove him there because he wanted to apologise. When I realized that you were heading up to see her, I just… I guess I didn't want you to interrupt their chance of making up."

He finally let go of her arm and chanced another look at her. She was staring at him, face blank. He stepped away from the front door, giving her the opportunity to leave.

When she didn't, he sighed in relief. She turned her back to him, taking a few steps towards his sofa and finally exclaimed, her tone warmer, "I love your apartment."

He couldn't help it. He openly smirked, but resisted the urge to boast about his own work.

She took a seat, and looked at Zala, the puppy now at her feet. "Thank you, Joule."

"Yzak," he corrected, automatically. "What for?" he then asked, realizing he had no idea why that she had just thanked him.

"For telling me the truth," she said, looking up at him. "I guess you're not a jerk, after all."

He rolled his eyes at her and took a few steps forward.

"Well, since you finally figured this out, woman," he started, taking a seat next to her, "I'll give you a piece of advice."

He paused and finally continued when she lifted her eyes from the puppy, and looked at him questioningly.

"Next time, you probably shouldn't give your trust so easily. For all you know, I could still be lying to you."

"Are you?" she asked, so suddenly that he immediately shook his head fervently.

She gave him a small smile, before sighing and nodding, looking a little ashamed of herself.

"There won't be a next time," she agreed, "As I told you in the car, I know that it wasn't very wise."

Yzak nodded. "Why then? What if I had really been a serial killer?"

"You don't look like a serial killer," she replied lightly.

"I thought you had never met one," he countered.

She slumped against the couch and turned her head to look at him.

"I love your ponytail."

He also leaned back and turned his head to look at her, a frown now on his brow.

What did she mean by that? That didn't make any sense.

"Are you trying to distract me, Miss Hahnenfuss?"

"Shiho," she corrected, before giving him another small smile. "Maybe I am. Is it working?"

"You're avoiding my question," he stated, his tone serious.

"What do you want me to say? You blackmailed me," she replied, glancing at him, "I was kinda scared that you'd really reveal everything. You're a real bad man, Yzak," she continued with a grin, in an attempt to lighten up the mood.

When she noticed his less than pleased look, she shrugged and sighed. "In any case, I could have defended myself if you had tried anything, and you looked really desperate to keep the puppy. I didn't have the heart to disappoint you..." she trailed and looked down at her hands, before eventually continuing. "And… maybe, I also wanted to take a chance at trusting someone like you."

He waited for her to elaborate. She didn't.

I just wanted to take a chance at trusting someone like you.

They stayed in silence for a few seconds, while her words kept replaying in his mind. Eventually, she cracked a small smile.

"To tell the truth, I'd really thought that you wanted to help me."

He averted his eyes to avoid looking at her. "Must have been disappointing to learn that you were wrong."

"I wasn't completely wrong. You wanted to help. I was just not the one on the receiving end."

She smiled at him again, a smile he returned this time around. He had many questions for her. For some reason, he was a little intrigued by her. But as he lifted his head and looked around the room, he realized that there was a more pressing matter at hand. Especially when he saw that puppy now marking its territory on the expensive ebony floor of his beloved apartment.

He swore under his breath and tried to keep his murderous surges at bay. He didn't want to have another outburst in front of Shiho. She seemed to appreciate him, and he didn't want her to join the ranks of those who only saw him as an insensitive, hot tempered guy. Because once that happened, seeing past his bad temper, seeing past their intimidation was generally infeasible.

Maybe that was why he really wanted to hold on to the good, albeit not very truthful, Samaritan image she had of him.

He had to control himself.

The puppy jumped on his coffee table. That was all it took for him to completely lose that drive.

"Now that everything's out in the open, I hope you know that I'm not really keeping that dog," he managed to say quite calmly, voice only indicating his profound disdain.

"Right," she scoffed.

"I'm serious," he insisted, pressing his mouth in a thin line, "if you don't want to find him on the streets again, you'd better take him back with you."

"Hey, you practically begged to have him. And you know I can't take him back. Tough luck, I guess."

He sneered at her and she actually sneered back at him. Eventually, her shoulders slumped and she frowned, as if lost in her thoughts.

"You have to keep him," she eventually said, glancing at him, "A few days, max. I'll even come here daily to help you take care of him."

"And is this supposed to convince me or to deter me from keeping him?" he replied.

"Ha," she answered with a smile, "funny, Yzak."

"So?" she asked, looking at him with wide and hopeful purple eyes.

He took a few seconds to consider. He couldn't stand the puppy but… how could he possibly say no when she was looking at him like that?

"I guess it'd be crazy of me to miss a chance of seeing you daily," he replied, in jest.

She grinned at him, "You already can't resist my charm, I see."

He let out a small chuckle, "I have to warn you though, I'm really not good with pets and I already hate this one. You better hurry and find his owners."

"Yes, sir," she nodded seriously, before also chuckling soflty.

He shook his head at her, and looked back at the puppy, his anger subdued, considerably. How could he stay mad when she was constantly smiling at him like that?

Shiho's good mood seemed to be infectious. She had quite a strange personality, but she was witty and didn't lack repartee. He didn't doubt that she could stand up for herself. However, he was still somewhat perplexed by her words… and wanted to know whether or not his observations had been correct.

He cleared his throat, and mustered the courage to ask her a question, one of the few he'd been meaning to ask her.

"How old are you?"

"22, you?"

"24."

He hadn't expected her to be so keen on answering his question. He was considering whether or not to ask her another one, when she suddenly asked one of her own.

"Do you… live here by yourself?"

"I've got a friend who crashes here from time to time, but yes, this place is all mine."

She nodded, and stared at him, as if waiting for him to ask her a new question.

"Why did you move here? New job? Or did you come here to study?" Yzak obliged.

She shifted a little in her seat, stretched her legs and stared at her feet.

"Neither," she replied after a long moment. "I just graduated and I'm currently unemployed. I guess… I just wanted a fresh start."

A fresh start.

Was it why Cagalli had been the one she had chosen to call? Had she cut all ties with her family, her friends? If so, why had she done it?

I just wanted to take a chance at trusting someone like you.

She wanted to take a chance at trusting someone like him. Had someone, in her past, betrayed her trust? Was she running away from that 'someone'?

He sighed; questioning her had brought him more questions than answers. Questions he couldn't possibly ask her, because they weren't close enough. Actually, they weren't close at all.

He stayed quiet, and waited for her to ask him a question. It was her turn, after all. He didn't have to wait long.

"How much longer do I have to stay here before we can go back?" she asked.

He looked at his watch, "Knowing my friend, it might take… a while. But I can drive you back right now if -"

She shook her head and he stopped.

"A while? Good," she said with a smile, while getting up and straitening her clothes. "wanna give me a tour of the apartment?"

She looked around her, and this time, she didn't try to hide her admiration. A fact which made Yzak's heart swell a little with pride.

He smirked and got up from his seat.

"Follow me."

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

"Cagalli," Athrun answered.

"What – what are you doing here?" Cagalli mumbled, eyes wide.

She had to be dreaming or hallucinating. That was the only explanation.

Nothing was making sense anymore. Yzak couldn't possibly know Shiho, the mysterious neighbor who had just moved into her building. And the man of her dreams – literally; he had really been haunting her dreams - couldn't be in her kitchen.

How could it be possible? He was supposed never to want to see her again, wasn't he?

Yeah, she was definitely seeing things.

She took a few hesitant steps forward, staring at him as hard as he was staring at her.

"You invited me in," he replied matter-of-factly. She couldn't even remember asking the question.

All she could think about was how she had missed hearing his voice. Still, it wasn't real.

She took more steps towards him, finally reaching him. He looked up at her, a frown on his brow.

To her complete surprise, he didn't disappear when she poked him in the nose.

SSSSSSSSSS

"You're real," she said, with much wonder, more to herself than to him.

He couldn't help it, he laughed at her and nodded. "You're stealing my lines, now?"

He watched as she retracted her hand, and opened he mouth to talk, but closed it just as suddenly. She still hadn't recovered from the shock, it seemed.

"I -," she started saying, but then she shook her head, as if in disbelief. Eventually, she walked past his wheelchair and moved behind him, taking grasp of the wheelchair handles.

"Let's, huh, let's go back to the living room," she quickly said, when he turned his head to look at her. He nodded and she started babbling while walking them out of the kitchen.

"How – how have you been? I apologise for the mess. I didn't know you were coming. Would you like something to drink? Coffee? I've also got water and hm, orange juice. Have you had breakfast already? I can make you something real quick."

"I'm alright, Cagalli," he replied, slightly relieved by her nervousness. At least, he wasn't the only one feeling that way.

She stopped then, they had reached the living room already, but she didn't move. He was about to turn his head again, to look at her, when he felt her arms around his neck, her chin resting on the top of his head. She was leaning over him, kind of hugging him from behind.

"I've… missed you, Alex," she admitted softly.

His breath caught in his throat. He had missed her too. More than she could ever imagine. Unconsciously, he lifted his hand and was about to grab hers when she released him from her arms.

"I- I'll go get you something to drink," she said embarrassedly, as she quickly retreated to the kitchen.

He let out a humourless chuckle at her swift escape. Had she finally remembered the way in which they had parted?

He ran a hand through this hair and let out a heavy sigh.

She shouldn't have told him that she'd missed him.

Why was she playing with his head like that? Didn't she know that telling him something like that would destroy his resolve, would make him want to reveal his heart to her?

He had come here to convince her to come back to him, to complete her assignment. His mind set on not compromising her relationship with her boyfriend. He could not be swayed now.

God, she was driving him crazy. Yet, he didn't want her out of his life.

He let out another frustrated sigh, and ran a hand over his face before rolling himself towards her coffee table, deciding to occupy himself while waiting for her.

Her TV was still on. He took a look at the books she had left open on the table.

School manuals. Copybooks.

And then, his eyes landed on something he hadn't been expecting to see again.

The assignment report he had written.

His mind wandered back to when he had written it (1). He had been sick with fever, hallucinating about Luna. But when he had woken up, he had realized that it hadn't been Luna who had been there with him. Taking care of him. Telling him that she'd never leave him.

It had been Cagalli.

He had been annoyed at her. In his sick state, he had really thought that Luna had come back to him. His disappointment had eventually led him to the conclusion that Cagalli had pitied him, until his mind had cleared up and he had realized that she really cared.

When he had written the report, he had really hoped never to see her again. He had given her a way out. A way she seemed to be taking now.

And that made him angry. At himself. At her.

He should not have written that report. Then again, the report should not have mattered. Hadn't she promised she'd never leave him?

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

"Yes, make sure you get it done by next week," he said gruffly, ending the call and leaning back against his chair. He pinched the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes for a few seconds before finally opening them and acknowledging the presence of the blond masked man, Rau Le Creuset, standing on the other side of his desk.

Rau Le Creuset had always had quite a strange fashion style, but Patrick had never dared to question the reason behind his need to wear that strange mask.

"Rau," he greeted, "Any news on the Asukas?"

"They have agreed to come back to the country. They'll be here by next week, Mr. Zala."

"Good," Patrick replied with a nod. He wanted the very best surgeons for his son's operation. He wouldn't have accepted anyone else.

"Make sure that they're well rewarded."

"Of course," Rau replied, his trademark smirk on his lips, before bowing and turning around to leave the room.

Patrick watched him for a few seconds, considering whether or not to ask about his son. Eventually, he did.

"Wait," he exclaimed, and Rau turned back around, "how is Athrun these days?"

The thought of his son's condition always filled him with anxiety. After all, he was partly at fault for what had happened to him. It had been weeks since he had last seen him, though. He missed Athrun, but he couldn't even bear looking at what his son had turned into because of him. The guilt had practically been eating him inside.

"I'll never understand why you're having him followed when you could easily go and visit him," Rau replied. But he ignored that statement and stared at the younger man, his lips pursed, waiting for his answer.

"He's been looking better," Rau replied, getting a few photographs out of his coat.

"He's been seen out of Yamato's apartment, accompanied by this young lady. "

Rau placed them on his desk and he took hold of them to take a better look.

Shorter haired, beardless, smiling Athrun.

Could it be the same son who'd been suffering from severe depression since his break up from Luna?

"When were these taken?" he asked, not believing his own eyes. "Who's the girl next to him on the pictures? How did they meet? Are they dating?"

Patrick was unconsciously smiling; it had been so long since he had seen his son happy like that.

"Several days ago. According to the background check we've made on her, her name's Cagalli Yula Attha. Daughter of the renowned chef Attha. She's 17, still in high school. We don't really know how they met, but she's been visiting him almost every day and even spent a night at his place."

The photographs fell from his hands. His smile turned into a frown.

Seventeen? Still in high school? What was Athrun thinking? What would the world think of him if the media came to know about this?

He took a deep breath. No, he wouldn't try to interfere. He couldn't jump to conclusions. He couldn't and wouldn't meddle in Athrun's personal relationships. Never again.

"Mr. Zala, should we do something about her, like we did – "

He shook his head instantly.

"No," he replied, seriously. He took another look at the pictures. One of them featured his son and that girl, both smiling at each other. It had been such a long time since he had seen his son like that.

Was she the cause of Athrun's newfound happiness?

He sighed.

"Just continue to keep an eye on my son."

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Cagalli was freaking out. Literally. She had just hugged him. And told him that she had been missing him. What had she been thinking?

She bit her lower lip, and paced around the kitchen. She was more than annoyed at herself.

She obviously hadn't been thinking. It was as if her brain was refusing to function properly whenever she was around him. She needed to get a grip of herself.

She took a deep breath and exhaled.

Alex Dino was in her living room.

Oh my God.

She took another breath and exhaled. She needed to compose herself. She needed to think.

She didn't even know why he had come here.

The last time she had seen him, he had practically told her that he never wanted to see her again, hadn't he? She had crossed a line, had betrayed the trust he had in her as a friend and had therefore had no option but to regretfully accept his request.

But now, he had come to see her. He was waiting for her in her living room.

Could it be that he had been missing her? After all, even though he had no romantic feelings towards her, they were still friends. Yeah, even now, she still thought of him as a friend, even though she also… loved him.

Maybe he had been missing having a friend to talk to. As far as she knew, her brother, Lacus, Dearka and Yzak rarely called him.

She had been his closest friend during those past weeks. And then, she had had to ruin it for him.

God, she was feeling even worse now.

Thankfully, the sound of the whistling kettle brought her out of her thoughts. She quickly prepared him a cup of coffee, and made her way back to the living room.

She couldn't help but smile at the sight of him, leaning over the coffee table.

He was right there, in her apartment.

In her home.

"I made you some coffee," she said, as she placed the cup on the table, right in front of him.

"Thank you," he replied, lifting his eyes from the document in his hand, long enough to look and smile at her.

His eyes eventually went back to the document he had been reading. She took a seat on her sofa, elbow resting on the armrest, chin in the cup of her hand, staring at him for a few seconds.

"What are you reading?" she asked, not being able to withstand the awkward silence. "I hope it's not the draft for my essay…" she trailed, letting out a nervous chuckle.

"It's actually something I wrote," he replied, leaning back in his wheelchair.

Ah. The report.

Right, she had been reading it earlier. Because she had been missing him. God, she was pathetic.

"Oh," she replied, expecting him to put it back on the table. To change the subject. To finally tell her why he had come.

But he didn't.

"Do you think you'll get a good grade with this report?" he instead asked.

"Yes," she replied, though she wasn't sure where he was going with this. "It's quite short, but you basically wrote what Lacus wanted. A+ most certainly, but at worst, I'll get an A-"

"I see," he replied, nodding his head. Then he smiled, and unexpectedly, so swiftly that she didn't even have the time to react, he tore the report to pieces.

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

"What are you doing?" she shouted, getting up from her seat and reaching out to take the remaining piece of paper out of his hands.

He looked up at her, and couldn't help but laugh at her expression. She was fuming. He felt slightly better, knowing that at least, he was not the only one annoyed now.

"Why did you do this?" she asked with a glare, not even caring to hide the anger from her voice. "You know really well that I needed this to pass. God, I'm going to fail because of you."

She started pacing around, running her fingers through her hair, taking in a few deep breaths, seemingly to calm herself down.

Eventually, she stopped and asked, voice low, "Was this why you came here today?"

He nodded but she wasn't looking at him.

"Do you really hate me this much?" she then asked hoarsely, turning around to face him. "I know I messed up, but… " she trailed, and bit her lower lip.

Were her eyes tearing up?

He froze on his wheelchair. He had done it to give her no other option than to come back to him. How could she even come to the conclusion that he hated her?

That didn't make any sense. He felt like he had jumped back into his dream.

"I think," she continued, "it's better if you leave, Alex."

SSSSSSSSSSSSSS

How could she be so dumb? To think that she'd been thinking that he'd been missing her, when all he wanted was... She didn't even know what he wanted. What would he achieve in making her fail her assignment? Make her realise that he didn't even want her as a friend?

She frowned, and walked past him to show him the door. He turned around in his wheelchair, hands on the rims of the wheels, inching the chair forward swiftly. She hadn't even taken five steps when she felt his hand around her wrist, pulling her to him. She stumbled, and landed in his lap, the inertia causing them both to roll backwards on his wheelchair, almost hitting her coffee table. Thankfully, he had applied the brakes in time.

"Are you crazy?" she shrieked, eyes wide, chest heaving as she struggled to control her breathing. She tried to get off him, but it was no use. He was holding her there, her back against his chest, grip tightening around her waist. "Let me go," she requested, though her voice held no conviction.

What… what was he doing?

"Silly girl," she heard him whisper against the nape of her neck, "I don't hate you. I could never hate you."

She swallowed hard. Her heart was beating so fast. She could almost hear every beat. She let out a breath.

"Why – why then?" she managed to ask.

"To make you come back," he replied in a breath.

Her body stilled. He loosened his hold on her but she made no move to get off him.

What was he saying? She had wanted to go back. He must have known that. He was actually the reason why she hadn't. He had asked her not to. And he had every right not to want to see her again.

She shifted a little on him, and turned towards him so that she could look at him.

"I…" she started, her brow creased in a frown. "can't come back. I kissed you."

She hated herself for having to remind him about the kiss. The kiss which had ruined their friendship. In fact, she had also been trying to keep that particular memory as far as possible from her mind. She was too close to him. The temptation of claiming his lips again was too high.

Indeed, in saying those words, she hadn't been able to stop her gaze from dropping to his lips.

Why did he have to smell so nice and be so freaking attractive?

Again, she swallowed nervously and willed herself to look back at his eyes. She did and felt herself flush slightly under the intensity of his stare.

It seemed like he hadn't missed her moving gaze.

He lifted a hand, and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, hand lingering on her cheek for longer than necessary.

They were so close. Too close.

God, she shouldn't be wanting it to happen. But she did. So very much. Staring down at him, her eyes were wide, her pulse kept skipping erratically in her veins. She wanted to lean forward.

She didn't have to.

Alex's hand moved to her hair, angling her head. He leaned towards her but stopped short, a breath away from her lips before grinning at her. Then he pressed his lips to hers.

SSSSSSSSSSSSSS

(1) - from chapter 3.

So there it is. Proactive Athrun finally kissing the girl! Woot. lol This chapter was supposed to be longer and address the Shinn issue. No, I haven't forgotten that she has a boyfriend (who she doesn't love). But the chapter was getting way too long (5000+ words already), and ending it here made a nice sorta cliff-hanger. So I decided to leave that part for the next chapter. To refresh your memory though, she was supposed to meet him later that day.

Anyway, I know Athrun is older than her, but she'll be 18 very soon (like in 3 weeks in Assignment) and it's just like a difference of 5 years. That doesn't make Athrun a pedobear. He sees her as a woman.

Also, while I'm writing this for you and swore that I'd never give up on this fic, please bear with me. I'm very busy these days and while I'd LOVE to be able to update more often, I really can't imagine asking someone else to write this fic so as to ensure faster updates. I love this story. It's kinda my baby. The story which made me start writing. I can't give it up to someone else.

Anyway, this chapter also reintroduced Athrun's father. Gave him some background. He'll be a relatively important character in the future chapters. More Yzak/Shiho as well. And Rau Le Creuset. Argh, I don't know how I feel about the ASUCAGA part though. The part where they are on the wheelchair and kissing was what led me to write Assignment in the first place. I imagined the whole story around this scene. But I don't think I did it justice. Of course, it will be continued in the next chapter. Still, I lost my original draft and I can't remember how it went exactly cause the files on my pendrive got corrupted. Let me know what you thought of it, I might rewrite it. Athrun's thoughts about why he kissed her will be revealed in the next chapter.

Thank you for reading. Feedback is appreciated. Please tell me if you find errors, this hasn't been beta-ed. And I rarely find my own mistakes. Sorry for taking so much time to update.