AN: Hellooooo! This is my first story ever on FF and I'm really happy that you decided to try it out! Please leave a comment/review and criticism is welcomed, but no flames please! Thank you!

Disclaimer: Angel Beats belongs to KEY not me (sadly :( )

Enjoy!

PS. If you notice a name 'Jace' or 'Maya' I'm sorry, I tried my best to fix them to 'Yuzuru' and 'Kanade'. I'm pretty sure I fixed them all... :/

Angel of Death

There he is again. Why won't he go away? Why does he have to stay with us? Can't he just let us live peacefully?

"Kanade, you're gonna burn a hole in the wall." My friend, Yuzuru Otonashi, laughed, "What exactly are you looking at?"

He can't see him either, just like everybody else. "Eh? Oh nothing, I just thought I saw a bug," I lied easily, "but it's gone now. Let's finish the puzzle, 'kay?"

"Oh, okay." Yuzuru glanced down at the puzzle strewn across the table, and continued to piece it together.

The spring of his 7th birthday, Yuzuru had been discovered to have extremely weak lungs. Instead of running around the sunflowers like a normal child, he was forced to stay indoors and watch from the windowsill. We had been friends since we were 4 years old so I was constantly by his side. Now, after 7 years since he was diagnosed, he has to be kept in a hospital due to fluids repeatedly entering his lungs.

He always thought that I stayed with him because I pitied him, but that's not even close. It's because of him. The lanky boy with hair, so messy that it covered his eyes. Oh, and the giant scythe that he always carries around.

That's right, I can see Death.

*.*.*.*. Flashbackkkkk .*.*.*.*

The first time I saw Death was when my grandfather had passed away. I remember when I was 3, I had seen this boy wearing a cloak holding a scythe by my grandfather's hospital bed, with his hand on the place where his (my grandfather's) heart was. Then I saw a faint wisp of white air come out of my grandfather's chest and into the boy's waiting hand. As his fingers closed over the puff, my grandfather's eyes drooped and his hand hit the bed with a dull thud. Back then, I did not understand what had happened, so I went over to the boy and asked,

"How did you get in?"

My mother was outside, talking to my father, so somehow the boy must've gotten in a different way. However, he did not answer me, just stared at me with dark maroon eyes. I tried again. "What happened to grandpa? What did you do to him?" I reached out to grab his cloak, but he had darted away.

"You can see me?" He whispered so quietly I could barely hear him. I nodded. He smiled a grim smile and said, "Don't worry, your grandfather is in a better place. I'll see you again someday."

Suddenly the door opened and my mother came rushing in. Seeing her father's relaxed form, she collapsed and started to sob. My father had rushed over and put his arm around her as I trotted towards her.

"Don't worry Mama. Grandpa is in a better place now. So don't cry." I started to smile.

My father looked at me. "Where did you hear that darling?"

I pointed to the boy in dark black hair who was still there. "He told me."

Confused, both of my parents said, "He? But, Kanade, there's no one there."

I looked back, but as they said, the boy was no longer there. I heard my parents talking behind me. "Maybe it's her imaginary friend." "Yeah must be."

Then my mother rushed out of the room to get the nurse while my father just sat down by Grandfather's bed.

But… I'm certain he was still there when they came into the room.

*.*.*.*. Flashback ends .*.*.*.*

Snapping out of my thoughts, I noticed that Yuzuru had fallen asleep.

"You know, one day you're gonna be off in la-la land and next thing you know, I'll be gone with his soul." Death spoke as he twirled his scythe.

"Shut up. I don't want anyone seeing me talk to myself. It's bad enough that people already think I'm a little 'out of things'." I sighed.

"Come on, that was 5 years ago. I'm sure they believe they mistook it for some childish play." He grinned.

"I WAS 9! I don't think it's normal for 9 year olds to do said 'childish play'." I glared at him while Death laughed. For someone who has a job where they take people's souls, he sure laughs a lot.

"It's been a while right? Since we first met?" He mentioned. I remained silent. "It's inevitable you know. No matter how much I try, I can only keep him alive for so long."

Suddenly the air turned cold and I looked down at my feet. Yuzuru had been doing much better after 2 years of treatment, when suddenly he had another attack. It was then that I saw Death again since my grandfather's passing. I lost all common sense, and said, "DON'T TAKE HIM AWAY FROM ME!" However, I had yelled that out loud and everyone nearby heard me. Through the haze of embarrassment, I heard his voice.

No, it is not his time yet. But I will be with him just in case.

And so, every time I was alone with Death, I would do my best to not talk, although my efforts were usually futile.

"How long does he have?" I always asked this question, but his reply was always the same: Less than before. However, this time I noticed he hesitated. "What is it?"

"Your friend, something is wrong."

My eyes widened as I rushed to the monitor attached to Yuzuru. It was still beeping, so I tried to wake him up instead. However, as I continued to shake him, he would not wake up.

"Don't worry. He's in a coma. But his time is limited." Death warned.

"Don't worry? DON'T WORRY?! My best friend just went into a coma and has limited time, yet you tell me to NOT WORRY?" Blinded by my tears, I collapsed onto the ground, just like my mother the first time I met Death.

Death looked at me with a gaze full of guilt, and when I finally gazed back up at him, he was scratching his head. "I wasn't being completely honest with you before. Well, I was researching some stuff, and I think there may be a way to help him."

Desperate, I lunged towards him and grabbed his collar. "Tell me! Please!"

"It will cost both of us." He warned.

"I don't care." My voice was resolute.

"Sure?" I nodded vigorously. He continued in a serious tone, "Well, then. I was asking around any old spirits if there was a way to stop death and they mentioned a story. Around every 100 years or so, there is a child born who has the power to see Death, such as you. This child is protected by any forces that may hinder its growth such as health problems. You never had a fever or a cold right? Or the flu?" I nodded slowly. "Exactly. The spirits said that if the child so wishes, they could save a loved one from the wrath of death. However, they must give up their life for the person they want to save and become the new Death. But their existence from the world will be erased, except from the memory of the saved person."

What? I have the power to save Yuzuru? But I must give up my own life as recompense? And no one will remember me?

I was stunned. I didn't realize that there was such a sacrifice, and that it would be me.

"Yoo-hoo…. I almost forgot. The spirits also mentioned that the saved one will have the same blessing as the child (protection from health problems) and will be able to die naturally due to old age. That means Yuzuru will never be in danger of any attacks of fluid entering his lungs again."

"I see." I sat down on the chair as I thought hard for a moment. Then I came to a resolution. "I'll do it. Wait, but what happens to you once I become Death?"

Death answered, "I'll finally be able to rest in peace. Just as I always wished."

"I'll do it then. To help both Yuzuru and you." I stood up and faced him.

To my surprise, I felt something wet slide down my cheeks and I realized I was crying. "Do it." I said.

Slowly, hesitantly, Death passed the scythe to me and placed his hand on my heart. I could feel the weight of the weapon become heavier, when suddenly, there was a bright light, I felt something come off my chest, and everything felt weightless. I opened my eyes, and there was Death, who was already slowly fading away.

"Thank you." That was all I heard before he was gone, with a tranquil smile on his face.

His night black cloak had stayed behind and was floating in the air, waiting for another owner. I grabbed it out of the air and put it on. As I tucked the hood behind my hair, I heard a soft noise coming from Yuzuru's bed.

"Kana? Are you there?" His eyes searched the room, as he looked about frantically for me. My heart broke as his eyes swept over the spot I was standing in. Slowly, I walked to his bedside, and repeated the words that started everything. "Kanade?!"

"Don't worry. Everything will be all right. I will definitely see you again in the future. 'Kay?" I whispered in Yuzuru's ear. "See you around."

He sat up straight with a confused look on his face at the sound of my voice, and then nodded silently.

And I vanished, with nothing but crystalline tears as proof I was ever there.

After I had left, the doctors had announced that Yuzuru had made a miraculous recovery. He now lives without fear of his death being near, and he married a woman whom he had met in the hospital.

*.*.*.*. Epilogue .*.*.*.*

The hospital bed shifted.

"Is it time?" A voice rose out of the blankets covering the bed. My heart clenched at the sound I had missed for so long.

"It's time, Yuzuru." I knelt down by his hospitable bed, as his eyes opened slowly.

"Kanade… I've been waiting." Yuzuru reached up to touch my face.

"I know, and now the waiting has ended." I smiled softly while caressing his wrinkled, weathered face. Gently, I placed my palm on his chest, on the spot right above his heart, and felt a pulling sensation. Unlike the other souls I had to take throughout the years, there was no resistance, and Yuzuru's soul just… let go.

Fixing his gray hair, I placed his hands on his chest so that he looked as if he was simply sleeping. Then, as the door creaked open, a little girl poked her head in and gazed at me just as I was about to disappear.

"Where are you taking grandpa?" Her childish voice stopped me and I turned around.

She can see.

Snapping out of my surprise, I said, "Don't worry, child. Your grandpa is in a better place now, so there is no need to be sad. " I smiled when I realized that I had repeated the words that Death had told me the first time I had met him, "I'll see you again, someday." And with that, I turned away from her, pulled my white hood up over my hair, and disappeared.

*.*.*.*. Some time later .*.*.*.*

"Don't worry Mama. She said that grandpa is happy now in a better place."

"Who told you that, Yuri?" A mother leaned down with tears streaking across her face.

The child replied, "An angel with a snow white wings. She said that grandpa was in a better place now and so we should not cry."

AN: Aw... It's already finished... I hope you liked it and please leave a review! Once again, criticism is welcomed, although flames are not! Thank you! ^_^