Opening Eyes

*Last Time: Before he could think any more on the sight, he was Pulled completely back into his body and took in a shuddering gasp of air, his previous conversation forgotten.

This Time:

The four standing Gundam Pilots stared with emotions ragging in their eyes at their fallen comrade. Amazement, awe, suspicion, denial. The one that stood out the most in all of them was hope. Hope that this was true; hope that maybe, just maybe, their friend wasn't really dead; hope that he had somehow lived the explosion, lived through the fall. One woman stood in front, but out of the way, of them all. A small smirk of amusement played on her face as she watched the scene unfold.

Heero gasped again, taking more air into his burning lungs. It felt as though he hadn't taken a breath forever. Opening his eyes, he was greeted with a surprisingly bright light and was forced to close his eyes again. A small gasp and a yelp coming from his right alerted him to the fact that he wasn't alone. Slowly opening his eyes, allowing them to adjust to the bright sunlight, he looked to where the sounds had originated. What he saw confused him.

Quatre had started crying for joy as soon as he heard the second gasp and saw Heero's eyes begin to open. He couldn't believe it. Earlier, he had been so sure that Heero was dead. Then, that tenshi had appeared and had risen from the dead. And now, Heero was alive again. It was incredible. Miracles were possible and he had just witnessed one granted by a megami (AN: he can't choose if she's a goddess or an angel).

Duo let out a startled yelp when Heero gasped for a second time and opened his eyes. As much as he wanted to believe it, it still scared the shit out of him knowing that Heero was dead one moment and alive the next. Looking at Heero, he had seen the strong pillar that held them together for years crumble. Before his very eyes, that pillar had restored itself to perfect condition. (AN: Metaphors, cool huh?).

Trowa looked at the scene unfolding before his eyes with a sort of indifference. Never had he ever scene a miracle and he had no reason to believe that this was one right now. Heero had just somehow managed to survive an explosion and a fifty foot, or greater, fall unscathed. That was natural. Just like the woman producing a blinding glow, surviving the same fall as the Perfect Soldier, and getting up like it was nothing was natural. What the hell was he saying, this was a miracle if he'd ever seen one and there was no way he could rationalize it to himself with logic.

Wufei just stared at Heero's lying form. He was alive again. Reincarnation wasn't anything new to him, but rebirth and coming back to life wasn't completely foreign to him. The only way anything like this could happen, as far as he could guess, was if some divine entity felt it should be done. But, who would save the life of a killer like Yui? What good could come if he were alive another day? Not that I don't respect and feel friendship towards the man, but why?' Was there some kind of greater plan that needed him, or was it just the pity of a watching deity?

Cosmos looked down at the body of the young man, Heero Yui, she had saved. He looked so peaceful before he came back.' He had wanted to die but she couldn't let him. He wasn't ready for his next existence yet. Had she the choice, which technically she kind of did, she would have let him be at peace. But, knowing that he was a trained killer, pure-hearted but a killer, she knew he could only have been damned to Hell for Eternity. She gave him the possibility for a better Afterlife with her one wish, even if it was his choice what to do with that chance. Well, his choice would probably be persuaded by Leareth a bit, but it was mostly his. She chuckled slightly at the thought of the Heero Yui she had come to know being influenced by the flywacket*.

Heero looked around himself at the four, five, familiar faces. Quatre appeared to be crying tears of joy, Duo looked to be happy but a bit scared, Trowa just looked like Trowa, Wufei looked confused, and Cosmos was laughing quietly at some thought going through her head. All five were staring down at him. What happened? Oh, that's right, I died. But how? Leareth. Leareth had told him she would decide whether he came back or not. Apparently she had. But why?'

"What?" He croaked out in annoyance.*

*flywacket: a flywacket is like a cross between a cat and a falcon. It looks like a cat until it chooses to reveal it's wings and talons. From the Dragon Nimbus Series by Irene Radford. Go check it out, it's really good.