AN: wow, 20 chapters already! thanks everyone for the support!

I don't usually like to write AU, I prefer canon, but this is another idea that had been nagging at me, so here it is.

Title/theme: ALIVE
Genre: slight angst
Approx time line: AU after GS
Summary: She sat by his side, contending herself to watching the gentle rise and fall of his chest, assuring her mind that he was still alive.

-----------------

Murrue stared at the man lying there on the Archangel infirmary bed and felt hot tears gather and spill out from her eyes. She didn't know whether they were tears of relief and joy, or tears of fear and anxiety.

The man in front of her was covered from head to toe in bandages. Even his face was covered, revealing only his eyes, which were tightly shut. A machine beside the bed was aiding in his breathing. If you didn't look closely enough, you'd probably think that he wasn't breathing at all, for his chest moved only the slightest with his shallow, raspy breaths.

When Murrue first heard the news that they managed to find his body floating in outer space, alive—though barely, she almost cried with relief. And if it wasn't for the fact that she still had business to take care of as the captain, she would have rushed straight to the infirmary the moment they brought him in. Somehow, he managed to survive!

But in a way, she was glad that she didn't, because as the doors swished open, revealing him lying unconscious on the bed, her heart almost stopped at the sight of him covered in so much bandaging. She realized that she probably would have fainted if she had seen him in his bloodied and broken state.

It had been a week since they found him, and peace talks have been well under way. The Archangel was getting ready for its descent to Orb. As the captain, Murrue was pretty busy getting things in order. So despite her anxiety, she pushed her personal business and feelings aside for the moment to complete her duties.

However, she spent every moment that she was off duty sitting by his side, contending herself to watching the gentle rise and fall of his chest, assuring her mind that he was still alive, and calming her nerves .

Occasionally, she would reach out and gently touch his bandaged body, as if to assure her mind that this was real, that he was really there, and not just some illusion her weary mind had created. But she would always quickly remove her fingers right after it made contact, as if afraid that he would shatter if she touched him for too long.

She stayed with him and watched him, looking away only when the doctors came to change his bandages. She couldn't stand the sight; her body and mind could not accept it, she learned that after fainting the first time she saw his wounded body. Even though she'd seen plenty of carnage during the war and managed to stomach the sights, she couldn't stand the sight of her beloved in such pain, knowing how he had come to be in his condition, his every wound reminding her of her pain and fear after that horrible moment when the Strike had disappeared.

She stayed with him because she wanted to be the first thing that he would see if—no, when, her mind quickly corrected—when he woke up.

She had overheard the doctors talking, and they weren't sure if he'd make it, given the severity of his injuries. When she asked them once, they looked at her sadly, and only said "We'll do our best". She thanked them and left it at that, knowing that his life was hanging by a thread. A part of her mind feared that he wouldn't wake up, but those thoughts had always been quickly pushed aside for more positive ones. He had somehow managed to survive the explosion up until now, so why was there any doubt that he wouldn't make it? He was strong, he would fight, just like he always did. And he did say that he could make the impossible possible, and if ever there was a time for that, now would be a good time. Besides, he said that he would return to her, and she trusted him. So for now, she pushed the doubts and fears into the farthest corners of her mind, and chose to let hope fill her heart, ignoring the nagging thought that she would just disappoint herself if things didn't go well. For now, she was content that he was alive.

One day, the day before their descent to Orb, in the middle of the night, when everyone except those few on duty—and Murrue—was sleeping, he opened his eyes.

She cried in joy and relief as she saw the familiar clear blueness staring back at her. She was so excited that only a part of her subconscious noted that there was something amiss in those blue orbs, but she pushed that tiny thought away like she did her fears, and chose to let joy fill her heart.

But that joy quickly turned to horror and sadness at his whispered words to her.

Who are you?

AN: sorry for the angstiness, but it seemed to fit. anyway, I think I was a little bit influenced by Tsubasa RC, when Sakura woke up...