Author's note: Hello! Well, here's the first completed request/interlude: an insight into Kira's feelings. This is the first chapter that made me cry while I was writing it. Yes, I did cry. It was horrible to write something with Kira suffering so much. But I shan't reveal too much in the author's note.

Before we begin, I would like to say that I was very touched by the response gathered from the previous chapter. So, thank you very much, everyone: askani16 (I'm really glad that you liked the ending, but I'm curious as to know what sort of ending you were expecting. Can you tell me? And don't thank me, because I should be the one thanking you for all your continuous support. So, thank you!), cipherknight (Thank you so much for review. I was rather touched. I'm really glad that you like the ending.), revenantangel94 (Thank you, not only for your review but the continuous support you've given me throughout the course of my writing. I'm really happy to have readers like you.), Ninja Stars (Hi, I'm really glad that you enjoyed reading the previous chapter. Thank you so much for your review.), xBlackxButterflyx (Thank you. I'm glad you liked it. Kindly apologize to your trash man for me… And I hope to hear from you again!), Nananah (Thank you for your review. It's great that you like the previous chapter. Hope to hear from you again.), Resurrected.Wings (Oh, hi. So, you've been reading all along? Thank you. Well, I hope this chapter does add on to the story.), Orgoth225 (Hello! Well, I'm glad you liked the ending. Was it unexpected? What did you expect the ending to be then?), Zero'N'oveR (Well, you really had a big reaction. I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed it so much. As I wasn't really used to writing a chapter with so many flashbacks, I was rather concerned with the grammar, so I paid lesser attention to the sense of detail. I'm trying to improve on my writing, so that I can keep the sense of detail and yet ensure that my grammar is correct. Oh, and keeping Birdy a "secret" was rather difficult since there were times when I almost revealed Birdy. Regarding your request, I will begin work as soon as I can. However, I have several commitments on hand at the moment. I might only be able to begin work at the end of October. Is that alright? I will begin work as soon as I can, I promise. I'm so sorry to make you wait.), settsuna (Thank you so much for your review. I'm glad you enjoyed it. I hope to hear from you again!), NIGHTCAT11 (Thank you very much for your review. You've raised several important points and helped me see my writing in a different light. Thank you for that. I hope to hear from you again!), Personal Friend No. 2 a.k.a Crystal Heart of Sapphire Love (Well, you're making a grand entrance! Yes, I know I write too many tragedies! I'll think about your request, alright? You're really a die-hard Cagalli-Athrun fan! Oh well, thanks for reading!) and lastly, GGUNDAMFAN34 (Thank you very much for your review. I hope to hear from you again!)

Now then, I present the first request from askani16 and LuciouscandY1594. This chapter is dedicated to the both of you! Cheers! So, read on, and I hope you enjoy it!

Don't Cry

Amethyst eyes opened very slowly in the darkness. His vision was bleary and unfocused and everything vacillated before his somnolent eyes. Gradually, the hazy smudges began to form shape and he found himself staring up at the plain, dark ceiling. Slowly, he allowed his weary gaze to wander around the dark room.

The metallic window blinds were drawn down halfway over the glass and underneath, trickles of rain flowed down, branching into tiny streams. The black, inky starless night sky stretched out beyond. The only luminosity that lit the dark room came from the small lamp in the farthest corner. It emanated a warm orange glow which fell as a gentle shadow at the foot of his bed.

His drifting gaze roved back to the white ceiling and he stared on at it blankly.

A large part of him was still delirious from the drugs and painkillers that had been injected intravenously into his veins to assuage his discomfort. His head felt exceedingly heavy and he found it a struggle to stay awake. Exhaustion tugged relentlessly at him. Still confused and muddled, he longed to sink back into sleep's warm, comforting depths and allow rest to cradle his small, weak body... like gentle hands that nursed him tenderly.

Despite his faintness, he noticed how the darkness seemed to be closing in; he felt the cold bed sheets clinging to his frail body and he heard the soft, constant beeps emitting from the cardiac monitor... Such beautiful sensations... to a body and soul that had been deprived of so much feeling...

He wasn't awake often, because whenever he opened his eyes, pain attacked with a vengeance. Waves of agony that surged through his body repeatedly... Hence, he was constantly kept under anesthesia. The drugs took away all his pain, but they always left another painful scar that etched deep within his heart, swallowing him in its swirling sea of grayness, when the world his amethyst eyes were watching blackened out.

So, being awake was a blessing...

Every second he was awake became a precious thing. It was the time when he could enjoy a tiny piece of world he had helped to save. Even if it was a small white room with its perpetual white walls, it was something, something wonderful… to a body and soul that had lost so much…

So he wouldn't give up. He told himself that, and he fought back the urge weakly, straining to stay awake for a little longer.

But being awake came with a price.

He was aware of an uncomfortable tingling in his chest. Something that was present most of the time when he was awake. He knew what it meant, and he knew what it would lead to...

It didn't really hurt, but the sting was steadily increasing, until it began to edge into the cruel claws of pain that often raked through his soul. He struggled to slow his breathing and ignore the mounting pain, trying purposefully to run broken, random thoughts through his mind in order to draw himself away.

But a sharp stab of pain pierced through his chest, an intense burning that constricted his pounding heart. A soft whimper broke through his slightly parted lips, a single, desolate, choked cry in the silence. He tried to place a hand on his bandaged chest, hoping he could rub gently to soothe the agony but his fingers could barely move.

Desperately, he reached for the infusion pump activation button that had been left within centimeters of his stiff, cold hand. The cool plastic felt foreign and hard beneath his trembling fingertip. Straining, he pushed the little knob with as much as energy as he could muster, and began his long anxious wait for the relief analgesia brought.

He laid staring at the dark ceiling, tears of pure pain pricking at the back of his eyes. There was nothing he could do but to wait, yearning for the pain to subside and alleviate into the familiar, constant ache he was now used to feeling. Like always, the agony began to fade gradually, easing into a soreness that twisted itself around his chest. Uncomfortable, but manageable...

He returned to watching the bleak, white ceiling again, listening to the muffled pour of rain on the windows…

I knew I was being selfish. I knew I didn't have the right... to wish that I could see all of them once again.

I was staring out of that large glass window, my eyes watching the white door of the room overlooking the operating theatre. Where were they? Were they coming? Were they arriving soon?

I prayed they would come. I needed to see them... I needed them... by my side...

An excruciating pain was stabbing deep into my chest. The sound of my ragged, desperate breaths tearing through my lips ripped through my confused mind.

Was I going to die? Was it time?

I was afraid; I was terrified...

It hurt so much...

I wished someone could hold me close, pull me back from the darkness I was falling into. I wanted someone to help me, save me...

It hurt so much...

I hoped they would come; I wished I could see those familiar faces; I longed to hear their warm, comforting voices...

But they would cry... I had seen them cry, whenever they saw me, whenever they touched me. I didn't want that; I didn't want to make them sad, didn't want to hurt them.

No, don't come... Go back... Don't come...

Don't be sad... Don't cry...

There were tears in my eyes. I didn't know if they were tears of physical pain, or tears of the deep, unexplainable agony that ate at me inside.

Please... don't come... or you'll cry...

Please come... It hurts so much... Please, save me...

No, don't come... Don't let me hurt you... Don't cry...

The door flew open, a flurry of white. I stared at the archway and saw her standing there, her beautiful eyes fixed on me. Slowly, she took an unsteady step, then another until she stood directly behind the glass window, looking down on me.

Behind her, I noticed the others streaming into the room.

They were all here... They were all here with me when I needed them...

Thank you... Thank you...

I didn't know I was smiling, but I saw my faint reflection on the glass as she crouched down, lowering herself so that my face was levered with hers. She placed a hand gently on the glass. She looked so beautiful, so pure... yet, there was a painful sadness in her blue-gray orbs and tears crept down her pale cheeks.

I shifted my glance to the figures standing behind her, and agony tore through my soul. They were all crying, embracing one another for comfort and support.

They were all so precious to me, too precious to hurt, too precious to lose, too precious to love...

I'm so sorry... Don't let me hurt you...

My entire body ached. Raising my hand sent shockwaves and agony through my nerves. My fingers touched the cold glass first and slowly, I pressed my palm against it. She was watching me intently, grief shining in the tears that filled her eyes.

Don't cry... Please, don't cry... I'll be fine... I'll be alright... Because you came, because you're here... Don't be hurt... Don't cry...

I felt the needle prick my skin and sink deep into my forearm. It hurt so much... but I was so happy... to be able to see all those I hold close to my heart...

There was something calling to me, leading me gently into the darkness, like a lullaby... I must go... but I'll be back, alright? You're all here with me, aren't you? So, I'll come back...

I'll be fine, so don't cry... Don't let me hurt you... Don't cry for me... And thank you, for being right here by my side... Thank you...

He tilted his head slightly and watched the rain trickle down the dark glass.

The sky's crying… He didn't know how he knew that, but something deep inside was telling him that, a soft gentle voice that resonated deep in his soul.

The sky was crying…

A small smile touched his lips. He wanted to tell the sky, that there was no need to cry for him… He was happy, because he was alive, he was awake. So, there was no need to cry for him…

Then, far beyond the black sky, he saw a beautiful spark of white light, and its rays reached out towards him, as though beckoning him…

Flay? Is that you? Hi, did you come to see me again? Oh, Tolle... you're here too…

I'm so sorry – I couldn't save all of you… Will you forgive me?

It seems that I always hurt the people around me, the people I love so much. It's so hard to bear watching the pain in their eyes, the desolateness that swirls in their dark sorrowful depths. It hurts to know that the agony they suffer from, is because of me. I want to take their anguish away, I really do... I would rather endure it all if I could. I never intended for them to suffer alongside me.

I'm so sorry... Forgive me, please...

Would my death... soothe away all that pain? If that is so, please, take me away; let me go... so that the happiness I had seized from all of them would return.

I don't want to see them cry for me...

I'm so sorry...

You know, I promised Shinn that I would help replant the flowers again. No matter how many times they're blown away… But, what can I do now when I can't even see the flowers outside these white walls? Are they still swaying in the wind? Are they still reaching for the warm sunshine?

I broke my promise to him.

I'm sorry. Forgive me…

Mother? Father?

What should I do? I'm so confused, Mum, Dad… Can you tell me what am I? Who am I? Why did you make me like that, Father? Am I nothing but the experiment of an ambitious scientist? Am I the desire of every Coordinator? The 'perfect', 'ultimate' weapon? I wish I'm something more…

Can I say that I belong to the world, as much as the world belongs to me? That was what Lacus had told me. Was she right? Can I believe in that? I really want to.

Lacus…

I love her so much. You would have liked her, if you had a chance to see her, Mum, Dad... You would be all hers, just as I am. She would make a beautiful wife, and I know you would have been proud to see me marry such a pure woman.

But I tainted her.

I made her cry… Don't cry for me, please…

And Cagalli too. I wish I could stay by her side and help her. But I can't… I'm glad though, because Athrun is with her. I know they'll walk together, till the end of time. Just as how I wish I could with Lacus…

I'm sorry, for making all of you cry…

Please don't cry…

Oh, you're all here…

Lieutenant Badgiruel, it's so nice to see you again… Stella… Nicol… Aisha… Miguel… Captain Gladys, Chairman Durandal… Rey…

I wish I could come and join you, and take away all the pain I bestowed on those I love.

But there is so much that I want to do, that I want to say…

I haven't told her, how much I love her. I haven't thanked Athrun, for everything he did for me. I haven't hugged Cagalli, and told her how much she means to me…

I'm not ready to go… But when I am, will you take me, will you lead me away… Don't leave me alone…

Thank you then…

He was staring at the ceiling again.

A strange peace had overcome his mind. He surrendered to it willingly, feeling the soft feathers of sleep caress him lightly. His vision blurred.

There were two worlds… and both had all the people he had once known, familiar faces that were watching him intently. "Don't cry…" He smiled at them, "Don't cry for me… I'm happy…" He reached out both hands and he felt warm fingers clasp them both.

"Shh… sleep, Kira. I will protect you with all my real feelings…"

"It's okay to cry, Kira… I'm right here by your side…"

"My dear Kira, my son… Close your eyes and sleep… I love you…"

"I'll never leave you, little brother… So, go on, go ahead and rest…"

He smiled, his beautiful amethyst eyes closing slowly. Darkness swallowed him, but he wasn't afraid. A tear at the edge of his eye slipped down his right cheek, but gentle fingers wiped it away, reassuring hands held him close and gentle voices soothed him to sleep…

The world outside his eyes turned black, but the two worlds inside his soul shone brighter than ever…

Author's note: So, what do you think? I know some parts of it seem rather confusing. I was a bit hazy when I was writing it because I was crying. Embarrassing… Anyway, the ending is rather strange, I know. But, it just sort of came to me like that, so I wrote it this way. It's like trying out a new style or something. By the way, just a note – this interlude is supposed to be set somewhere after the chapter "The Sky's Crying". There are certain references to that chapter.

Well, what do you think? Please review! The next chapter that I will be working on is Zero'N'oveR's request. In the meantime, I'm still accepting requests, so just tell me what else you would like to see from this story plot. Please review and comment! All criticisms are accepted too!