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______With his heart hammering away like it wants to escape the confines of his chest, he throws his arms across his face to shield it and rams through the glass. His bare chest and arms are cut by the shards flying all around him but he pays no heed, all he knows is that he has to get her out of here. He can't really explain why but in his heart he knows that the moment he's with her again, everything will be all right--the strife and suffering will end.

______He puts his arms down and his eyes immediately scan the vast enclosure for her. He needn't take too long to look, though.

______"Van!" She calls out to him with a confidence that reveals she knew and never doubted that he would come for her.

______She opens her arms to him and he flies to her, pleased beyond words over the fact that she's wearing the same relieved but ecstatic smile that's also plastered on his face.

______Swooping downwards, he takes her into his arms and holds her tight. He closes his eyes as she buries her face on his shoulder, a feeling of utter peace flooding through his whole being. As the now familiar blue light descends upon them, one word comes to his mind: "perfect". Unaware that the moment won't last long.

______The harsh reality of what just transpired hits them without remorse as soon as they leave the confines of the old man's fortress.

______Dented, scorched--and a good lot of 'em mangled--melefs and armor litter the desolate, battle-scarred landscape. Now abandoned by their owners who seem to be grappling with the horrors produced by their folly.

______Some, though, weren't lucky enough to discard their weapons and armor. And while a number have recovered their senses enough to help the wounded and accord the dead and dying with a bit of dignity, still a whole lot are wandering about dazed and confused. Their vacant eyes reflecting their ongoing struggle of comprehending all that they've done and gone through just moments ago.

______Hitomi tried her best not to look at the carnage and confusion below. Opting instead to hug Van tight, keeping her face buried against the side of his neck. But no matter how hard she shuts her eyes, her 'inner sight' stubbornly refuses to stay in check.

______However hard she concentrates, she can't seem to block out the anguished thoughts and feelings of the people below.

______But what's even more unsettling to Hitomi at that moment was that the link she shares with Van--that which enabled her to feel what he feels--seems to be even stronger now, straining against the barriers set by mere empathy. She can hear every thought racing through his mind, is affected by every emotion tearing through his soul and can see every disturbing detail of the scene he's scanning down below.

______Suddenly sensing that which is affecting the person he has protectively bundled up in his arms. Van grits his teeth, grimly looks to the horizon to avoid the scene below and strives to get her away from the battlefield as fast as he could.

______The tense hours stretch by, growing too long for his comfort. Van looks around, examining the place where his wings have brought them.

______His eyes widen in surprise. They can't be that far from the Zaibach capital, with him flying on his own power. Yet he finds that the bleak, rocky landscape of the capital has given way to this lush, green one.

______Unfolding below them is a mini-forest, certainly nothing compared to the woods of Fanelia where the thick canopies at times prevent light from penetrating and reaching the forest floor. But the varied collection of evergreens sprawled beneath them is formidable nonetheless.

______Van spots a break in the foliage from the corner of his eye. As he realizes that that which has caught his attention is actually a sparklingly blue lake, all that he's been through today--not to mention the battle and the flying--bear down on him. With weariness suddenly rendering his limbs leaden, he heads for the inviting lakeshore that seemingly guarantees the respite they both need.

______As Van turns to his left, he feels Hitomi's tense body finally relax. Van breathes a sigh of relief and turns to his companion to inform her of his intentions. He shouldn't have done so.

______Van looks into Hitomi's sea green eyes and his end of their shared mind-link which, up to that moment, had remained just a notch above dormancy, suddenly flares open.

______Everything that Hitomi had 'sensed' since they left Dornkirk's fortress comes crashing through his thoughts. Images of all the pain, the anguish, the guilt and the confusion parade before his mind's eye, threatening to tear at his very core.

______Caught off-guard, Van loses control of his wings and the two plummet downwards, rushing head-long into the middle of the thickest growth of trees.

______Noticing the ground rushing up to greet her at a sickening pace, Hitomi is shocked out of her stupor.

______"Van!" She shrieks.

______The sound of her voice brings him back to the here and now. He recovers just in time to hold her body close to his, open his wings against the surging current and brace himself for the impact.

______His feet hit the mossy forest floor and his knees buckle under their combined weight. Van twists his body at the last minute, letting his back hit the ground first, using his torso to cushion his 'precious cargo' from the impact.

______Gravity, though, hates being cheated and the two roll down the uneven ground, tumbling to a stop on the sandy lakeshore.

______They stay like that for a moment. A stunned, unmoving, untidy heap trying to catch its breath.

______Seconds pass then Hitomi finally recovers from the shock. She rolls off of Van and helps him sit up.

______"Are you okay?" She asks.

______"A few scrapes, lumps and bruises, I'm afraid," he winces.

______"Well you know what they say," Hitomi volunteers, "any landing you walk away from..."

______"What?" He peers at her, puzzled.

______"Never mind," she answers.

______Hitomi looks around for the first time and wonders, "Where are we? We were in Zaibach and now..."

______"I think technically we are still in Zaibach," Van explains, "although the terrain and climate resemble that of the nearby country Krosheir, I don't think we've passed the Skaarsmore Stockade yet so that means we are still within Zaibach's borders."

______Hitomi stands up and begins swiping away at the sand, twigs and leaves clinging to her. More than a few seconds pass by when she notices that Van is still sitting on the sand, staring at her, brows knitted in concern.

______"What?" She asks, alarmed.

______Van closes his eyes and begins rubbing his temples, obviously still reeling from the sudden barrage of 'visions'.

______"Hitomi," Van begins, "is that what happens...I mean, the visions..."

______Hitomi shudders at the memory but quickly pulls herself together this time.

______"Sorry about that," she tells him, "I haven't got the hang of filtering what I 'see'. Much less block them out when somebody accidentally taps into my thoughts."

______"C'mon," she says, helping Van up, "I know you had the wind knocked out of you and the shade under that big tree looks very inviting."

______Van plops onto the cushiony, dry moss and rests his back on the massive tree trunk. Hitomi kneels in front of him, produces a handkerchief from her left pocket and begins dabbing at the cuts on his arms and chest.

______"Thank you," she whispers, "for getting me out of there and for..."

______Caught off-guard by the hand now covering her own, she stops, stops speaking and stops wiping away at his wounds. Instead, she looks inquiringly into his chestnut eyes.

______Noting the bewildered expression on her face, he pulls on the hand he has taken a hold of, drawing her closer to him then hugging her tight against his chest.

______Never actually good with words, he opts to show her how he feels instead. And what he feels right now is that he has to reassure her, let her know that she doesn't have to thank him for anything.

______Hitomi stiffens in surprise, her breath caught in her throat. She remembers to breathe again after a while and tenderly returns his embrace, mindful of his wounds.

______With a cough, she pulls away but settles down on a nice piece of moss next to him. Van smiles, certain that she doesn't see his face. Then he wraps his arm around her and she obligingly rests her head on his shoulder. Again, one thought pushes itself to the fore of his musings. A word: perfect.

***

______He wakes up to find that the sun had finished three-quarters of its course, twilight was fast approaching.

______His right arm had gone numb, failing to wake up along with the rest of his body. But he pays it no heed, afraid that he might rouse her if he does. More importantly, he is reluctant to break the spell this moment has woven.

______He waits with bated breath as Hitomi stirs and tries to settle into a more comfortable position.

______"She looks so peaceful now," he thinks, remembering the pained expression on her face when she was besieged by the visions just moments ago.

______The longer he gazes into her face, the more strongly he yearns to touch it. For the first time in his life, he finds himself feeling powerless. Unable to resist the urge, Van reaches out with his left hand.

______He tentatively tucks a wayward strand of hair onto the back of her ear. Hitomi doesn't move and Van grows bolder. He cups the side of her face, tracing her cheekbone with his thumb. The next thing he knows, two green orbs are curiously staring up at him.

______"Hitomi! I, er...uh," Van stammers, "I'm sorry...I woke you up."

______Hitomi quickly reaches out to keep his hand in place, not really wishing for him to take it away.

______"It's okay," she reassures him, "I wasn't asleep."

______An awkward silence ensues. Eventually, Hitomi lets go of Van's hand which slides back to his side. He also reclaims his right arm from her shoulder, albeit reluctantly.

______Noticing his tender, jerky movements and the grimace on his face, Hitomi guesses correctly that his arm had fallen asleep. She takes his numb arm in both hands then gives it a rub down to make the blood flow again.

______"How long have you been awake?" Van asks just to break the silence.

______"Well I didn't feel like sleeping in the first place," Hitomi answers, "I was just sitting there, listening to you breathe, thinking about...stuff."

______He watches her hard at work, trying to get his blood to circulate. He watches her and he tries to form the words that'll express everything he feels about her being here with him now.

______Then it's as if a dam had just been broken. Feelings, experiences, thoughts and emotions that he feels he has to share with her come flooding through him. Like rushing currents they flow and he finds that he can't keep up with them. They pile one on top of another so fast that he thinks he can no longer grope for the words that'll capture everything he feels. But still he has to begin somewhere, he convinces himself. He can do this.

______He takes a deep breath and dives in. "Hitomi, I..."

______"Shhh..." She cuts him off, afraid of the words he might say.

______Puzzled by the obvious pain etched on her face, he tries again.

______"I..."

______"It's okay," she tells him. Reaching out and pushing the hair from his brow so she could look into his eyes.

______"I understand how you feel," she says, placing her forehead against his. Then she closes her eyes.

______"I, on the other hand," he says to himself, "will never understand you."

______He closes his eyes and presses his lips against hers, hoping to find some comfort there. Finding only pain, he shuts his eyes even harder to make the hurt go away. But he succeeds only in letting a single tear roll down his cheek.

______"The sun's just about ready to set, Hitomi. We'd best be on our way."

______"Listen, Van. I can't let you carry me all the way to another country. We've both been through a lot. It's okay, I feel safe here. Go back and get Escaflowne or a ship or something then come back for me. And then, well I guess we'll have to try to find the others...see how they are."

______They both stand up. He walks forward a few paces then turns back, obviously searching for something to say. She smiles at him ruefully then walks over to him.

______Holding him tight, she whispers, "It's okay. Go on...I'll wait for you."

______He arches his back and with a loud groan, lets out his wings. This time, he doesn't look back. And Hitomi watches as he disappears over the horizon.

______Now that she's alone, she lets the tears come. She knows it was the right thing to do, that she shouldn't feel this way. Yet regret is what she does feel. Regret over words left unspoken, regret over what could've been.

______"I take it back, Hitomi." He says to himself as he watches the blue light fade, finally taking Hitomi home and leaving him alone with just Escaflowne and his brother's tomb as silent companions.

______"What I said weeks ago at that forest. I do understand you and what you did. If you had let me talk...who knows? I might have said some things, you could've said some things...It's enough that we understand each other's feelings. Some things are best left unsaid, it makes it that much easier to let go."