A/N: Due to EXTREME laziness on my part, I'm not going to explain how Van gets there. Oh, and for ubettaknowwhoiam, since you've been after me for a VH(1 heeheehee. Get it? VH1?) fic, this is written for you.

As a matter of fact, this is what I have to say: I WANNA THANK MY SPECIAL, WONDERFUL, BEAUTIFUL ,WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL FRIEND FOR ENCOURAGING ME TO WRITE THIS STORY AND I DEDICATE IT TO HER!!!!! (hehehehe… you asked for it, ya know…)

One more thing: A change from my normal routine, which consists of really dark romance with not a lot of sap till the very end, this has EXCESSIVE fluff (but only in the beginnning) though it's still A LITTLE dark… There's another set of A/N at the end, too.

---------------means a change of scene.

Hitomi was dreaming, dreaming of the world and the person she had left behind… Then she was awakened by a soft touch on her shoulder. She turned, and her breath caught in her throat. "Van…?"

There stood a raven-haired boy with dark amber eyes, the very one she had longed to see once more for countless days. She dared not believe he was truly standing there, dared not hope for to be crushed again by harsh reality, dared not breathe lest she shatter this wonderful illusion.

But he was there, for he was tangible; she had felt his gloved fingertips brush against her arm. After a moment, Hitomi could stand it no longer, and wrapped her arms around the young king in a bittersweet embrace. "How…how did you get here?"

"I… I don't know." He looked a little lost. "I was on the roof of the palace, looking at the Mystic Moon, and I think I fell asleep. I don't remember anything after that…"

"Don't worry," her voice was warm and reassuring as she finally pulled away, "You can stay with me until we find a way to get you back to Gaea." But I hope we don't…she added in her mind and then instantly guiltily chastised herself for thinking such a thing. He has a country to look after… He wouldn't be happy living here anyway… Still, a tiny voice at the back of her head argued, Wouldn't just being here with me be enough to keep him happy?

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The next few days were spent in a dreamlike fantasy. All of Hitomi's friends marveled at this sudden change in her personality, for now she was nearly always smiling and joyful. They wondered at her new male companion as well, who seemed to have just appeared out of the blue (which was not very far from the truth.).

For a while, Van's fears and worries dissolved as well, replaced by an overwhelming sense of contentment. He had been incredibly inquisitive about television, electricity, radio, plumbing, computers, and just about everything else, but he was quickly adjusting. Now the couple walked hand in hand, laughing. But everything would soon be turned upside down…

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Night fell over the lit up city, the windows shining brightly like rhinestones in the firelight. Hitomi found it rather magical as they stood on the top of her apartment building… She was startled from her reverie, however, when she heard Van mutter something.

"Hitomi," Van whispered softly in horror, "the stars…I…I can't see them… Why can't I see the stars?" His voice was akin to that of a frightened child.

She followed his gaze to the darkened sky… and for once, she could not answer.

For the raven-haired boy spoke the truth, and even as her emerald orbs scanned the heavens searchingly, she could find no trace of the twinkling, pale gems that had always smiled at her wherever she went, whether on Gaea or Earth.

But, she chided herself, this too is Earth, and yet they are gone…

The bright, penetrating, lights of the city extinguished the soft, gentle, shimmer of the stars, leaving a black void, Hitomi realized. And now that they were lost, she half wished she had never come back to this world of glass.

They returned to Hitomi's apartment, each to their own rooms, as usual, but the night's events hung over their minds. It seemed to be an ill omen, casting a dark shadow over them.

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Everything went downhill from there. Nothing seemed as perfect as it once had, and every event that occurred afterward made Van feel more and more like an outsider.

All of a sudden, all of the poor qualities of Hitomi's world were apparent to him, the contaminated air, the lack of trees, the heaps of garbage and toxic chemicals polluting Nature, and worst of all, the overall sheer technological style that had been so typical of a nation such as Zaibach. It was unnatural and twisted. Somehow, somewhere in his heart, he wondered if she was as tainted as her world.

All the things Van had once cherished in Fanelia, the lovely countryside and the proximity to Nature, were perverted and warped. He asked himself, Would I be able to live in a society like this? Would I be able to change all of my morals and beliefs in order to stay with her?

All those tiny worries built up in his mind until he could stand it no more. By the next night, Van had made his decision.

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"Hitomi," Van murmured, "I don't belong here. I need to go home to my own world, and my own country, which stills lies in wait for me to return."

"Isn't there any way for you to stay here?" Hitomi asked sadly.

"No… But… maybe…maybe you can come with me to Gaea…"he implored, his voice filled with hope.

She looked away. "You know I can't."

"Then goodbye Hitomi…" He turned to go, the beautiful, snowy wings emerging out of his back.

"Wait!" she cried. "How are you going to get there? You don't plan on flying, do you?"

"I do. I'll find a way to return."

"Van… I…I won't forget you." Her voice faltered as she whispered, barely breathing the words, "And I love you."

The smile on his face was the only sign he had heard the last softly spoken statement. "Nor will I", he answered. "And believe me, Hitomi, the feelings are mutual."

And all of a sudden he was gone, gone like the stars from their homes in the sky.

A/N: This story was inspired by a magazine article talking about how there aren't as many stars in the sky as there used to be because of the bright city lights, which I find kind of sad, and so… that's why the mood of the fic is like that. Gahh… the sap is drowning me… *gurgle, then silence*