Saying Goodbye

"Come on Dan, we don't want to be late." The woman's voice blossomed out with a reprimand for her son.

His father's business had transferred him to Bayview city and he just couldn't leave his family behind, that was one big no no for that father. They HAD to be together at all might have been considered selfish but for him, a family sticks together.

But Dan would never leave without saying goodbye.

Awkwardly, he checked his watch before scanning again the faces of the crowd. When he found that they weren't there he began to feel a small bubble of panic, quickly vanishing at the thought of their promise.

"Wait a few minutes mom, dad can wait a while." he complained. She looked at him sternly for a few moments before sighing. "Alright, meet me and your father at the bench by the coffee shop. "Thanks mom!" He exclaimed enthusiastically before running off to the gates of the airport.

"Kids these days..." His mother said with a small smile as she watched him rush off to who knows where to see his friends before their big move.

Dan scanned the crowds once again for any sign of his friends. He was so busy scanning that he didn't notice a figure sneaking out behind him. A tanned hand stretched out and gave gave him a light shove, not strong enough to knock him down but enough to give a good shock.

It worked well enough. Dan nearly jumped out of his skin with a yelp. It jogged him so much that even Drago complained. "What's with all the ruckus out here?" the bakugan grumbled. "Nothing Drago, Julie just thought it was funny to give ME A FREAKIN' HEART ATTACK!" he yelled the last part at the snickering group behind him.

As people began to crowd around them, he dragged the group into a more secluded area behind some restrooms.

"Thought we'd give you a should have seen your face!"Julie laughed with the others following suit.

"Not funny..."Dan growled.

They only laughed harder. But after a few minutes the laughter died down though some still had teary eyes from laughing so hard.

"You know...we'll miss you."Marucho suddenly said.

The others suddenly looked so downcast that Dan said:"Hey, its not like I'll be gone forever.I mean, Bakugan Interspace is almost finished right? We'll meet there almost every day! Chat too, video chat every day. And the visits. I will not forget the visits!"

He looked so determined that they all supressed chuckles.

"Yeah, and almost?" Shun looked at him quizzically.

"Alright, EVERY day. Happy now?" he smiled.

"Yup, now that I know that the world isn't coming to its end."

"Wha?"

"A day when Dan Kuso doesn't brawl when bakugan are around is a sure sign of the apocalypse." Shun explained, keeping a straight face with great difficulty.

It worked. Everyone started to laugh when Marucho whipped out a gleaming, new camera and took a picture of the others mid-laugh. The flash shocked everyone, especially Dan. The said boy stepped back and tripped over own his laces as he did so, a picture which Marucho took a picture of, just for the laughs.

"Hey!" Dan protested when he saw that his friend took a shot of that humiliating little trip."This is to remember how you are such a big clutz."

"Ugh come here you!" he then proceeded to chase Marucho who had tossed it to Shun and was beginning a wild goose chase. Soon though, Dan got worn out and collapsed, panting on his knees."I'll get you for that..." he threatened.

"Yeah yeah but how about one last photo, just for the memories?" Julie asked.

"SURE!" The whole group replied, yelling the word like a battle cry.

Marucho started to set the camera's timer while balancing it on a step ladder that conveniently just happened to be there while the others prepared their poses.

A red light beeped and sent Marucho rushing to the others.
"CHEESE" "CHEDDAR" "MOZZARELLA" "SMILE"
Were the strange cries that resonated throughout the area and the group fell, laughing at their own silliness.

But Dan noticed one thing, a thing which had been bugging his mind ever since he saw them
"Where's Runo?"
"We don't know" was Shun's quiet reply. "What do you mean you don't know?" Dan demanded.

"She didn't come with planned to but then she had to come in late because of some emergency." Marucho explained. Quick as a flash, Dan rushed off to the gates of the airport, looking for his girlfriend. "...What just happened?"

Dan ran swiftly, hoping to see his girlfriend before the big move. He remembered his mom's reminder and ran even checked his watch and nearly had a heart attack. "Crap..."
"Daniel! We're going to be late!" Drago, who had remained silent for so long that Dan forgot that he was awake, scolded.
"I just need to see her...one more time.."

His words were interrupted when he crashed into something solid. A person. A very particular person. Runo in fact, the very person he was looking for.

"Runo!" "Dan!" they both cried out. Runo suddenly gave her boyfriend a hug and pulled away blushing."Runo." He repeated, looking into her was rarely weepy (though he DID manage to pull a few tears from her now and then), one of the things that he really admired about her though her fiery temper infuriated him often."Dan." she whispered, eyes starting to glimmer just a little bit.

"I'll miss you." she whispered. "I know, I'll miss you too." he replied.

She looked down at her feet and sighed. Dan gently lifted her chin to look at her eyes though he hadn't noticed it, he had grown a bit taller than her; causing him to look down as she looked up. He felt himself unable to bent down and kissed her. Runo was shocked but automatically responded by pulling herself up and kissed him back gently, a few tears slipping from her eyes.

When they pulled away they sighed."You know, I won't be able to see you in person but please, don't forget me."

"How can I forget about you? And when you get to Bayview, never forget to call me. And if I get a whiff that you got yourself a new girlfriend, I'm gonna beat the hell outta you!" she threatened playfully. "Why would I get a new girlfriend? I have one that annoys me halfway to death but two annoying girlfriends?" he playfully remarked. "Hey!"

"Well, I'm gonna be late so I better rush off." Dan said when he saw the time."One last thing though.." she said."What?"
"This" she suddenly kissed on the lips. A soft, swift kiss that ended with her reminding him that he was gonna be late. As he rushed off, she smiled yet cried.

In a few minutes, Dan was in the plane with two fuming parents and daydreams of kisses. He remembered her tease about a new girlfriend and laughed. How could he ever get a new girlfriend. He already had everything that he wanted and more.

And didn't they say that true love conquers all?

_
AN: Merry Christmas! Consider this a virtual Christmas gift coz' I'm cheap! I know this isn't the best but still, a gift is a gift and lets pretend that Julie's going to Bayview but a few weeks after Dan, kay? PLZ REVIEW!
PS: If you like DanXRuno and ShunXAlice stories, check out my other stories!