The Return

Hearing Home

(AN: I KNOOOW that there are plenty of stories out there like this, but screw that. This is my version of it! So heeeere we go!)

All was relatively quiet in the cosy apartment overlooking the busy city of Tokyo, aside from the soft tinkling of wind chimes made of carefully wrapped marbles. The child-made craft hung in the small kitchen as the sun cast its first light in the window above the sink.

The quiet noise was suddenly rivalled with the shuffling of feet along the hard wood floor and the barely audible yawn coming from down the short hall.

A thin woman crossed from one side to the other, walking into the bathroom and closing the door behind her gently. As if it was ritual to be this quiet in the morning. The woman was quick to use the toilet and wash her hands and face, knowing if she didn't hurry than she'd have to rush to make breakfast.

Emerging from the washroom with renewed purpose, she shuffled into the small kitchen, and had to stop and smile at the present she'd received, the soft tinkling a sound that warmed her heart.

After escaping her reverie, the light brunette got down to work, formulating a breakfast of eggs and bacon, her dexterous fingers moving quickly.

Soon the space was filled with the sound of cracking and popping oil and metal moving against a burner. The smell of the delicious food drifted through the halls and soon there was a thud, then the quick steps of an eager mouth.

With a smile, the woman looked over her shoulder, green eyes spotting the tiny body in the door way.

"Good morning, Elena. Pour us a glass of milk, it will be ready soon."

"Okay Mama..."

The child with ebony hair walked to the fridge and reached up, pulling it open and reaching for the carton of milk. As she did, the woman quickly grabbed two plastic cups and handed them to the small child, going back to the task at hand.

Elena crawled up onto a chair and put the items on the table. Her tiny fingers slid the cups apart then opened the carton. Very carefully she poured the milk into each cup, her garnet eyes making sure that each portion was even. Once her job was done, she closed the carton and slid off her chair and put the milk back into the fridge.

As she crawled back into her seat her mother put two plates on the table and sat down next to her daughter, smiling. "Alright, lets eat!"

"Yay!" Elena exclaimed with a giggle, taking her fork and cutting off a piece of egg with the side and happily chomped on it.

The two ate in relative silence, the woman looking at her daughter with pride. She'd had to raise her daughter alone, but that was okay with her. Yes, they had struggled in the beginning, but her mother had been more than happy to help out until she could get her own place and have a stable job.

And the father? Well she could not expect him to be in the picture. He was in another universe, on another planet, a planet she'd left nearly ten years ago. A world called Gaea.

As she thought of Elena's dad, the woman's eyes seemed to glaze over, as if she wasn't really there. The child looked up and tilted her head, curious. She had seen her mother do this a lot, and she knew the reason.

"Tell me about my papa."

The words snapped Hitomi out of yet another reverie and she smiled at her child who looked so much like the King she'd had to leave. "Again, Elena?" At the child's nod, the mop of black hair bopping, the brunette smiled. "Well... he is a king. And his name is Van Fannel." Putting her fork down, she placed a hand over her heart. "And he lives far away, in a land of dragons and magic. He is a strong warrior..." Tears suddenly sprang to her eyes and she shook her head. "And I love him very much, still." With watery eyes, she looked back to her child. "And I wish you could have met him. Maybe someday, if Fate will let it happen."

Instantly the child started to get tears, and she reached up, though her arm was much too short to reach her mother's face. "Don't cry mama. I'm sorry."

Leaning down, Hitomi let the small hand touch her cheek. "Never be sorry for asking about him. Ever Elena." Her own hand touched the pale cheek of her daughters face. "Now go clean up and we'll go visit Amano."

In a flurry of movement, then child jumped out of her chair and took off down the hall, leaving her dirty plate behind. With a sigh, Hitomi took both to the sink and let water run over them. As steam drifted up, she leant on the counter and felt the pang of loneliness she sometimes got when she thought of Van. Looking out the window and up at the sky, she let out another sigh. "Please Fate..." She begged for a moment then shut off the water, deciding to leave the dishes for tonight and go and get dressed. As she left, she didn't notice the single feather sticking out from one of the knots in the wind chime Elena had made.

"HAHA! YOU CAN'T CATCH ME!" Elena screamed as Amano chased her around the shrine, arms up in the air as he let her get ahead.

Hitomi sat on a bench, watching with a smile as her daughter played with one of her best friends, who happened to be married to her other best friend.

"You look sad today." Yukari said, leaning her chin on the brunettes shoulder.

Pushing a tendril of short stray hair behind her ear as a soft wind blew past them, Hitomi turned to look at the other woman, whose belly was well rounded. "How can I be sad? She's my happiness."

With a smile, a hand slipped over her belly and Yukari nodded. "I know. But you look... like you miss him."

"I do." Turning back to watch as Amano lifted Elena up, catching her with laughter, she sighed. "She looks like him... she's quiet like him, broods like him. She is his child as much as she is mine."

The other woman sat back and nodded. "I never knew him, but I know what traits you're talking about. It's what you have of him." Taking her friends hand, she gave it a squeeze. "If you ever need time alone... me and Amano would love to take Elena for a night again."

With a soft smile of her own, Hitomi tilted her head back and closed her eyes letting the sun shine down on her face. "Thank you, but really..." She opened her green eyes and tilted her face to look at Yukari. "I am fine. You should be getting ready for your own bundle of joy, not taking care of mine."

The trees rustled, autumn making their leaves dried and fall to the ground. It was her favourite time of year, and Elena's as well. The child loved to play in the leaves, crunching them when they were brittle, crushing them in her hands.

As it got colder Amano and Yukari had to leave, his wife waddling away. She was eight months along, and didn't want to catch a cold. Hitomi waved good bye as Elena continued to play with the leaves. The mother looked on, then took a deep breath and stood. She was about to call her daughter when a sudden feeling made her stop. Her stomach turned and fluttered.

And then she heard him.

"Hitomi!!" Van's voice echoed, filling the woman's mind. Frantically she looked around, then up. The clouds in the sky parted, opening up. Quickly, she ran for Elena, the child looking confused. "Mama, did someone just call your name?!" She asked before Hitomi hauled her up and hugged her close.

A beam of pink light shot down and landed a few feet beside the two, and wings burst from its base. A man with olive skin suddenly became visible, the beam becoming translucent. He held out his hand, garnet eyes locking onto green ones.

"Hitomi!"

"Van!" She cried, clutching her child as she ran to him, stretching on a free arm to take her loves hand. He pulled her close as he started to lift, and her and their daughter were pressed against his warm, bare chest.

"Hold on!" He said as they started to drift up, then were suddenly pulled faster, time and space warping around them.

"Mama?!" Elena cried, clutching to her mother tightly.

"I've got you baby!"

Well... uh thats it. Chapter One, down and done.

R & R and please no flamers. I ain't perfect.

Thanks bye!