The gravel crunched under his feet. Dio pulled his hood off and surveyed his surroundings with a small map. It was morning; he slipped out of the Inn at 4:00 while it was still dark to escape the early rush.

The dirt road led him deep into the forest. Tall trees towered over him as if they were mocking him, daring Dio to go deeper… and that's just what he did. Several minutes later he arrived at a small sign that read:

Dravis' Docter: Free for First Examination!

It lead him to a small trail branching off of the vacant road. The trail was overgrown, 'Nobody's been down here for a while,' Dio thought. He looked down at the map for a split second… the trail didn't show. The straight line upon his face turned to a small smirk as he pulled the hood on once again, shading his face from recognition. 'That won't be a problem,' Dio thought smugly, 'She won't remember anyway.' He walked into the yard of a friendly cottage-like home. It was so… welcoming. 'No. Dio, remember your task,' he shook his head out of frustration.

Dio took a deep breath, making a quick reassurance that his hood was still on. He knocked three times, his heartbeat increased as the door creaked open to reveal a young woman, perhaps in her mid-twenties, with short black hair. She was smiling brightly, "Welcome!" she paused for a brief moment as she looked him up and down, "Are you hear for an examination?" Dio slowed his short breaths, "Y-yes."

The woman remained smiling, "Come on in-" she stopped and turned around before showing him to a room. "May I have a name?" it looked as if she was trying to peer at him under his hood, then again she had to be at least a foot shorter. "Erm…" Dio shrugged, 'That's right… I didn't tell her my name before.' "It's just D-Dio," he stuttered. She giggled, "Well, Mister D-Dio. If we are going to go on with the exam, you can't pass with a hood now can you?"

Dio hid the smile that threatened to surface as he gripped the edge of his hood and pulled it off. The young woman stared at him with wide eyes. "Aya… I know I'm hideous," Dio stared back, wanting to know what she was thinking. "No… No…" she murmured. Aya gave out a small laugh, "You're… here… but h-how?" He shifted uncomfortably, "Your mother. She sent me." She gave him a small smile, "Why didn't you tell me you had a name before?" "It's a touchy subject," it hurt him to look at her. "My mother. She sent you, why?"

Dio took a deep breath, "The souls, Aya." Aya looked at him, confused, "Hadn't I helped them? Hadn't they separated from their bodies? To Heaven?" He looked down at his hands. "Dio. Jean, the last one. She was poor, had nobody. Her doctor refused to tell her that she had an incurable disease because of that. Dio, she was in pain and I helped her find a better place… did she make it there?" Dio slowly looked up at her, "Someone… someone has to take them there."

Aya walked up to Dio hugged him tightly, "I missed you. Please don't leave me again." His eyes widened, he embraced her back. Feeling the warmth of being somewhat alive again filled him. "How could you miss someone that you hardly knew?" he whispered. Aya pulled back and looked up at him, her blue eyes glistened, "I knew you cared about me. You sacrificed yourself for me… and quite frankly not a lot of people did that for me." He brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes, "I-I missed you too, Aya, I don't want to go either. I missed the way you smiled." Dio felt his cheeks grow warm, "I missed how your eyes sparkled."

He felt his heartbeat quicken, "I hadn't felt the way a felt around you in well… forever.

"You make me feel alive, Aya."


A/N: Please, excuse the super shortness!