The Choice is Yours: Part 2
By: Gato_9

Disclaimers: I do not own EscaFlowne. I in fact don't know who it belongs to! It just does NOT belong to me!

Hello! I'm so sorry for not getting this up sooner! But I've been busy doing other stuff, like homework and my other fics! Heh. Oh well just r/r. Enjoy!

~Night Time Stay~

~Hitomi~

Hitomi felt so weak. Barely able to keep her eyes open. She could see Van's face hovering above her's with a worried expression.

"We're at a cottage.... We have to stay here for the night. It's raining too hard. My wings are too wet too..."

"I could hear..." Hitomi whispered.

The pounding of the rain against the window was loud. And the crackle of the thunder made it quiet obvious they'll never get to Fanelia safetly. Slowly, Hitomi pulled herself up. Then a sharp pain seared across her shouldar.

"Ah!" she gasped clutching the bandaged wound.

"Lie down Hitomi..." Van said gently.

Hitomi lowered herslef down and closed her eyes. She could sense a strange old man eye's eyeing her. Could there be really be something bad in here? Somehow Hitomi didn't like the feelings she had around the old man. What was wrong with her?

"Van?" she asked slowly.

"I'm here."

Hitomi felt his hand touch hers. Suddenly, she felt safer.

"There is only four rooms in this house.... The bedroom, the kitchen, the washroom, and one more bedroom.... And only two beds... No couch's. So someone has to sleep in the same bed with someone..."

Hitomi's eyes snapped open. No way was she gonna...

"I'll stay with Hitomi..." Van said cutting through her thoughts.

"Is that okay with you?" the man's kind voice said.

"Ummm...."

Hitomi pulled herself off the bed ignoring the pain. Then she looked at Van straight in the eye. Van's eyes wandered away and Hitomi nodded.

"It's alright...." she whispered.

"Come on, can you walk? I'll show you around the house..."

"Alright." Van walked over and pulled Hitomi up.

"You can lean on me if you want...."

Hitomi nodded as she looped an arm over his shouldar. While they left the room, they didn't notice a pair of burning azure eyes at the window.

~Van~

Van helped Hitomi around while the man explained everything about the house.

"And this is where you'll be staying..." he said gesturing to a medium sized room with a bed in it.

Sadness passed his eyes.

"My little daughter use to stay here..." he whispered softly.

"What happened to her?" Hitomi asked glancing around the room.

"Did she move out or somethin?"

"No..." the man whispered.

"She disapeared."

~Hitomi~

"Oh!" Hitomi gasped.

She didn't mean to upset the poor man...

"She was just an innocent little girl..."

"How old was she when she disapeared?" Van asked.

"Umm... It's been so long... She was about 5 in her years."

"Her years?" Hitomi's asked trying to stand up herself.

But only grabbed Van's shouldar for support.

"Yes... You see.." the man blushed crimson.

"I had an affair with a cat women. So she was a cat girl."

"WHAT!?" both of them screamed at the same time.

The man just looked hurt.

"We didn't mean to!"

He was starting to sound more and more like a child.

"But she was just so..." he cut off suddenly and eyes their soaking wet clothing.

"I think you should change out of those clothes before you get sick. Here, I'll get some towels and extra clothing."

The man turned, leaving Hitomi and Van alone.

"Well... Looks like we're really spending the night here." sighed Van looking out the window.

A flash of lightening lit the sky, making Hitomi make an involentary wimper.

"Aww. Hitomi scared of the lightening?" Van asked teasing.

"It's not funny!" Hitomi said sharply.

"Oh... Well let me come and make you feel better!" he said sarcastically.

Van came over and grabbed her by the waist. Then began to tickle her so hard!

"Van cut it out!" she screamed through peals of laughter.

"No! I'm trying to make poor little Hitomi NOT afraid of lightening!"

"NO VAN HAVE MERCY!" she screamed suddenly.

But that was when the man returned with clothing and two towels in his hands.

"I forgot all about mercy long time ago." Van whispered in her ear while they straightened up.

Hitomi instantly knew he was remembering watching helplessly as Fanelia was burnt to the ground. She nodded at him sadly and turned back towards the man, only getting a faceful of clothing.

"Warm up you two. If you need me, I'll be in the kitchen, reading."

Then he simply turned and walked the other way.

"Umm..." Van said akwardly.

"I'll go to the washroom.."

Hitomi simply nodded as she watched him disapear through the door. Then she started to pull off her soaked uniform. Now with no clothes at all! She was even more cold then ever! Quickly, she pulled out a dress. It looked somewhat comfortable. Considering it was worn by a little cat girl. But once she pulled it over her head. It started to itch like hell! She she threw it back down to try on a different dress.

~Van~

Meanwhile, Van was having just as much trouble with trying to find something to fit him! One after another he tried on, but they were either too big or uncomfortable. He just wanted to go back to his loose fitting shirt and pants, but they were too wet. So finally, Van found one shirt that was a navy blue. It hung loosly at his side and one pair of jeans that didn't slide off when he walked. So he headed back down to their room after thanking and returning the man his old clothes.

"Hey Hitomi?" he asked opening the door.

He was greeted by a scream and a pillow thrown into his face.

"YOU PERV! DON'T YOU EVER KNOCK BEFORE YOU COME IN!?!?!?!!?!?!? GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Hitomi screamed.

Van opened his eyes seeing Hitomi covered by only a single sheet.

"Wha... kjgbslha jgjasfb akjhsf ajhf...." Van said speaking the language gibberish.

"GET OUT!!!!!!!!" Hitomi screamed again throwing another pillow at him with amazing strength and accuratsy.

Van closed the door behind him hearing a number of curses coming from the other side.

Instantly, Van hit his head with his hand. Hard.

"I'm such an idiot!" Van thought hitting his head again.

"KNOCK YOU DUMBASS!" Van screamed at himself.

Finally, after a number of curses at himself, Van knocked.

"You can come in now..." said Hitomi.

Van opened the door, only to get hit by another pillow.

"YOU FREAK!!! DON'T EVER DO THAT AGAIN!!!!!" he heard Hitomi scream.

"Hey!" Van whined.

"I'm gonna tell on you! Be nice!"

Hitomi scowled for a second while putting away the pillows at the door. The ones that hit Van. Then it returned to her happy-go-lucky smile.

"Hey you look pretty hot..." Hitomi said chewing a fingernail while eyeing him up and down.

Van drew away from her uncomfortably. Hitomi must have seen it because she just laughed and added.

"I'm just joking! You'll be the last person I'll call hot!"

Van stood up tall, his dignity bruised.

"Hey! That's not fair! I'll show you hot!"

Then Van was at her again, tickling her like crazy. Actually, Van thought Hitomi looked pretty hot herself.... Van shook his head angrily. Why was he thinking of Hitomi this way? She was his friend... But her dress was almost skin tight. Showing her amazing curves and most of her legs.

"What are you looking at!?" she screamed slapping Van gently on the head.

"I kjhgstnblsk silusng..." Van said speaking gibberish once again.

"Hey! Where'd you learn gibberish!?"

Van blinked.

"Oh that's it!" he halfed screamed.

But before he could tickle her again, the old man came to the door rubbing his eyes.

"Hey, I'm trying to get some sleep! So go to bed!"

Van just caught Hitomi stick her tongue out at him before she climbed into bed.

"You stay on your side! I'll stay on mine!"

Hitomi climbed in by an akward Van. Soon, they were both lying there in the dark, staring at the celing. Shivering.

"It's so cold!" Hitomi said chattering.

"Maybe if we snuggled together a bit we'll stay warmer." Van suggested.

"No way hentai boy!" Hitomi said still chattering.

Van was hurt. Hentai? No way. Hitomi probably read his expression because she looked at him in the eye and added,

"I'm sorry... Didn't mean to hurt you..." she whispered.

"But that was a good idea."

Hitomi and Van pulled closer together. Soon, they weren't chattering anymore and soon growing sleepy. But once the night really started, it was freezing cold in their room again.

"M-M-Maybe w-we s-should g-get closer t-together.." Van said chattering so hard he could barely form the words.

"O-okay..."

Then they were both hugging each other feircly, trying to catch come warmth. Finally, they both fell asleep.

~Hitomi~

Hitomi woke from the gentle rays of the sun flitering from the window and felt Van's nicely built arms around her. He was so warm... She shook her head and muttered,

"This is so weird... Why do I feel this?"

"Feel what?" asked Van sleepily from behind her.

"N-Nothing!" she stammered.

"Oh.." then the gentle snores came back from Van.

"Wake up sleepy head!" she said shaking him.

Hitomi had just turned around and was shaky him like crazy.

"What a crazy day we had yesterday..." he murmered under his breath.

Then his eyes snapped open.

"HITOMI!?!? WHAT AM I DOING IN BED WITH YOU!?!!?!?!?!!?!?!?" he screamed.

"Your such an idiot I swear Van! Remember? Last night..."

Recognition passed through his face before he nodded.

"Oh yeah..." he said

"Well? Let's go and eat!" Hitomi said cheerfully.

"Okay.."

Hitomi watched as Van pulled himself lazily from bed, then followed.

"Good morning... I see your up." the man said looking up from the mug of coffee he had in his hand.

He saw what Hitomi was looking at and he nodded towards the counter.

"Fresh coffee over there. Help yourself."

Then he returned to his coffee, sipping it slowly while he read some sort of paper.

"Come on!:" she said to Van.

She grabbed his arm and pulled him towards the coffee maker. Afetr she made a cup for herself and Van, then draining it fast, she pulled him back towards the man and told him,

"We're so thankful for letting us stay here... But we must go. Van's aprentice must be worried sick!"

"Alright. I'll see you kids around?"

They both nodded and they headed out the door. Once they were at the door, Hitomi felt something strange pull at the back of her head. But once they opened the door, something caught their sight. A flash of indigo and a cat women was standing there in front of them. Only a couple meters away.

"Hello again." she hissed.

"Daughter?" the old man whispered.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

WOW! What a cliff! Heh what will happen! This night time stay brought Hitomi and Van one step closer! But will they realize it soon? And what is it with this cat women?! Can she possibly really be this kind old man's long lost daughter? Or an evil twin? Or not even at all related!? Grr...This is getting confusing... Oh well, screw the suspence. Just reveiw the damn story! Oh yeah.... 5 reveiws or else this ends right here right now! Okay thanks ya people who will reveiw! Ja ne!