Disclaimer: Not in the mood to deal with you lawyers today

Disclaimer: Not in the mood to deal with you lawyers today. You know I don't own anything, I'm not rich so give it a rest.

A/N WOW!! I'm really happy!! All this response, it's beautiful!! Thank you all so much!! I will thank you all individually as soon as I can but for now I would like to say that I'm using SabineBallZ's idea. I had another idea of how and why hitomi was going to be so traumatized but Sabine's idea about this already happening really works so I've gotten her permission and I'm using that idea, it just works better than mine. Thank you all so much for the wonderful reviews!! I love them so much!! Oh and someone asked where I got this idea, sorry I don't know the exact name cause I'm adding this after I've written the story and I'm too lazy to go back to the site and check, please forgive me!! But you asked where I got this idea and I was just reading one of my fav romance novels like a few weeks ago and it just happens to be a ghost story. And as I was sighing with contentment over the fluffiness I realized no one had ever done a V/H ghost story! So yea I decided to do one. You're all so great I just can't thank you enough!! Have a great day!!

Sailor Hope

--

Hitomi turned in the bed again, the sweat pouring down her jaw. Van watched as she writhed under the sheets her fists clenching the damp cloth.

He couldn't hate anyone more in the world than he hated himself right now.

He couldn't explain where the guilt came from or the tugging at his heart while he watched the young woman squirm in obvious pain. It was overwhelming, a wave of emotions he hadn't felt in a very long time. It had been a whole day already and still Hitomi had yet to wake up.

Van knew he could find out what was going on. His current lack of physical presence allowed his mind free reign over almost everything. He could at any point in time go into her mind and see what she was seeing.

But he couldn't bring himself to do it.

For hours she had been crying and screaming. Not just out of fright but in complete terror. Her screams were filled with an unexplainable fear.

Hitomi's bedroom door squeaked behind Van's chair but Van didn't seem to notice.

"Any change?" Charles questioned as he walked towards the girl's figure with a bowl of cool water and a rag.

Van didn't make any move to respond.

"If she doesn't improve by tomorrow morning I'm going to get a doctor."

Van continued to stare at the beautiful woman lying in his bed shedding crystal tears because of him. He felt his heart twist. He had caused this. He had done this to her. He could barely stand to be around himself.

Charles washed Hitomi's face and turned to face Van. When Van didn't look up Charles shook his head and left.

'My fault.'

Van couldn't get it out of his head. This was all his doing. He did this.

'You did this to her.'

Van closed his eyes and clenched his teeth, what had he become?

'You made her cry.'

His fingers curled into a ball.

'You've likely scarred her for life.'

Van's brownish red orbs snapped open with a crack and within seconds he was in Hitomi's mind.

At first it was nothing but darkness, pitch black. Van patiently waited as the light began to pierce the shadows. Sending the darkness into the corners Van watched as Hitomi walked through a door smiling, bags hanging from her arms.

"Yukari!! You won't believe the sale they had today! Look! It was even enough to get me up and out!!"

Silence.

Light began to flood the area. Van spun around slowly as the house came into view. He was standing in a living room, blankets slung over the backs of the fluffy blue couches surrounding the oak coffee table.

"Yukari!!" Hitomi called out still smiling as she set the bags down on the dining room table.

Hitomi walked through Van and down the hall that was straight behind him. Van quickly turned around and followed her down the hall.

Hitomi shoved open the first door on her left to reveal a simple but comfortable plain white bathroom.

"Okay not taking a bath," Hitomi whispered to herself

The next door was on her right. Swinging it open she stuck her head in the bedroom and looked around.

"Yukari!"

Silence.

"Kay not in my room."

Turning Hitomi opened the door right across from her bedroom and walked in.

"Yukari are you lis-"

Van felt his heart begin to pound wildly as he spotted a pair of feet lying on the ground.

'No'

"What the-" Hitomi frowned as she walked around the edge of the bed.

Van swallowed the lump in his throat, already sure what he was about to see. Still he walked forward and felt an unfamilar sting attack the backs of his eyes.

"YUKARI!!"

Hitomi fell to her knees at the sight of her friend. There were several gashes on her arms with one long one rip across her stomach, and her legs were bruised. One of her eyes was black and her lip was bleeding.

Hitomi jerked her friend close and checked her pulse.

"Yukari!!" she screamed as tears flew down her cheeks mixing with the blood, "Wake up Yukari!!"

Van couldn't believe he was seeing this.

'You moron!!' he screamed at himself, 'You had to pick something that already happened. You had to dredge up the past!!'

Van felt sick. And he knew he was the one to blame.

Hitomi rushed past him and returned to the room seconds later with a portable phone in her hands. Her whole body was shaking as she held her friend again.

"Hello this is 911, please state your medical emergency."

"My friend-" Hitomi choked as more tears fell, "She's been cut and there's blood, oh there's too much blood."

The phone began to slip from her hands. Van couldn't watch anymore. Within seconds he was back in his chair, back in his room with the girl trapped inside her horrid memories. As soon as he pushed back the nausea caused by the disgust he currently felt for himself he let his gaze drop to the honey colored woman again. She was shaking now, harder than before.

He had to go back in though. If he wanted to help her he had to get back in. He had to help her through this. He started it, he had to finish it.

Closing his eyes again he dived back into the horrible images of Hitomi's mind.

This time the police and Emts were there loading Yukari onto a stretcher. The police were questioning Hitomi who was in hysterics. Through the tears and hyperventilating Hitomi managed to tell the police what happened. The group quickly left telling Hitomi they would get her news as soon as they could. Hitomi tried to push her way through to get to the hospital but the police told her that she had better stay home considering the condition she was in.

Minutes had past and still Hitomi stood in front of her door shivering and crying. Van clenched his fists and started to walk towards her. He was just about to reach her when the phone rang.

Hitomi didn't seem to flinch as the sharp ring flooded the empty house three times.

"Hello this is Hitomi and Yukari! We can't make it to the phone right now, sorry! Please leave a message after the beep and we'll get back to you as soon as we can! Thanks!"

BEEP!!

"Hito-chan! Yuka-chan! This is Allen, I just got a call from Dryden. He had to cancel tonight because he got called into the hospital. The hospital said something about a young woman with possible internal bleeding, poor girl it sounded pretty bad. But I got a bad feeling as soon as I heard. I just wanted to check in on you guys. I just have this horrible sinking feeling in my stomach. I'm probably just panicking, I don't mean to worry either of you. If either one of you get home soon just give me a call okay? Talk to ya later!"

Van listened to the message cut off and turned his attentions back to Hitomi. The woman was now staring straight at him towards the answering machine.

"Oh Allen..." she whispered quietly the tears spilling over her cheeks. Her knees buckled and Van rushed forward to catch the woman.

He cried out in frustration as she fell through his arms and hit the floor her whole body shaking with despair.

Biting his lip Van clenched his fists in anger.

He couldn't hate himself anymore. This was definitely the line.

But that was enough of this! He was here to rectify the situation, he was here to save the troubled angel locked in her horrible nightmares.

"Hitomi," he called out to the crumpled goddess his hands shaking.

The woman's head snapped up, "Who's there"

"Hitomi, come back."

"Where?" she whispered through red eyes and a soar throat, "Who are you?"

Van didn't want to make matters worse by revealing himself so he just stood there and pushed his voice through the thin barriers of her dream world.

"Come back Hitomi," his deep voice echoed through the house, "Please just come back Hitomi."

Hitomi pushed herself up and wrapped her arms around her shoulders.

"Who's there?!" she demanded slightly panicked.

"Wake up," the deep voice floated into her ears, "Come back kitten"

Hitomi shivered involuntarily. There was something about that voice. There was something about that word 'kitten' there was something in the voice that triggered something deep inside her. Hitomi felt her body relax a little as the voice continued to flood her ears.

"I'm so sorry," it cracked for a second and empty silence filled her mind, "Wake up green eyes, just wake up."

The walls began to fade and Hitomi let her arms drop as the comforting voice washed over her.

"Come back"

To me.

Hitomi didn't have to hear the words to know the rest of the sentence. A slight smile crept up onto her lips as the voice carressed her ears and the nightmarish visions faded.

Van watched as the angel relaxed and her horrible house disappeared. Shaking his head in pure rage, himself the one to blame of course, he turned his back on her. Blinking he found himself back in the room.

Though most would find it ridiculous Van felt drained. Using his mental capabilities stretched his limits just a little too much. To add to the fire, he hadn't done it in a long time, again another problem with no one to blame but himself, but it was only natural to find it so tiring after letting it lay dorment for so long. Reading minds and actually entering the minds were something completely different, the latter he had avoided using at all costs. He had used it once long ago and had found he didn't like what he would usually see.

Looking down at the green eyed lady he felt the tension slide a little as she began to stir.

'Charles!!' he called out with his mind

Within minutes the heavy footsteps of the butler could be heard rushing down the hall. The bedroom door bust open and Charles frowned at an empty room.

"Ugh."

Charles snapped his head towards the bed.

"Miss Hitomi!!" he called out relieved as he rushed to her bed.

--

Van had watched from the shadows. Hitomi was a little disoriented at first but memories had quickly flooded back and hate had filled her eyes. He had watched as anger clutched her body, could he blame her? Not really.

It was just his luck that the one thing he chose to use happened to be part of her past.

After the first few moans of pain and unintelligible words Hitomi had refused to speak. She wouldn't say a word. She had just pushed Charles away and pulled the covers up over her shoulders.

Van turned around and walked through the wall, not really caring where he went. He just wanted out. He didn't want to think about what he had done. Now, or in the past. He was beginning to think the centuries were wearing down on him.

He wasn't himself anymore.

--

Merle pushed through the wood and stretched her arms up and out.

"AH! It's great to be home!!" she smiled her pink hair bouncing behind her. Unlike her siblings, Merle had kept up with the times. Now a days basically everything was accepted, so she had decided to change her hair, she now sported bright pink locks. She loved it.

Dilandau had scowled and Van had rolled his eyes. Folken wouldn't get his nose out of his books long enough to even look.

Hundreds of years in the future and the only thing he would study was the freaking past! It was so distressing at times.

"Dilandau hurry up and drag you're sorry butt in here!!" Merle called over her shoulder as she skipped into the kitchen, "Charles we're home!"

Merle darted her head around the corner and frowned at an empty kitchen. Spinning around she let out an earth shattering scream.

"Would you shut up you little brat?" Dilandau bellowed covering his ears, "I'm going to go deaf!"

"Serves you right!!" Merle huffed her hair a little frazzled due to her fright, "Why do you have to sneak up on me like that?!"

Dilandau smirked and crossed his arms leaning in towards Merle's face, "Because it's just so much fun."

Merle's gorgeous crystal blue eyes narrowed into tiny little slits as she glared at her brother, "Jerk"

"Witch"

"Creep"

"Shallow little -"

"AH! Lord Dilandau! Lady Merle! I see that you've returned!"

Merle and Dilandau turned their glares on Charles as the man strode into the kitchen.

"Yeah I found the-"

"Where's Van?" Dilandau interupted not wanting to hear his sister's rantings right now.

Charles face immediately darkened, "He seems to have disappeared." Charles stated spinning on his heel and marching back across the hall and up the stairs.

"Disappeared?!" Merle screeched

"What do you mean disappeared?!" Dilandau demanded following the butler.

"We have a guest so keep your voice down." Charles scolded

"Guest?!" Dilandau cried in rage, "Why didn't Van get rid of the pest!?"

Charles clenched his jaw but kept on walking, "She seems quite immovable."

"Oooo! Another girl! What's her name? What's she look like? Aw heck just move out of my way I want to meet her myself!!" Merle rambled on excitedly, "Where is she?"

"Lord Van's room Lady Merle."

"Enough with the title crap old man it's starting to piss me off," Dilandau ordered walking past Charles following his sister towards the mystery girl.

Merle walked through the heavy wooden door and into Van's room. Dilandau stuck his head in and looked around.

"There's no one here," he whined walking in, his hands in his pockets. Merle rolled her eyes at her brother and walked forward to search the room a little more.

Dilandau growled at his sister and walked towards the bed. Looking down at the sheets he frowned at the lump. Shifting his gaze up Dilandau froze as his blood reds met stunning emeralds. Dilandau almost fell backwards at the sadness that emanated from the woman's eyes.

Not that he cared any, emotions didn't settle very well with him anymore. But there was just something in her sad eyes that started up his protective brotherly instincts. He scowled as he resisted the urge to hug her and tell her it was alright, it had been years since he had done something like that.

A long time in fact.

Turning towards Merle, Dilandau felt a slight pang of guilt sting his heart as he watched his sister close the balcony doors. She spun around and caught the look in his eyes before he could cover it up.

Tilting her head to the right she crossed her arms, she didn't need to ask him, she didn't really want to ask him. She knew what he would do anyways.

Dilandau turned away sharply and marched towards the door, "She's on the bed, I'm leaving."

And with that he disappeared. Merle frowned and fumed to herself as she watched her brother disappear. Too many centuries of the ghostly world had turned him into a heartless warrior. Of course he was never nice to anyone outside the family but when it had just been her, Van, and Folken he had smiled, he had laughed, he had hugged them. He had always been willing to shed blood for his siblings, to die for them, to fight for them. But he wasn't like that anymore.

'You're forgetting, that's exactly how you got all of them into this mess,' she scolded herself bitterly.

Ignoring the sting in her eyes she swallowed the lump in her throat and walked over to the bed. Merle felt a shiver run up her spine as she caught sight of the dead emerald eyes. There was no spark in the green gems, they were void and the sadness coming from her was almost overwhelming.

Merle knelt down next to the bed still gazing into the green eyes.

"I'm Merle"

Silence.

"Are you okay? You don't look so good."

Hitomi still hadn't moved.

"Well I don't know how you got my brother to let you stay in his bed, but congratulations."

The emeralds flickered for a second and Hitomi scoffed as she turned around so her back was now in Merle's face.

Merle clenched her teeth and jumped to her feet.

"Van I know you're here, come out of those shadows this instance!!" Merle ordered turning to the darkened corner on her left.

Van stepped into the light and Merle's frown deepened. He looked terrible, he almost looked sadder than the woman in his bed.

"What is going on? Why is our guest being so-so.. lethargic!?"

Van narrowed his eyes at his sister, "How should I know?"

"Don't give me that crap, you've been with her for what? 2 days now? The others were already screaming and gone by now! What did you do?! Traumatize her beyond all help?!"

Van quickly stepped back into the shadows and crossed his arms, "Go do some more of your shopping Merle," he spat curtly.

Merle's eyes widened in disbelief, "What did you do?"

Silence.

"What did you do?!"

"Leave."

"I'm sick of you torturing every living being that happens to step foot on our soil!"

"Then find yourself another piece of land."

Merle snapped her mouth shut and pushed back the tears already forming. Van closed his eyes in frustration and stepped back into the light.

"Merle I-"

Merle spun on her heel, "Don't bother Van," and with that she ran out of the room before her brother could see the tears.

Van hung his head in defeat as he watched his sister run away, he hadn't meant to say those things. He didn't want to hurt her, she was the last person he wanted to hurt.

'Why am I screwing everything up?!' he screamed at himself, his eyes slowly shifting back to the green eyed angel in his bed.

"You don't have any friends do you?"

Van blinked, he wasn't sure if what he had just heard was coming from Hitomi or not. He could be imagining it.

"Excuse me?" he questioned angrily

"I said, you don't have any friends do you?" this time Hitomi twisted in her bed and locked angry gazes with the raven haired man frowning at her.

Yep, that was definitely her talking. He wasn't imagining it. But she hadn't spoken in almost two days!

"I don't see how that is any of your concern."

Hitomi pushed herself up still glaring at him, "Didn't think so."

Van stood his ground as she pushed the blankets back and wiggled her toes over the cold stones. He wouldn't be intimidated by a weak little girl, even if every word stung like a swords edge.

"That woman, she lives here?"

Van held up his scowl as she stepped down from the bed and walked up to him.

"You can't even get along with her?"

Van was nose to nose with his green eyed lady and all he could do was keep his mouth shut and pray he looked as angry as he was trying to.

When in fact what he wanted to do was scream and punch a hole in the nearest wall. She was hitting every nail on the head and it hurt more than she would ever know.

He couldn't even get along with his own sister.

Hitomi smirked as she saw his eyes swirl with emotion, he would never admit it but she had hit a sore spot.

"Assume w-what you will," he snapped

He hoped Hitomi hadn't caught the stutter but she had of course. Hitomi's smirk grew as she saw the wounds growing, she normally wasn't so malicious but this guy had crossed the line. She wasn't sure how she had managed to pull herself out of the shock induced nightmare but after many hours of calming herself down and self-confidence speeches she was back on her feet and pissed.

"I don't care what you do," she hissed her eyes burning with anger, "Throw whatever you've got but I'm not leaving. I won't lose, especially to someone like you!"

Van flinched as she screamed the last bit of her announcement into his ear. Still scowling she threw on her slippers and robe and stomped out of the room slamming the door with a loud bang.

Van stood in the silence still cursing at himself. She was yelling again, definitely ready to take him on, but there was something different now. He had changed something, it was in her eyes. She could say she was fine all she wanted but her eyes told a different story. She wasn't happy, her eyes weren't alive, she was sad. He had scarred her more than she would care to admit, and how he hated himself for it.

--

Hitomi stomped down the stairs and ran the rest of the way to the kitchen. Kicking open the kitchen doors she marched to the freezer and jerked open the door. Reaching in she thanked the Lord that there was double fudge ice cream inside. Pulling it out she jerked open the silverware drawer and threw the lid off.

Shoving her spoon in she threw herself down on a kitchen table chair. After making sure there was sufficent chocolate on the spoon she shoved it in her mouth and left it there hugging her container of double fudge. Smiling at her across the table Charles reached over and scooped up a little of the ice cream with his finger and stuck his finger in his mouth.

Hitomi narrowed her eyes at him and took the spoon out long enough to stick her tongue out at him.

Charles smiled and wiped his finger on the dish towel he was holding.

"I'm assuming you had a talk with Lord Van"

Hitomi scowled at the man and pushed her chair back, "I'm trying to cheer up, don't make it worse," she scolded as she walked out of the kitchen ice cream still in hand.

Charles chuckled to himself as he watched her go, he was right, she had spirit, but Van had really stabbed her this time. She was recovering but it would definitely take a while, if ever, to go back to the way she had been the first day she walked through the hall doors.

But Charles grinned to himself as he washed the dishes, if any of the victims could do it, it would be her.

--

Dilandau watched the grass sway with the wind and scowled up at the sky. He couldn't feel the wind, he couldn't feel anything anymore dang it!!

Crying out in rage he held out his hand and his pitch black sword swirled into view.

That stupid girl and her ridiculous eyes!! He couldn't get the memories out of his mind now. He couldn't push back the voices, the faces, the times he had long let slip away. And it was bothering him to no end!

He knew Merle was on the battlements watching him. He could feel her and wished she would just go away, she was only making everything worse.

He knew what she wanted as she watched. She wanted her brother back. She wanted something he just couldn't give. He just couldn't.

But oh how he wanted to.

--

Merle leaned against the stones and watched Dilandau practice his swordplay. A long time ago, she used to watch him and Van practice for hours. There was just something about knowing that both of them loved her and would fight in her name that had always comforted her. So she had wanted to do something in return. She had brought food and water out for breaks and under the hot sun had buckets of water ready for dunking. And in between she had watched them, she had sat in wind, rain or sun and watched them practice, cheering them on every so often.

They had loved it.

She wouldn't dare do it now though, Van wouldn't touch the sword and Dilandau would probably just growl at her. She was surprised he hadn't screamed up at her already. Merle looked down sadly and pushed her hand through the stone. Pulling her hand back out she sighed and let it drop to her side. Standing up she glanced down at her silver haired brother once again before sending him a sad smile and walking away.

--

The ear shattering screech filled the tower room, it smelled of sweat, tears, and blood. Dilandau kicked the man in the ribs sending him crashing into the wall.

"ALEXANDER!!"

Dilandau spun on his heel and watched horrified as his little sister rushed into the tower chamber and over to her fiance.

"Merle! DON'T!!" Dilandau bellowed as she ran to her love.

Dropping to her knees in tears Merle picked Alexander up and hugged him.

"Merle get aw-"

But it was too late. Dilandau watched in horror as Alexander slipped a blade out of his boot and slid it under Merle's ribs.

"MERLE!!" Dilandau ran forward and jerked Merle out of Alexander's arms all rational thought gone.

Merle gasped for breath as she stared up at her brother wide eyed, "Dilandau w-what happened I-"

"Shush," Dilandau whispered his voice cracking a little as he fought the tears back, he wouldn't cry, he just wouldn't.

But he was alone now, she was all he had left.

Blood trickled down Merle's soft pink lips as she gasped her last few breaths.

"Merle, n-no Merle d-don't"

Unfortunately Dilandau's last few words fell on deaf ears. Dilandau began to tremble with anger as Alexanders laughter filled his ears.

"What's the matter Dilandau? Couldn't protect your little sister? Shame you let her die, she was one heck of a girl."

Dilandau knew exactly what Merle's former lover was referring to and the words crushed the last shred of common sense he had left.

'You let her die, You let them die. You let all of them die. YOU!!'

Dilandau screamed out in rage as the words pounded into his mind. Raising his sword up Dilandau shoved the blade into Alexanders heart. Alexander only continued to laugh.

"You didn't think I'd go down alone did you?"

Dilandau coughed and winced at the sting rushing up his body as blood slid up his throat. Looking down he was faintly relieved to find Alexander's sword sticking out of his stomach.

"See you later Dilly boy," Alexander coughed out as he laughed to his death.

Dilandau watched the room spin and clutched his stomach while he crawled over to Merle's body. Sitting down he grabbed her hand and held it tight as the pain washed over him.

The walls were fading and everything was turning black. And then all went black and he fell to the ground by his sister's body.

And through it all Van watched helplessly from the side lines, tears of anger running down his cheeks. Yelling out in pure rage he began to beat his fists against the wall and watched furiously as they slid through the stone.

--

Van's brownish red eyes snapped open as he shot up from the couch he had been laying on in his study.

Closing his eyes he took slow deep breaths. He hadn't had that flash back in ages, something he was very grateful for. Why was he having it now!? Why was he reliving things he had long ago buried!! He didn't want to see it anymore!! He didn't want to remember it any longer! It was gone! Over with!

So why couldn't he get the images out of his mind?

Leaning back Van looked up at the ceiling before sighing in frustration. Getting up he started to walk, he wasn't sure where he was headed and frankly he didn't care he just needed to walk.

So pushing through the door he walked through the castle wall and onto the land. The moon was full and shining, its bright light piercing the windows of Van's study. And back on the wall behind his couch hung a large painting framed in beautiful oak with rubies and sapphires scattered everywhere throughout the wood.

A girl was in the middle, her blonde hair pulled back into a low ponytail. She was leaning forward smiling like there was no tomorrow her bright blue eyes sparkling like sapphires. And on her left was a raven haired youth smiling as he looked up at the sky his muscular build showing through his red no sleeve cotton shirt. And on her right was a silver haired young man, grinning as he looked straight forward his sword flat down across his shoulders. Standing right behind the girl was a tall young man with spiky blue hair and stunning dark eyes. He was smiling brightly, on the verge of laughing, with his arms crossed over his chest as he too looked forward. It was a empty field, out in the middle of nowhere.

But it didn't seem to matter to the four. They had each other and for them that was all that had mattered then.

--

A/N I know not going anywhere yet but trust me I have the plot and scenes stuff written and planned out. This was focusing on Dilandau, Van and Merle but don't worry Folken is out there and he will come in later. Hope you all enjoyed and have a great day!!

Sailor Hope