Disclaimer:.....I won't even bother to go on from here with this frigin' disclaimer thingy....there's just no damn point to it anymore....
Dedication:....Well since my friend Taemyr took this dedication to her from the last few chapters to her head...this goes out to all you peeps out there who read & leave me a review.....*shrugs* Meh! I might as well dedicate it to her too...she might get a littly b****y @ school tomorrow...*giggles*

~*~Chapter 5~*~

~*~Troubles~*~


Allen watched as his wife carried a look of worry and fear on her beautiful face. He frowned as he raked a hand through his hair, " Love......don't look like that, you're going to get worry lines at a young age...", he chided lightly.

She stopped and looked at Allen. She cocked her head to the side and frowned, " Allen, you wouldn't know anything about worrylines...you never have to worry about anything in your life....", she replied softly.

He walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He kissed her forehead gently and shook his head, " Hey, that isn't true, and you know it! I worry very much about you, the baby, and Marianne. "

She sighed lightly as she laid her head against his chest, inhaling his musky scent, " I know Allen. I'm just bugging you..."

" I know that too love....how's Leon doing....doctor mom? ", he joked lightly.

" He's doing fine. He seems to be kicking me more and harder then ever....", she informed him

Allen chuckled lightly as he buried his face into the curve of her neck and inhaled her light vanilla scent, " MMm...smells good as usual..."

She giggled and gently slapped his chest. Allen responded by nipping at her neck, " Allen! Please...not here, and definantly not now. ", she exclaimed.

" But why? ", he complained doing a perfect imitation of his daughter's annoying whiny little voice.

Millerna giggled and quietly twirled a strand of his blonde hair around a finger. Allen looked down at her and groaned, " Millerna....come on...."

She shook her head, " You know I can't do anything like that Allen....."

He sighed in defeat, " Alright....but you owe me once he comes out....you do realize that now don't you? "

Millerna nodded. She stood up on tiptoes and planted a soft kiss on Allen's demanding lips, " Will that satisfy your hunger for now my dear? ", she whispered against his lips.

He shrugged, " It might....it might not..", he joked.

Millerna pulled away from him and went to arrange some discarded books on the desk. Allen watched her movements in confusion, ' What did I say? Why'd she just walk away from me? That's never happened before...', he thought to himself.

Millerna looked up from the desk and she gave him a weak smile. The smile was quickly wiped from her face as her eyes drooped and as she winced in pain. Allen knitted his brows together in concern and he took a few steps towards her, his hand outstretched to her. Millerna's head fell forward as her legs gave out from under her.

" Millerna!! ", he cried out as he lunged forward and caught her in his arms, just before she hit the ground. He sat down on the ground and gently flipped her onto her back. A light sweat had broken out on her forehead and he brushed away her bangs to plant a light kiss on her very warm and damp forehead, " Millerna...love. What's going on? ", he whispered against her skin as he reached down and felt for a pulse. He found one, but it wasn't a strong one and that worried him.

***

Gabriella sighed in content as she looked up at the ceiling of her bedroom, ' It's finally going to work...my plan for becoming Queen to this...peaceful country. I'm so happy that whoever was here is now out of his life. It's me and only me....', she giggled while she thought.

Serge quietly slipped into the room through a secret entrance in the wall, situated behind a long multi-coloured rug hanging from the ceiling. He closed the door and slipped out from behind the rug. He looked over at Gabriella and frowned as he clasped his hands in front of him tightly, " Highness....what is thy bidding? ", he asked lightly as he bowed.

She arched her back and slowly sat up. She looked at him and smiled sweetly as a glint of pure evil glimmered in her green eyes, " I want you to find out....who this girl is. I want her name, age, and where she originated from. Understood? "

He nodded, " I believe she's staying down in the East side of the castle, about three halls down from the King's own chambers....", he informed her.

She nodded, " I see. Thank you Serge. Will you do as I had asked? "

He nodded again, " As you wish Highness....", he slowly backed up to the door, bowing.

He reached out and grasped the doorknob. He then looked up at Gabriella and he disappeared behind the door. Gabriella sighed and she fell back against the pillows, " To have such power over people is great! I'm going to love this for as long
as it shall go on...."

She giggled lightly and a soft knock sounded at the door. She closed her eyes, " Come in...."

The door opened and Merle rushed in. She closed the door behind her quickly and rushed over to the bedside squealing with excitement, " I just heard the wondeful news! Congratulations...your Highness! "

Gabriella sat up giggling and blushing. She nodded, " I know...you can just keep calling me Gabby. I don't feel comfortable with being called ' Highness ' by my friends..."

Merle nodded, " I'm sorry Gabby, but it's all....just such wonderful news. How'd you manage to pull it off? ", she asked lightly and then added in her head. ' You tried to seduce him and it obviously worked! '

Gabriella shrugged, " It was just like any other day Merle. I was out in the garden and he just came up to me and proposed....", she lied lightly.

Merle lifted an eyebrow, " Is that all? "

" Yes...then I agreed of course. Merle, who's his friend? The one who's visiting him? "

Merle bit her lip, " H-hitomi Kanzaki...."

Gabriella gasped, " T-the girl from the Mystic Moon? "

Merle nodded, " That would be her alright. I take it you've met her already? "

Gabriella shook her head, " No...I haven't. " ' And I don't entend on doing so either! Wretched little freak!! '

Merle watched Gabriella's expression. She frowned lightly, ' I wonder what she's planning to do...'

" Would you like to meet her? ", she asked lightly.

Gabriella shrugged, " It wouldn't matter to me....if I did or not. "

" I see...she's in the library if you want to go see her. I'm headed that way now, and I believe that...Lord Van is there as well...with her. "

Gabriella narrowed her eyes, " Is that so? Well, let's go pay them a little visit. I haven't seen Van at all today, and besides....I miss him dearly. "

' Like hell you do! You're just jealous...', Merle thought in bitterness. " Alright...let's go Gabby, before they take off or something....", she giggled.

Gabriella snorted and then giggled along with her. She nodded and followed Merle out of the room.

***

" Hitomi, I've come to ask you if you would like to be invited to my wedding....would you care to join? ", Van asked her
lightly.

Hitomi stared at the book in her hand. Her sea-green eyes widened in shock as they strayed on the title - When Happily Ever After Ends. She blinked and kept her back to him, ' I can't believe it. He's getting married....maybe I should just go, to cheer him on. ', she thought. ' I should be happy for him...but I'm not...'

" Hitomi? Are you alright? "

" Y-yes. I'm just fine Van...", she turned to look at him. " I'm very happy for you. Congratulations...you deserve it...."

Van swallowed, ' I guess I do...' " Thank you. But...will be joining us? "

Hitomi bit her lip and the slowly nodded as she turned her back to him again, " I believe I will be. I mean for your sake of course...."

The kiss that had shared the other morning was still fresh in her mind and it still lingered on her lips. His soft and tender caresses were the things that she missed. She missed having him touch her, kiss her, soothe her.

She swallowed, ' This isn't right...but why? Am I better off without him? I don't need him...right? ', she asked herself in silence.

Van sighed lightly, ' What's wrong with her? Why is she being like this....it's not like she should care if I got married to someone else or something...she can't even remember who I am... '

He took a couple of steps towards her. He outstretched his hand and slowly inched it towards her shoulder.

" Lord Van!! ", a voice cried from the doorway.

Van quickly let his hand drop to his side as he turned around to face Merle, " What is it Merle? "

Gabriella quickly glided into the room, brushing past Merle on her way in. She walked up to Van and smiled, " Why...fancy meeting you here...."

Hitomi's back went rigid and straight. She slowly turned her head to look over her shoulder, only to find a pair of blazing green eyes on her face. She fully turned and held her head high. Gabriella forced a smile to her lips, " So...you must be the goddess of the Mystic Moon. I've heard so much about you and your adventures along side with the knight of Kaeli and the King of Fanelia against Zaibach...."

Hitomi narrowed her eyes and turned her attention to the back of Van's haed, " Yes....too bad I wasn't informed about it as well. Who might you be? "

Gabriella smirked, " I...am.....Gabriella Longarce. Soon to be the Queen of Fanelia....it's a pleasure meeting you in person...."

Hitomi snorted, ' Bitch!! ' " The pleasure was all mine your...Highness! "

Van shot Gabriella a nasty look and she ignored him, " I do hope that you stop by my chambers. I would like to hear more about your adventures and what they were like...."

Hitomi frowned. She gave Gabriella a nod and then brushed past Van, purposly ramming her shoulder into his muscle tense one. Van stared after her in surprise, ' What have I done? ', he cried out in disbelief inside his head.

Gabriella waited til Hitomi had left the room. She walked up to Van and linked an arm through his. She smiled and looked up at his expression of surprise, " What's the matter? "

Van shook his head and looked down at her, " Oh...nothing. Just thinking. That's all..."

" What about? "

" About you and....her. "

" Oh...why? ", she asked with the lift of an eyebrow.

Van shrugged, " I don't really know... "

" Oh...so, what are you doing now? "

" I don't really know...", he repeated. " I've got to talk to Merle alone. So, would you excuse me for just a minute? "

She nodded and left him in silence. Merle watched as she disappeared behind the door. She slowly approached Van with her hands clasped tightly in front of her gown. She looked up at Van, " What's wrong?"

He looked down at her, " You felt it didn't you? "

She nodded, " I felt it alright. They were so close to going at each others throats....."

He nodded as he raked a hand through his hair, " I know. What shocked me the most about this all was when Hitomi rammed me with her shoulder. That wasn't like her at all...."

Merle frowned impatiently as she planted her hands on her hips, " You deserved that Van Fanel! You know it too...."

" What are you talking about? "

" You shouldn't have asked Gabriella. You should've asked Hitomi. What made you pick Gabriella? "

Van shrugged, " I-I don't know. I guess because Hitomi doesn't remember anything about her ever being on Gaea and in Fanelia. She doesn't even remember anybody. Not you. Not Allen. And not even me! "

Merle frowned, " That bad huh? "

" Yes. It's horrible! So my only choice was her, and besides...it's been planned for quite awhile now anyway. ", he informed her.

Merle sighed, " I guess you're right Lord Van. Does Hitomi want to go back home? "

" That's the thing I don't know. She seems to be content here, but I don't know for sure..."

Merle scratched her head, " Lord Van? Who do you really love? "

Van swallowed, " I....", he scratched his head as he thought about it for a second. " I love....Gabriella. "

Merle sighed again, " You're sure? "

Van bit his lip and then shrugged, " I....yeah. I'm sure. "

" Alright...don't you find anything suspicious about her though? "

Van lifted an eyebrow, " What do you mean...suspicious? "

' Uh oh! ', Merle frowned as she lowered her head, " Nevermind, I didn't mean anything by it. "

Van shook his head, " Yes, you did Merle...what's bothering you? You can tell me..."

" I...I don't trust her! ", she blurted out.

" Why not? "

" Because, there's something about her that makes me feel uncomfortable when she's around me..."

To her surprise Van nodded, " I know how you feel..."

Merle's eyes went wide, " You what? You're serious aren't you? "

" Yes. There is something about her nature...something kind of evil about it...."

Merle scratched her brow, " Think we should keep an eye on her till the wedding? "

Van nodded, " Yes...we should..."

The doors to the library quickly flew open and Allen Schezar stumbled into the room, breathless and pale. Van frowned, " What's wrong Allen? "

Allen panted hard as he tried to catch his breath. Van walked up to him and led him to a chair. Allen closed his eyes and ran his hands over his face.

" What is it Allen? ", Merle asked gently.

" It's M-millerna...."

Van blinked slightly taken aback, " W-what's wrong? "

Allen shrugged his trembling shoulders, " That's the thing....we don't know. She doesn't even know. "

" You think Hitomi would be able to do something? "

Allen's head shot up, " Yes! She might...Merle, go get her and bring her to our room. You know where it is? "

Merle nodded, " I'll be right there with her. Don't worry..."

Van nodded as he watched Merle gather her skirt and then take off out the door. He helped Allen stand up, " Come on. Show me where she is...alright? "

" Y-yeah...."

Both Allen and Van quickly rushed from the room to go see how Millerna's condition was going.

***

Hitomi sat on her bed. She was reading the book she had taken from thr library. Her gown was spread out aruond her crossed legs on the bed. She hugged a pillow to her chest. The doors to her room quickly flew open and bounced off the wall. Merle stood in the doorway breathless. She spotted Hitomi looking at her strangely

" Who are you? ", Hitomi demanded.

Merle frowned, " Hitomi Kanzaki? We have an important emergency. You're needed to help..."

" What kind of emergency? Who? What's happened? "

" Princess Millerna of Asturia is eight months pregnant. She's a doctor as well. She's in incredible pain and she can't figure out why. You've got to go see what you can do! "

Hitomi bit her lip as she placed her closed book onto the bed. She uncrossed her legs and slid off the bed. She padded over to Merle barefoot, the skirts of her baby-blue, low-cut gown rustled along the ground. She looked at Merle and nodded, " I'll see what I can do, but have we met before? "

Merle smiled lightly and nodded, " Yes, we have. I'm Merle. But we need to hurry, before something goes wrong...."

Hitomi nodded and Merle grabbed her hand. She dragged her down the hall to where Millerna and Allen's room was. She opened the door and they found Millerna laying on the bed. Her face was a deathly white and her long blonde hair was plasted to her head, drenched in sweat. Her eyes were closed, as she groaned in pain.

Hitomi gasped and stood frozen to the ground. Merle tried to tug on her hand, but Hitomi wouldn't budge. Van looked at Hitomi. He knitted his brows together and then walked over to her. Merle moved out of the way and then rushed over to Millerna's bedside.

Van placed his hands on her shoulders and he gave her a little shake. Hitomi stared at Millerna, ' This is what....it's happening all over again. But why to her? She shouldn't have to go through the pain....it's just not fair...'

" Hitomi! Look at me....", Van's firm voice snapped her back into reality.

She looked at him and blinked a couple of times, " W-what's going on? "

Van gave a sigh of relief as he took his hands from her shoulders, " We don't know....she keeps complaining of pains in her stomach..."
" Shit! "

Van lifted an eyebrow as he gave her a puzzled look, " What did you just say? What's that mean? "

Hitomi shook her head as she brushed past him. She rushed over to the bedside. She looked down at Millerna and reached down. Her hand brushed her bangs away from her forehead, " Hey...what's your name? ", she asked gently.

Allen watched Hitomi's face, " Her name's Millerna Sara Aston Schezar...can you do something to help her Hitomi? "

Millerna groaned, " H-hitomi? That you? "

Hitomi looked into Millerna's painstrickened eyes and she nodded, " Yes, it's me...what's going on? Can you tell what hurts? "

" M-my baby. Don't let my baby die Hitomi. Please...it's my stomach....", she gasped.

Hitomi cursed silently, ' Dammnit....'. " Okay...Millerna. I need you to relax and then I want you to push when I tell you to. Alright? "

" What? The baby's not due yet! It's only in it's 8th cycle! ", Allen exclaimed.

Hitomi looked into his worried blue eyes and replied calmly, " If you can't handle it, then leave. But if you want your child to live....then you stay here at your wife's bedside. Encourage her not to give up and also try to sooth her..."

She walked over to the end of the bed and lifted the blanket up. She bent Millerna's knees up and swallowed, ' Oh god...here we go...'

" Millerna, You need to push this baby out now. Alright? Give it all you've got...."

Millerna nodded. She reached out and grasped Allen's hand firmly. Millerna clamped her eyes shut tightly and began to push.
Hitomi waited with worry etched on her face. She knew what was going to come out. She watched Millerna's face as she pushed. Slowly the head and upper body slid out, " Push harder Millerna! "

Van watched the side of Hitomi's face. He just stood there to the side as all this took place.

" Van! We need something sharp....give me your sword....", Hitomi shouted over her shoulder.

He nodded absentmindedly as he quickly unsheathed his sword and setted it onto the bed in front of her. Hitomi looked at
Millerna's pained expression and she asked again, " Come on, push Millerna....with all you've got...."

She looked at Allen's worried face and everything suddenly went in slow motion around her. She looked around, blinking slowly. Millerna gasped for breath. She threw her head back against the pillows and cried out in pain. The rest of the baby slowly slid out and landed in Hitomi's arms. She quickly laid the baby on the bed and grabbed the sword. She placed the umbilicle cord over the blade and sliced upwards.

No sounds. No cries to welcome the waiting people with. Just silence and Millerna's labored breathing. Hitomi looked down at the baby and she reached out, grabbing a small blanket. She rushed over to a chair by the window and sat down with the baby in her lap. Allen looked over at Van with worried eyes as Van watched Hitomi.

She flipped the baby onto it's back. She held it's head with her left hand firmly. With her free hand she placed two fingers to it's chest and give it five firm thrusts. She waited. Nothing happened. She growled in frustration and repeated the thrusts, ' Come on! Don't give up....you've gotta live. Breath dammnit!! '

She gave five more thrusts and the baby's mouth opened. It's little body jerked and then it let out a beautiful sound to her ears. The cries shattered the unbearable silence and she gently wrapped the baby in the blanket. She slowly walked over to the bedside, cradling the baby close to her head. She looked at Allen and gave him a smile. She handed Millerna the baby
and Millerna gently accepted the baby boy with open arms and tears of joy.

Hitomi slowly watched the two happy parents with a smile on her face. She then turned and slowly headed back to the door. She walked past Van and she gave him a small and weak smile. Van smiled back, grateful that she was here when she was. He watched as she was about to leave the room. He noticed that she swayed to the side as she walked. She outstretched her hand to turn the doorknob, but it never made it.

Her legs gave out on her, and she fell back. Van rushed over and caught her before she could hit the ground. His arms encircled her waist and her head fell back against his shoulder, " Allen! I'll be right back....", he shouted as he shifted Hitomi over so he could scoop her into his arms.

He walked out of the room with her in his arms and headed down the three halls to her room with a look of genuine concerne etched on his face. He frowned lightly as he looked down at her face and found blood dribbling down her chin from the corner of her mouth, ' What's going on? How and when did that happen? '