***Author's Note***

***Author's Note***

Okay y'all. Thanks again for the reviews! *smiles* It really makes me feel good when I know people like what I write. Anyway, enjoy chapter 3!

Disclaimer: I don't own anyone or anything but myself and the people and things I make up.

Dedication: Still to *~A White Rose Petal~* but also to all you readers and reviewers!


Parents' Wish

Chapter 3: Van Behind the Wheel

By: ME jus1digigirl *Maura*


Van felt himself being pulled through the light. Then all of a sudden, he felt his feet touch soft ground. Looking out of the beam of light, he saw three blurry figures sitting before him. Slowly stepping out he blinked a few times and gasped. Sitting only a few feet away, staring straight at him, was Hitomi. He couldn't believe it. He had made it to the Mystic Moon. He was finally near Hitomi and all he could do was stare. Her brown hair was just a little longer than he last saw it, her green eyes still bright and beautiful, the rosy red cheeks were still there, and her soft pale lips, oh how he wanted to kiss them. It was her alright. He watched as she stood up, and then quite suddenly, fainted on the blanket below her.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Hitomi stared at the figure emerging from the beam of light. Her heart was filled with anticipation. She just knew, she had a feeling that it was him. Van was coming back to her. Her eyes widened at the sight of the boy, almost a man now. He stood staring at her in shock and she sat staring at him in return. His jet black hair, still hung around his face wildly, his soft dark eyes made her want to melt, and his body was much more muscular than before and taller as well. She didn't know what to do. Her mind was reeling and she had currently forgotten the other two people who were present. Trying to stand up to go to him, she suddenly fell, eyes closed.

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Hitomi!" Van yelled running over to her. He kneeled down and cradled her in his arms. "Hitomi! Wake up!"

He gently shook her and just then realized that there were other people around them. Glancing up, he noticed two unfamiliar faces staring at him, a boy and a girl.

"Are you--are you who I think you are?" the boy asked him. He seemed to be Van's age but taller.

Van looked at him. "I'm Van Fanel if that's what you're saying. I take it Hitomi's told you about her adventures?"

The boy nodded. "I'm Amano and this is Yukari," he gestured to Yukari who was so stunned that he eyes weren't even blinking. "She's told us about Gaea and you. But we--well, I'm embarrassed to say that as her best friends, we didn't believe her."

Van looked at Amano questioningly. "What did you think when she told you?"

This time Yukari answered, after recovering from her shock. "We-we thought that it was all a dream she had. We figured she was unconscious while she had it but just before you came, we finally believed her."

"How so?" Van asked.

Amano explained to him about him seeing the beam of light three years ago. "And I guess that's how you got here."

Van nodded and opened his mouth to reply when Hitomi stirred. "Hit-Hitomi?" he asked softly.

Hitomi slowly opened her eyes. "V-V-Van?" she gasped. Then shook her head. "Am I dreaming again?"

Van smiled down at her. "This is the real me. Van Fanel."

Hitomi's eyes widened and she sat up quickly. "Is it, is it really you Van?"

Van nodded and took her hands. "I missed you more than you'll ever know Hitomi. I knew I had to find a way to get back to you."

Hitomi blushed and then suddenly threw herself onto Van hugging him tightly. Tears began streaming down her face. "Oh Van! I'm so glad you came! I missed you too!" she cried.

Van hugged her back. "Shh...there's nothing to get emotional about. I'm here now."

Hitomi finally let him go and sat back. "Van, why did you come back?"

Van looked down at the ground. "Hitomi, I was wondering if you'd like to come back with me to Gaea and...and stay there."

Hitomi gasped and then broke into a wide smiled. She hugged him again. "Of course I will Van! Oh I've been waiting forever for you!"

Van sighed with relief. At least that was over but he'd have to wait for the proposal. He turned around at the sound of Yukari sniffling. She was in Amano's arms. "Oh that's so sweet! I'm so happy that Hitomi's finally happy," she said.

Amano just sat there half shocked while at the same time trying to get Yukari to stop crying by patting her back. Yukari stopped crying and looked at Hitomi suddenly. "Hitomi, you're just…you're just going to leave Earth? Just leave like that? What about your family? What about us?"

Hitomi now gasped. She hadn't thought about her family. She loved Van very much but her family would be devastated if she suddenly disappeared again like three years ago. And how could she leave Yukari? He best friend since forever? And Amano? Looking down at the blanket, she tried to sort out her thoughts. But she knew, she knew with her heart that she had to go back to Gaea. She had to go back to Fanelia with Van.

"Hitomi?" Yukari asked uncertainly breaking Hitomi's deep thought.

"Hmm?" Hitomi looked up. "I'm sorry Yukari." Tears gently streamed down her face once more. "I-I think I'd be best for me to go back. Go back with Van."

Yukari now had tears streaming down her face as well. She leaned over and took Hitomi's hands. Looking into her eyes, she knew her best friend was in love. "I understand and I won't stop you."

All the while, Van had been in deep thought as well. Hitomi seemed very attached to her friend. Van realized that Yukari was to Hitomi as Merle was like to him. If anything ever happened to Merle or if she just suddenly left, there would be an empty space in his heart. Even though he loved Hitomi, he knew she would never be completly happy without her friends and family. He knew what he had to do.

"Yukari, Amano," he began. They looked at him expectantly as if he were to tell Hitomi that she should just stay on Earth. Great. I'll just make this plain, simple, and easy. Well, here goes. Taking a deep breath, he blurted out, "Would you like to come along to Gaea with us?"

Amano and Yukari continued looking at him and then broke into wide smiles. "Really!? Can we?"

Van shrugged and grinned back. "Don't see why not." He then quickly glanced at Hitomi whose tears were forgotten and she and Yukari were now hugging.

"When do we depart?" asked Amano.

This question suddenly jolted Van into the realization of what would happen if two hours were up. "How long have I been here?" he asked sharply.

Amano looked surprised but answered. "About fifteen minutes."

Van sighed with relief. He had just enough time. "Okay. We must leave as soon as we can. If we don't leave within an hour and forty minutes, we'll never go back and Fanelia will be doomed."

Yukari and Amano gave him puzzled looks at the word 'doomed' but Hitomi understood. Standing up and brushing off her skirt she stated, "Then what are we waiting for? Let's get going!"

Van too stood. Amano and Yukari followed. Then Van remembered something. "Umm....you might want to go to your homes and get a few things before we leave."

"Oh you're right! I need my purse, my clothes, my camera, my make-up..." Yukari continued listing things while walking to the car with Amano following.

"Don't mind her. But are you sure we'll have enough time? And what about my family?" Hitomi asked.

"Don't worry about the time. If we get back here within an hour, hour and a half, we'll be good. And as for your family, they can come to. I want you to be happy Hitomi." he smiled at her making her blush.

"Come on, we'd better hurry." she said and rushed to the car cheeks still flaming.

Van sighed. He would have to do better than that before he could propose.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Hitomi walked into the Kanzaki house ten minutes later. Amano and Yukari had dropped her and Van off while they went to their own homes to get ready. She was confused. Her parents should have been home. They normally were on Saturdays and she hadn't heard them planning anything for that day.

"Hello? Mom? Dad? Tai? Anyone home?" she called out but all that answered her was the silence of her home. "They're not here Van!" she cried out turning to the boy but finding him gone from her sight. Suddenly, she heard noises coming from the den. Alarmed, she quickly ran in only to find Van attacking the television with a poker stick.

"Van! What are you-"

"Stay back Hitomi! These little people look vicious but I can handle 'em." Hitomi glanced at the screen and noticed that a war movie was playing. Van continued trying to poke the TV with stick until

CRACK!

Sparks flew everywhere and smoke blew out of the set. "Hit the deck!" Van shouted and threw himself over Hitomi thinking he was protecting her.

After about five minutes, most of the smoke cleared and Van stood up coughing. "I think it's okay. The little people's headquarters have been vanquished." He turned back to Hitomi and helped her up. "What's wrong? I just saved us!" he asked seeing Hitomi shake with laughter. "Why are you laughing?"

Hitomi didn't answer. She couldn't. She was laughing so hard that her laughter wasn't even coming out. Finally, she managed to gasp out, "You...destroyed...the...TV!" she fell to the floor and continued laughing.

Van remained confused. "TV?"

Hitomi now had regained her composure and she once again stood up. "Yes. TV, which is short for television. Remember I told you about it once? We watch the news and other stuff on it. You just pulverized the poor thing."

Van scrunched up his forehead and then it came to him. It was his turn to blush and realizing his mistake, he looked up guiltly at Hitomi. "Uh...I guess that they weren't vicious little people huh?"

Hitomi began laughing again making Van feel lower than he already was. Noticing Van's sad look, Hitomi immediately stopped. "It's okay Van. Everyone makes mistakes. And it was sweet that you were thinking of protecting me. Besides," she added her eyes twinkling. "You looked cute attacking the TV believe or not." And with that, she quickly kissed Van on the cheek and ran to the stairs, "Just wait here for a moment and I'll pack my stuff."

~*~*~*~*~*~

She kissed my cheek! Van thought dazed. She-she kissed my cheek. She kissed my cheek! The same four words continued running through his head until Hitomi came back down minutes later and pushed him back to reality.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Hitomi ran up to her room, grabbed a suitcase and duffel bag and packed everything she thought she would need. Pictures, clothes, make-up, jewelry, stuffed animals, her tarot cards, and other things she treasured. All the time she was doing this, she thought about the tiny kiss she had given Van. Of course, she would have liked it better if he had kissed her on the lips but…she sighed. You have to take things easy. It had been three years after all. After about twenty minutes, she took one quick look around her bedroom, changed into some more comfortable and decent clothes, and ran downstairs only to find Van still standing in the same position with a dazed look. Walking up to him, she gave him a gently push.

"Oh! Sorry Hitomi. I uh..." he blushed again. "Ifellasleepwithmyeyesopen." he said very quickly.

Hitomi giggled and grabbed his arm. "Let's go! I'm ready!" then she stopped. "But what about my family?"

Van looked at the wall clock behind her. They didn't have much time left. "I'm sorry Hitomi. But I'm sure we can get them to Gaea another way. There must be a way."

Hitomi nodded sadly. Walking to the table, she grabbed a notepad and a pen.

Dear Mom, Dad, and Tai,

First, I want to say that I love you all very much. You're the best family a girl like me could ever have. You must be thinking that I'm running away and in a way I am but not. I waited for you but you didn't come. I want you all to come with me so much but I know there'll be another time, another way. You guys, I'm going back to Gaea. I know everyone believes I was unconscious and it was all a dream. But please trust and believe me and not the doctors on this one. Everything I told you was the honest to goodness truth. I swear. Van has come to take me back to Fanelia. Amano and Yukari are coming along as well. Please don't call the police because they won't be able to find where we're going. I know in my heart that one-day, we'll see each other again but until that day comes, please just believe me and know that I love you with all my heart.

Love,

Hitomi

As Hitomi finished writing, tears moistened the page. She folded up the letter and placed it on the coffee table. Then remembering something, she unfolded it again and added:

P.S. Sorry about the TV. Van has never seen one before and thought they were little people who were really fighing. Love you!

Van watched Hitomi place the letter on the table once more. He still thought that they wouldn't believe her. If only there was a way to make them see. An idea popped in his head and taking off his shirt, he shrugged his shoulders extending his wings. Hitomi whirled around and gasped. She had seen his wings only a few times and they took her breath away each time. She watched as he plucked out three feathers and place them by her letter. Folding his wings back, he put on his shirt, took Hitomi's hand, and together, they walked out the door with the luggage.

~*~*~*~*~*~

After about five minutes of waiting outside the house, Amano pulled up in his car with Yukari in the back.

"We're all packed and ready to go!" she shouted out the open window.

Hitomi smiled and waved to her happily. Amano got out of the car and took her bags. As he placed them in the truck, Van and Hitomi decided to get in. Amano closed the truck and returned to his seat only there was a slight problem.

"Hey buddy. You can't drive!" Amano exclaimed. Van just grinned back up at him. On the way over to Hitomi's Amano had explained the use of the car to him and now he wanted to take it for a spin.

"If I can handle a guymelef, I can handle a mere car," Van stated.

Amano just stared at him. "Hitomi," he turned to her. "Put some sense into him please! He doesn't have a license. What if we get caught? We'll have to pay a ticket!"

"Oh stop worrying! Just let him drive. We'll be leaving the face of this planet soon so it won't matter if we get a ticket or not does it?" Hitomi said. Hearing her agree with him, Van pushed Amano out of the doorway and closed it. Rolling the window down, he said to the stunned Amano, "You may be the passenger and please hurry. We're running out of time."

Defeated, Amano sighed and walked over to the other side. "Ok now," he said getting settled and closing the door, "don't to fast no-OOO! Yaaa!"

Van had started the car and had pressed the gas pedal, hard. Now the three passengers were holding onto dear life as the car screeched down the road. Van laughed with delight as he turned the steering wheel barely missing an oncoming car. "That signal that man made with his fingers," Van asked over the screaming, "what does it mean?"

"You don't want to know Van!" Hitomi yelled.

Amano's eyes bulged as he noticed a truck headed right for them. "Oh dear God! We're going down the wrong lane! Turn right! Right Van! NOW!"

SCREEECHH!

"We're gonna die!" Yukari yelled. "Stop the car!"

Van however, paid no attention to her as he continued driving recklessly laughing like a maniac. "This is, as you would say Hitomi, so cool! Much better than a guymelef!"

"Glad you're enjoying it," she muttered as she was thrown on top of Yukari at the turn of the car.

"You ran a red light!" Amano shouted at Van shocked. "I explained to you about the lights!"

Van just shrugged. He knew he was acting very un-King like but this was a once in a lifetime chance. Once he got back home, he'd have to be responsible and serious once more. This driving the car was the life. He swerved to the left recalling the name of the road where the parking lot of the park was. He saw a woman move out of his way and roll down the window. Since his window was already down, he could make out what she said or more like yelled. "Hey! That's not very lady-like!" he shouted back at her.

Ten minutes later...

"Come on you guys! Let's go!" Van called out to Amano, Yukari, and Hitomi who were still seated in the car.

"Would you wait a minute!?" Yukari yelled. "You nearly killed us and now you want us to hurry!? Give us a moment to for our scared hearts, which we left back where we started to catch up. You drove wayyy too fast! And that's the first and last time too bud!"

Van backed off. He knew not to mess with angry girls. He turned to Hitomi. "Come on Hitomi. We don't have much time left."

Hitomi's eyes snapped open. She had been resting a bit. "How much longer do we have Amano?"

Amano unclenched his fingers and looked at his wristwatch. "Five minutes."

"WHAT!?" Van and Hitomi shouted simultaneously.

"Are you sure Amano!?"

Amano nodded. "Positive. So we'd better get going NOW! Come on Yukari!" He pulled her out of the car and quickly opened the truck. Tossing out their stuff to Van, Hitomi, and Yukari, he grabbed the remaining baggage and followed Van who had begun walking to the tree where he had appeared near.

"Wait up Van!" Hitomi called and ran after him. Unfortunately, her shoelace had been untied and she fell, face forward to the grass. Van heard her yelp and turned around.

"Hitomi!" he rushed back to help her up.

"No Van. Hurry! No time left!" she said urgently standing up. Yukari and Amano walked up to them.

Suddenly, Yukari gasped. "The-the white beam!"

Van's head snapped up to look in that direction. His face paled. "Ohmygosh! Hurry!" he began running to it. The rest followed.

"Please no," Hitomi whispered. The white beam began flickering slowly at first and then faster and faster. They were still a little ways from it.

"Come on!" Amano urged Yukari.

The four teens reached the flickering beam when it suddenly....


~*~ Did they make it? What happened to the white beam? Did it flicker and 'clear' as the poem stated? And will Van ever get to drive again? ~*~


***Author's Note***

HAHAHAHA!!! A cliffhanger. I'm not so good with 'em but I like writing and reading 'em. Builds more suspense. Anyway, what'd you think? Excellent, Good, Ok, Bad, Poor, or Whatever? I'm gonna wait for like 8 reviews before I go on. But like before, it depends on my mood. Of course, you readers could always make me happy and review more! (*winks*) Then I might post 2 parts at once. (*shrugs*) Who knows? Anyway, hope you liked this part. Hehe. Didn't know Van could drive did ya? Well, he can't but whatever. Please REVIEW and make me a very happy author! Thanks!

*Maura*