Disclaimer: I don't own Escaflowne©.... someone else does, and God bless them for thinking of an animé as good as this!!

Dedication: To all who are obssessed with Escaflowne and Van Fanel... *drools*

~~~~*~~~~

~Chapter 5~

~~~~*~~~~

"I don't want to break this moment..."

" 'he'll be a'right, me Lord... " Puck whispered softly to Van as she gave his shoulder a gentle pat and then squeeze before leaving him alone in the room with Hitomi.

Van sat there on the stool beside the bed, his hands clasped together tightly and held just in front of his mouth as he gazed down at Hitomi's bruise covered face. He slowly closed his eyes and breathed a 'thank you' to the Gods above for bringing Hitomi here to him, and for making sure she stayed alive.

" Oh, H-hitomi.. " he whispered softly.

" Mmm.... Van? Van, is that you? " Hitomi called out, her face set in a mask of pain, her brow furrowed deeply, her lips slightly parted.

" Hitomi? I'm here! Right beside you... "

" Where? Van, I can't see... don't go... p-please! Don't leave me again... " she whispered, tears slowly sliding out from underneath her lashes.

Van slid from the stool to sit down on the bed beside her, his hands on her shoulder, gripping them tightly as he gave her a small shake, " Hitomi! Wake up... I'm here... I'm not going to leave you. Open your eyes... " he commanded, his eyes searching her facae desperately.

Hitomi gasped loudly and her eyes snapped open. She gasped again and then blinked as she stared up into Van's eyes, her own eyes filled with tears and pain. Suddenly, her entire face screwed up in a look of pain and sadness as her chin quivered, more tears coming to her eyes as soon as she realized that he was right there in front of her, he was real, in the flesh.

Van let out a small sigh of relief and his eyes softened, " Hitomi... " he breathed her name like it was a sacred prayer.

Hitomi shot up in the bed, her arms going around his neck hard and quick as she buried her face into the curve of his neck, her tears sliding down the front of his chest as she sobbed uncontrolably. Van gasped as her body slammed into his. He wrapped his arms around her waist hard, holding her close and hard to him as he buried his face into her neck, inhaling her scent of lavender and jasmine.

" Oh, Hitomi... " he groaned into her neck, feeling tears brim his eyes.

Hitomi tangled her fingers in his hair and held onto him harder, " Van... oh, Van! Why did you have to die? Why!? "

Van suddenly slowly pulled away, holding her at an arm's length, her arms resting on his broad, wide shoulders. He looked at her, his brow furrowed in confusion.

" W-what do you mean? I'm not dead... I'm here, I'm here with you... you're safe now, Hitomi. Nothing can get you... I'm going to protect you... " he whispered, assuring her as his eyes searched her face.

Hitomi's lower lip trembled, " Oh, Van... " she whispered, her voice cracking slightly as her arms left his shoulders.

Her hands slid up his neck to gently grab the sides of his chin and then she leaned forward, pressing soft kisses to his cheeks, his forehead, everywhere but his lips. Van closed his eyes, loving the feel of her lips on his flesh. He slowly lifted his hands and covered Hitomi's. He slowly pulled her hands from his face and let them drop to his lap with his own.

Hitomi pressed her lips to the tip of his nose before pulling away to stare at him, watching the emotions chase each other within the depths of his shy reddish-brown eyes. She frowned and then went to ask him something, but he cut her off as he quickly lowered his face to hers, capturing her lips softly in his, kissing them with a tenderness that she didn't think he possessed, kissing them softly, raining small pecks to her full lower lip every now and then.

Hitomi's eyes went wide at the sudden thing that she hadn't expecting from him; a kiss that seemed to be deepening by the minute. She lifted her arms and slid them around his neck as he slid his arms around her waist, sliding her up onto his lap as he slowly parted his lips, his tongue, warm, moist and soft, sliding out to caress her lower lip.

Hitomi pressed her body to his, but not hard as she slowly parted her lips, letting Van's tongue slide into her mouth and brush up against hers. She felt a little intimdated by this at first, but slowly she pushed her tongue along his, rubbing it up against his as he slowly lowered her down to the bed.

Van was in heaven, or at least that's what he thought it was. He felt her long slender fingers rubbing up against the back of his neck, tangling themselves within the thick strands of ebony as he lowered her down to the bed slowly and carefully. His elbow bumped into her side and Hitomi suddenly pulled her mouth from his to bury her face into his neck to muffle her cry of pain.

" What? Are you alright? Oh, Hitomi... I didn't mean to hurt you.. say something... " Van begged as he turned onto his side, so he wouldn't put his full weight on her bruised body.

Hitomi held her eyes clamped shut tightly as she waited for the pain in her side from the bruised ribs to subside. When the pain finally went away, she laid there, still in his arms, her arms now hugging her chest as she tried to calm her breath.

" H-hitomi... " Van whispered into her hair, his voice full of worry as he tenderly rubbed her back.

Hitomi swallowed, " I... I'm alright. You just bumped into something that's obviously bruised, but then again... what isn't bruised on my body? " she replied softly.

Van bit his lip and reached up to brush some hair from her eyes, " Oh, Hitomi... I'm so sorry... I didn't mean to hurt you... "

Hitomi placed a finger to his lips, her own lips still tasting him along her tongue as she ran it along her lips, " Van.. don't speak about it. It wasn't your fault. It wasn't you who hurt me... it wasn't you who killed me, killed my soul. It was someone else... " she assured him.

Van frowned, " But.. you aren't dead. You're still here.... how could someone have killed you if you're here in my arms? "

" That's not what I meant... I meant that by someone... hurting me in a way that... oh.. forget about it! " she replied, tears coming to her eyes.

Van slowly sat up and pulled his red shirt from his body, slipping it over her head and then tossing it over into a corner before laying down beside her again, completely dismissing the look of confusion and curiousity as he reached for a blanket and draped it over the both of them.

Hitomi swallowed and tried to tear her gaze from his bare chest, marveling in the way the muscles rippled greatly, making her insides twist with passion as he laid down beside her, draping the blanket onto them both. Van wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her to him as he wrapped the blanket around them and closed his eyes.

Hitomi pressed her hands flat to his chest, her breath catching in her throat as she felt the muscles ripple under her touch. She pressed the tips of her fingers into the flesh and stiffled a giggle as she leaned forward to press a soft, tender kiss to the flesh, making Van's blood light on fire, making his pulse race a notch, making his arms tightening their grip on her waist.

" Hitomi? " he asked into her hair, pressing a soft kiss to the silky tresses.

Hitomi closed her eyes and kept her hands to his chest as she laid her head against it as Van flipped onto his back, pulling on top of his body, one leg lifted and bent as he cradled her inbetween his legs, trying to ignore the fact that she was rubbing up against him.

" What is it, Van? " she asked into his neck as she laid there on top of him.

" What happened to you? " he asked as he twirled a few strands of her hair around his fingers, loving the feeling of it on his skin.

Hitomi swallowed and fresh tears brimmed her eyes, " C-could we not t-talk about it? Please... " she asked, her tone pleading.

Van took his fingers from her hair and placed them on her back. While he gently rubbed her back, he kissed the top of her head, " I'm sorry... but someday you're going to have to talk about it... you know that, right? "

Hitomi nodded, " Y-yeah.. but not now. I don't want to break this moment... "

Van chuckled, a soft smile touching his lips, " I understand... I won't stop you... "

~~~~*~~~~

" We're going to get her back, right, boss? "

" Of course we are, you imbecile! " the leader known as Tiko snapped.

The men in the small band of thieves cringed. Tiko pursed his lips and then narrowed his eyes as he scanned the group of men.

" Listen... we all know where she went, obviously with the king of all Fanelia. So, then... all we have to do is get her back. She's an important asset in this mission, and the boss wants her as well. You all understand what I'm saying? "

The men nodded.

" We're going to kidnap her again? " one man asked, lifting a dagger up into the air.

Tiko sneered and nodded, " Excellent, work, Mido! Excellent. Once the sun goes down tomorrow, that's when we strike. We'll strike hard and fast. No survivors, got it?! We go in, grab the girl, and then leave. It's as simple as pie! "

All the men laughed evilly as Tiko turned away from them to stare out from the window of their underground hideout at the large Fanelian castle that stood proudly in the distance...

~~~~*~~~~

Author's Note: Well... my mind is completely blank. After that part... it all went kaput! *shrugs* The next chapter will come out soon and it will be better then this one.. trust me! *grins evily* Well... I think that that one part with Van and Hitomi was a little sweet... he's such a sweetie that Van... *swoons* why can't there ever be a guy in real life like that? Ja ne!