Title: Angel Watching Over Me
Author: Ashley
Rating: PG, mostly for implied angst
Couple: V/H, of course
Disclaimer: I do not own Escaflowne or any of the character therein. But you knew that.

A/N: Okay, I said Chapter 2 was the long one, but this one is, I think, longer. And the next one is even longer. They should make up for any smaller ones I throw in.

REQUEST: This doesn't apply quite yet, but the sooner I figure it out, the sooner more parts get written. The question is simple; should there be a bad guy/ accident/ tramatic event? Basically, I could make this entire thing nothing but a romance with no real point beyond getting Van and Hitomi together. I want to know if anyone who is reading this wants more than that. Someone saving the day/country/world. Any ideas would be so helpful.



Hitomi kept her eyes locked on the computer screen as Yukari bustled about the kitchen, putting together a quick lunch. She tapped a few keys, pretending to work to keep from having to talk.

Yukari crossed the small distance between the kitchen and what passed for a living room/study. She placed a plate of sandwiches on the edge of Hitomi's desk then took a seat. When Hitomi didn't look up, Yukari sighed.

"I'm going to head to the grocery store now. It'll only take a half-hour or so." She bit her lip, then continued quickly in a cheerful voice. "You could come along. If you don't want to use your cane, we could take your chair. It'll fit right in the back of the van. And if you're not too tired, you could come with to pick up the kids. And I know Amano would love to have you over for dinner."

Hitomi was silent for a moment before answering. "No thanks." She closed the window she'd been using, then opened a new one.

Yukari tried again. "We could go shopping. You've lost some weight, so you could use some new clothes. I'll bet you could fit into some really cute outfits."

Hitomi could just picture it. The looks of pity as Yukari pushed her in her wheelchair. Struggling to try on clothes no one would see her wear. Her voice was colder and sharp when she snapped, "I said no. Now if you don't mind, I have a lot of work to do."

From the corner of her eye, she saw Yukari get to her feet. As she made her way to the door, she called over her shoulder; "I'll be back soon. You should try to eat something." The door clicked closed behind her.

Hitomi slumped in her chair, no longer pretending interest in the screen before her. It was like this every time Yukari came to visit. She tried to include Hitomi in different things, but all it did was remind her of what she was missing out on.

Her parents had decided to move to a warmer climate a couple of summers ago. Then her brother got accepted into a school with a lot of extracurricular activities that kept him occupied most weekends and breaks. Yukari had Amano and their three kids to keep her busy.

The accident had ruined Hitomi's track career in one flash of squealing tires and shrill screams. Now all she had was a cramped apartment she rarely left and a freelance job as an at-home secretary for a couple of small businesses.

Her movements stiff and deliberate, Hitomi closed out her program and shut down the computer before struggling to her feet. Ignoring the cane resting nearby, she shuffled slowly to her bedroom. She locked the door behind her, then collapsed onto her bed.

She lay there for a long time, listening to the sounds of Yukari returning and putting things away. She'd called out once, but when Hitomi didn't answer, she'd finished up and left.

* * * *

Hitomi didn't move for a long time after she heard Yukari leave. The sky had darkened and the first stars had begun to show themselves before she stirred. Hobbling to the bathroom, she looked in the mirror, meeting the eyes of her reflection.

Her hair was longer than she'd worn it in high school, though the chin length bob was still considered short. She had a lost a lot of weight and her face showed it. Her cheekbones stood out sharply, as did the dark circles beneath her eyes. Eyes that held more shadows than they should.

Switching off the light, Hitomi limped back into the bedroom. Almost immediately her gaze landed on the small shelf holding her track awards. Anger swirled through her, eating away all her restraint. Grabbing the closest container handy, a small duffel bag, she made her way across the room. One sweep of her hand cleared the shelf, its contents clanking into each other as they landed in the bag.

Still held by the anger, Hitomi searched the room. Her stopwatch and sneakers soon joined the trophies and ribbons. All her track suits followed.

As she finished pulling the suits from the closet, she caught sight of another small bag resting in the back corner. She didn't have to look to know what it contained. She remembered packing it like it had happened yesterday.

When she'd first returned from Gaea, there's been a link between Van and herself. She felt what he felt, the excitement, the worry, and even the pride. But as the months passed, the connection faded, leaving Hitomi feeling more alone than ever.

It was almost four years after her return, more than half of them with nothing from Van that she'd had enough. If he was moving on with a life that didn't include her, she would do the same. It took less than fifteen minutes to gather all the reminders together. Her tarot cards, pager, even the uniform she'd worn, all found their way into the bag.

Back then, she'd been unable to part with them completely, so she'd put them out of sight in the closet. She'd only seen it once more, nearly a year later. Then a single, white feather had joined the rest. That was the day she'd truly given up hope.

After only a second's hesitation, Hitomi grabbed that bag, too. If she put them in the hallway now, they'd be gone by tomorrow afternoon, thrown out by neighbors all too happy to help her out. It was slow going, but she was determined to get it done tonight, before she could change her mind.

She was halfway to the door when a wave of dizziness swept over her. As darkness engulfed her in crashing waves, a moan was torn from her throat. Hitomi crumpled to the floor, the name she whispered no more than a fragile thread of sound.

"Van!"