Disclaimer: I don't Escaflowne. If I did, things would've been different. And I would have a whole helluva lot more money, and I'd be a much happier person.

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A/N: Ah, yes, four years after high school—the torture of school is over. This makes Yukari and Hitomi twenty-one. *Sniffles* they grow up so fast, don't they? *SOB* Well, now that they've grown up, what does life have in store for them? Oh, and if you see any * it means there is a little note at the bottom regarding something I wrote. Enjoy my research! It was hard work! (Actually, no it wasn't, but: shh! Don't tell!)

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Chapter Two: Grown Up and Bad News FOUR YEARS LATER

"Hitomi?"

Hitomi raised her head, looking up at the man who stood in her doorway. "Yes, Susumu?"

"What are you doing still here?" Susumu* strolled into the room, plopping gracefully into the chair opposite Hitomi's.

"I have one more thing to write up, and then I'm going home," Hitomi gestured at the computer screen in front of her.

"Still working on that story?"

"Dream. It was a dream…" Hitomi let her eyes drift out to the window, where Gaea still hung unnoticed in the sky. She smiled softly.

"Well…just don't let the boss catch you working overtime on something that's not work," Susumu saluted to Hitomi heaving himself out of the chair.

"Oh, Yukari knows I'm working on this after hours. She's paying me to," Hitomi began to type again.

"Really? Why?"

Hitomi didn't look up from the screen. "Because, I told her I'd tell her about my dream someday…and when I mentioned making it into a story about six months ago, she said she'd pay me to turn it into a book." Hitomi shrugged, her fingers flying. "She'd said since we work in a publishing company and all that…" Hitomi smiled.

"That's great! Maybe I can write a story…" Susumu chuckled softly.

"Stick to what you're good at." Yukari's voice said from the doorway. Hitomi turned and smiled at her, pausing from her story again.

"And what am I good at, Mrs. Amano?" Susumu lifted an eyebrow teasingly.

"What you've always been good at, Susumu Amano." Yukari smiled, just as teasingly.

"And that is…?" Susumu pulled his hands out of his pockets, taking a step closer to Yukari.

"Running!" Yukari yelped, chasing Susumu around Hitomi's office and then out the door.

Hitomi laughed, shaking her head. Normally she would disapprove of a married couple working together, but Susumu Amano and Yukari Uchida—no, that was Yukari Amano, now—worked together beautifully, and adored each other hopelessly.

Hitomi's phone rang. Yukari popped her head back into the office, grabbing the phone before Hitomi had a chance to pick it up. Completely exhausted from chasing the track star, Yukari collapsed into the chair Amano had been occupying only moments before. "Hello?" Yukari asked sounding completely put together, despite the fact that she was obviously winded.

Hitomi chuckled to herself softly, half listening to Yukari. "Mmm…yes…oh…" Hitomi noted the shocked and sad sound in Yukari's voice. "Mmm, uh-huh…certainly…th…thank you."

Yukari carefully placed the phone back in its cradle, sighing deeply, her eyes suddenly sad and worried. "Hitomi?" She ventured carefully.

"Mmm?" Hitomi mumbled, her eyes fixed on the computer screen, fingers flying softly over the keys.

"How's it coming?" Yukari asked casually, something else obviously on her mind.

"A few more chapters, and I'll be completely done." Hitomi sighed, satisfied with her work. She clicked the save button, then turned off the monitor as the computer shut itself down.

"That's wonderful Hitomi," Yukari smiled sadly.

"What's wrong, Yukari?" Hitomi stepped out from behind her desk, kneeling next to her still best friend. She placed her hands on the arm of the chair, leaning in to look into Yukari's carefully masked eyes.

"I…that call?" Hitomi nodded, signaling her understanding. "It was a really bad call, Hitomi…" Yukari turned her head to Hitomi's, her eyes brimming with tears.

Hitomi pulled back. What could be so bad that Yukari would cry? "What is it Yukari? You know you can tell me…Yukari?"

"Hitomi," Yukari said sternly, sniffling. She put her hands on Hitomi's shoulders, steadying Hitomi for the blow. "Promise me you won't fall like you did our junior year? Promise me!"

"Okay, okay. I promise," Hitomi said quickly. Quit dragging this out, Yukari…

"Hitomi…your parents…"

Hitomi took in a deep breath.

"Your parents got into an accident. They…they didn't make it…"

Hitomi felt her heart wrench. It hurt…but somehow…she'd been expecting it.

"Hitomi, are you all right? Oh, please Hitomi…don't fall again…" Yukari pleaded.

Hitomi turned back to Yukari, her clear emerald eyes rolling silent tears down her face. "I'm not going to fall, Yukari…I think I knew this was coming…somehow…"

Yukari crawled onto the floor next to Hitomi, and pulled her into a hug. "I love you, Hitomi…please don't leave me here alone again…"

"I love you too, Yukari." Hitomi said stoically, tightening the embrace. "You and Amano are all I have now…"

"And your dream," Yukari said, pulling away and looking into Hitomi's eyes.

"It was just a dream, Yukari…" Hitomi sighed, wiping tears away.

"No it wasn't. A dream alone wouldn't have pulled you out of that melancholy…it was more."

"Bu—" "

"Ah—ah—ah! Don't." Yukari placed a finger on Hitomi's lips, silencing the protest. "You don't have to tell me…I'm just glad you returned…I would have been so alone without you." Yukari buried her head in Hitomi's shoulder.

"Thank you Yukari…" Hitomi breathed, holding her best friend close again.

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*Susumu is the first name; Amano is actually the last name. I did my research.^^ So, it's Susumu Amano.

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FINAL A/N: Don't forget to review this for me! If you don't review it, I won't add another chapter. Review I tell you! REVIEW! Please? Please, please, please?