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.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A/N: Wow, I'm just evil here, aren't I? You thought Hitomi was going to go back to Gaea, didn't you—didn't you?! Well, I never said she wasn't going to…I just never said she was going alone…Get the hint?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Four: More Good News and a Traveling Trio THREE MONTHS LATER

"Hitomi?" Yukari asked, placing her hand on her bulging belly.

Hitomi turned, noticing Yukari's hand on her belly. She dropped the decoration she had been holding onto a nearby table and crossed the baby room quickly. Her eyes worried, she asked, "What's wrong, Yukari?"

"Nothing," Yukari grinned, taking Hitomi's hand and placing it on her belly, "The baby's kicking." She grinned.

Hitomi smiled and placed her ear to Yukari's stomach, feeling the baby inside kicking and punching.

She giggled. "Oh, Yukari, you're so lucky…"

Yukari's eyes grew dark. "Hitomi?"

Hitomi looked up, her face turning stern at the look in Yukari's eyes. "What is it, Yukari?"

"Why don't you go back to Gaea?"

"Yukari, what are you talking about?" Hitomi feigned ignorance.

"Hitomi, I know that girl in your story—Maaya Sakamoto*—I know it was really you. And sometimes…sometimes I see you look at the moon…you still see Gaea, don't you? Just like Maaya?" Yukari's eyes penetrated Hitomi's.

Hitomi took a deep breath. Well, this is what you get for trying to keep a secret from your best friend! She scolded herself. "Yes…she is me…but I can't go back, Yukari…" Hitomi sighed.

"Why not?" Yukari sat down, holding Hitomi's hands, pulling the other girl with her. The two arranged their legs comfortably underneath themselves before Hitomi spoke again.

"Because, I don't know how to…and I can't just leave you—especially not with the baby coming now, and I would miss you so much…"

"Hitomi," Yukari said, as if chastising a child. "Hitomi, you're lonely here, and I know it…you miss that boy…Van, you called him?"

Hitomi nodded her head. "I do miss him…I don't know why, but I do…but I love you and Susumu, too. I hold you so dearly, I couldn't leave you alone."

"But, if you stay here, you'll always be alone…" Yukari turned and placed her head in Hitomi's lap, looking up at the sad face. "I don't want you to be eternally miserable just because of me, love. You're my best friend—my sister, in so many ways. I could never be happy if you were sad."

Hitomi looked up off out the window of the baby's room. She absentmindedly began to run her hands through Yukari's hair, twirling it around her fingers, braiding it as she had when she was younger. "Yukari…" Hitomi sighed. "Yukari…going to Gaea and meeting Van and everyone else…it's what pulled me out of my depression. It saved me so that I could come back and be the good friend to you, that you had always been to me."

"Hitomi…" Yukari whispered, rubbing her belly thoughtfully.

"Going back would make me happy…for a time…but, without you—especially now—" Hitomi gestured at Yukari's stomach and the room about them, "Now, if I left you…and I couldn't get back? I would be so miserable."

Yukari sat up, and wrapped her arms around Hitomi's shoulders, the familiar action comforting to them both. "I love you Hitomi…no matter where you are, or whatever planet you're on…"

Hitomi smiled, hugging Yukari back. "I know…and I love you too, best friend."

The two sat, holding each other for a short time before they were rudely interrupted.

"I sure do have bad timing with you two, don't I?" Amano's voice came from the doorway. The two women turned, looking at the tall lithe man in the doorway.

"Yes, yes you do, honey," Yukari smiled, heaving herself off the ground with some difficulty. She walked to Amano and placed her arms around his neck, kissing his cheek softly. "What's this?" She asked, pulling a newspaper from Amano's hands. She began to scan the paper as Amano talked.

"Well, Hitomi," Amano grinned devilishly, "You're book is on the New York Best Seller list. I'm glad we had that thing translated. You're a world wide phenomenon."

Hitomi's eyes widened, and she dashed over to Yukari, reading the paper. There it was: "The book 'Dreams of Gaea' by Hitomi Kanzaki, has risen to the top over the past two weeks. Now on New York's 'Best Seller' list, 'Dreams of Gaea' a story about…"

Hitomi tore her eyes from the page, her eyes wide with shock. Yukari reached over and tapped softly on Hitomi's chin, closing her mouth. "Surprised?" Yukari asked nonchalantly.

"Ecstatic!" Hitomi grinned happily. She hugged her two friends, her heart beating a million kilometers a second. "I never dreamed…"

"Well, you're book is in demand," Amano said, smiling. "You're infamous, now."

"Oh Hitomi, I'm so proud of you…" Yukari smiled, placing her hand on Hitomi's shoulder. "And I know your parents would be too."

"I know they are," Hitomi smiled confidently. She let her eyes wander to the window, where Gaea still hung, unseen to everyone but her. "Wherever they are, I know they're proud of me."

Yukari opened her mouth to say something, when she gasped.

"What is it, love?" Amano said, looking concernedly at his wife. He was worried she was going into labor early.

Unable to speak, Yukari just pointed at the floor, her eyes wide.

Hitomi and Amano looked down. Water was slowly seeping up through the light green carpet. It was up to their knees now…now their waists.

"Oh…" Hitomi breathed with realization.

"What is it, Hitomi?" Yukari asked, clinging to Amano as he clung to her.

"Gaea…" she whispered. Yukari's eyes widened with enlightenment.

"It is going to take us too?" Amano asked. He too, knew of Hitomi's adventures, though he never let on to either of the women.

"I…I don't know…it can't! No!" Hitomi screamed as the water reached her shoulders. "You have a baby coming!"

"And you are all I have, besides the man beside me," Yukari said, placing her hands on Hitomi's shoulders, calming her out of her hysteria.

"But…" Hitomi whispered softly before the water engulfed them all, and she blacked out.

Her last thought was, Van…

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*Maaya Sakamoto is the woman who was Hitomi's voice in the series and the movie. Aren't I evil, sticking in all these references?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------FINAL A/N: I think I like "Escaflowne" too much. Way, way, way, way, way too much considering I'm still writing this. Yup, I'm just a crazy one aren't I? Well? What are you doing still here? Go review I tell you! Now! Please? Please, please? Thanks and love goes out to dillpops, SabineballZ, and Koneko-chan for the reviews. I really appreciated the help. On that note:

dillpops: I'm going to make the chapters longer now; I just needed to get the introduction out of the way. It was all one chapter, but that proved to be too long.

SabineballZ: Van is coming! I promise! Just a few more chapters of torture! First, we have to bring in some other people! Don't worry; I have lots of surprises up my short sleeves!

Koneko-chan: Extra love to you for two—not just one, but TWO­­--reviews, and long ones too. I'm glad you love my little references. I may put more in, not sure where yet, but I will! I'm sorry about the time intervals. I really needed to get the important stuff: Hitomi's return, writing of the story, the publishing of the story, and the baby all out of the way. From here on out, there should be a pretty steady flow of time. No more time jumps. Be happy! And don't tell me to disregard comments, please. I post these things for constructive criticism, and that's what you're giving me.

Okay, on that final note: I love you all for your reviews. I promise to update as much as I possibly can, but the thing is, I can get inspired and crank out four chapters in one day, and then I can go weeks without being able to write anything worthwhile. I'm going to do my best to get at least one chapter out per week, and don't worry dillpops they'll be longer chapters than the previous four. (Even though they've all been about a page and a half to two pages long.^^)

Now, go review! Thankies!