Title: Intruder Alert: Take Two

Author: Frostmourne

Disclaimer: I don't own Vision of Escaflowne so don't sue me…

Chapter Dedication: the original esca chick, MysticalDreamer32, AFCAMistress, Catelina, SabrinaYutsuki, one_mean_rabbit, naria4, Smiles9, T T, Izzy, Princess Neptune, My Silver Flame, mel_88, aznangel, blue ice 2, anime_luver, who cares4, Always Dreaming, Diesty-chan, Aya_chan, Kat-Tastrophe, Night of the Raven, Moon Smurf, Xen003, Laochgael, YingFa8

Summary: Popular guy, Dilandau Albatou, had finally met his match in this green-eyed, short-tempered girl from America. Sparks flew between them from the start and intensified when they found out that they were actually engaged to each other. But when it seemed that they had settled the negative sparks between them, more embers glow from the outside.

Chapter 9: What goes around, comes around

Mr. Kanzaki and his bodyguards had arrived. The bodyguards waited outside the office while their boss went inside. They were merely standing there for a couple of minutes, but they could already hear Mr. Kanzaki's angry voice. And they understood.

Hitomi was daddy's little girl after all. And accusing her of things she wouldn't do is not a very endearing move.

"We will get to the bottom of this," the president assured the angry parent. "Since we have discussed this, Hitomi may now proceed to her class."

Ryu Kanzaki gritted his teeth and spared his daughter a glance. She had been silent since he arrived. She only looked at him sadly and said dad before proceeding to stare sadly at her shoes. Since then, she neither spoke nor moved.

But he knew she was just too tired to even cry. How often had he seen tear stains on her face when he checks her and Hiko in the middle of the night?

"No Jajuka! I am taking my daughter home! You know well enough that I would not teach my children to do such outrageous things!"

"Ryu, you have to understand that I am just doing my job as the school president. My father---"

"Well, I am also just doing my job. I am her father and I would not allow this to crush her! This is really ludicrous! If she did cheat and even alter the grades, it is not entirely her fault! It's the school! It's stupid that a child can access the school's computer system easily! Blame your computer security system, too!"

"Ryu, calm down."

"I will NOT calm down! Either you settle this or I will call a panel of lawyers for this moral damage that this school is doing to my daughter! I am taking her home!" He turned to Hitomi and guided her outside.

"I thought as a corporate lawyer and a successful businessman he'd be even calmer than he already was back in high school," he murmured after the Kanzakis had left. "The opposite just happened."

He was mentally questioning why so many of the students were flocking the hallway. But then, he saw familiar-looking bodyguards and then Mr. Kanzaki, guiding a very depressed Hitomi out.

At that moment, he had the urge to just go and apologize to her. But he couldn't.

"You did this, didn't you?!" Mei accused hotly at the beautiful red-haired girl.

She merely smiled. "It bothers you? Don't worry. Your grades would be back to normal soon."

"Damn you! That's not what I'm talking about!"

"Oh. The little b*t*h?"

"She's not a b*t*h!"

"Oh so now you're defending her."

"That's not the freaking point! You overdid everything!"

"I suppose starting the cheating and leakage thing isn't overdoing it, too?"

"That was YOUR idea! I didn't want to agree but you kept on fueling me until I fell for your fu**ing plan! That was enough already! But you even have to do this hacking thing!"

"I didn't exactly do it. Some real hacker I paid big cash did."

"Damn it! Fix this mess!"

"Why should I?"

"Because you started it!"

Ice-blue eyes started to show annoyance. "Why are you with that b*t*h anyway?!"

"She's not a b*t*h! You are!"

Mei stomped angrily out of the restaurant, not really caring if she had just made a big scene or whether the scene would ruin her reputation.

"I guess you've just made a choice." The rosy lips parted to make an enchanting smile hiding her irritation.

~*Two days later*~

He glared at the rooftop door.

'It's been two days and she still didn't come back to school. Even Hiko. Now what?!'

He had avoided everyone since Hitomi's dad came to school. He even avoided his parents and Celena at home. He just brooded in his room, staring at the phone and the things Hitomi had either given him or left for future use and he couldn't even find an explanation for such stupidity of his.

'That's it! I'm cutting my classes and going to Hitomi!'

But then, the door opened. He stiffened in anticipation but was very much disappointed upon seeing Mei's pretty face.

"Leave me alone," he said curtly.

She flinched, looking very nervous and at the same time afraid. "I need to talk to you."

"Some other time, Mei."

"But it's important."

"Some other time."

"It's about Kanzaki Hitomi."

That got his attention and he fixed her a questioning look. "What about her?"

Mei shut her eyes tightly for a moment, gathering courage. "I-I…"

"You what?"

"I had something to do… with the rumors…" She stopped when she saw his eyes start to narrow.

He stood there, already knowing what the continuation would be. But he had to restrain himself before she delivered the final part or else he'd be in serious trouble with the school, his parents, and especially Mei's.

"The rumors… on her cheating."

His jaws clenched almost painfully. It was hard to calm down especially when he was accustomed to just raging out when he was really angry. At the moment he wasn't just really angry. He was much, much more for reasons he didn't give a damn about anymore.

"Dilandau…"

He didn't move. He willed just himself to calm down and not do anything he'd regret in the future.

"I'm sorry," Mei chocked out on her tears. "I didn't mean to. I was just---"

"You didn't mean to?!" He screamed, still fighting the very strong urge to break things and hurt people. "You damn straight destroyed her! And you weren't even satisfied that you even had this f***ing hacking thing all over the f***ing school!!!"

"I didn't do that," she sobbed.

"Yeah, right," he said sarcastically and punched the door just beside her. "What's next? You sincerely want to help her?!"

"I know you wouldn't believe me, but I do."

"Cut the crap! Don't ever come near me again!"

He went angrily out after glaring at her with all his might. She cried harder but knew she deserved this.

Mr. Kanzaki slammed his fist on his desk and looked at his wife. "Damn it! Why did I ever decide to drag Hitomi here?!"

"Dear, calm down."

"She was right from the moment we came here. She didn't belong here. She belongs in America where she's happy, where she has friends!"

"What do you mean?"

"Hiko slipped. Hitomi's not doing well in school, socially speaking. They're bruising her feelings every single school day! No wonder I find tear stains on her face every single night!"

Mrs. Kanzaki looked appalled. "Oh dear. Maybe moving here wasn't a good idea."

Mr. Kanzaki sighed heavily before deciding. "I'm sending her back to America."

"But school isn't even over yet."

"I don't care! They've done enough already!"

"You're right. Who'll be her guardian there then?"

"I'd ask Mr. Uchida to take care of her. She'd be happy there in Yukari's home. As for the school, I'd talk to her previous school for next semester. I don't care if she'd be delayed. I just want her happy again."

"Dear, if she's in America, she'd be seeing Allen again. And you know that she cannot fall back to him."

He closed his eyes tightly. "I'd talk to Donkirk. We'll have to break this engagement."

"You mean---"

"If Hitomi's happy with Allen, I'm not standing in the way anymore."

"So when will we send her back?"

"As soon as possible."

Mrs. Kanzaki nodded.

She couldn't stand being in her room. Her parents had her stay at home until the matters are cleared.

Hiko had been out of school just like her. And he just kept standing near her bedroom, doing his silent vigil on her.

As much as she didn't want to go school, her conscience was killing her. Her room kept on reminding her how she owed Dilandau an apology. And she wouldn't be able to rest until she did say she was sorry and that she didn't really hate him.

'That's it! I'm sneaking to school and apologizing. Then I'll come back here like I didn't even go out.'

With that thought, she opened her door and was surprised to see that Hiko had once again stood on his post. "Hiko,"

He looked up and forced the sad expression away from his face. "Hey, want to play a game in my PS2?"

She shook her head. "No. I need you to do me a favor."

"What?"

"I need to go to school---"

"No."

"But Hiko, it's impor---"

"No."

"Just for a mo---"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

After a long period of asking, Hiko finally relented. "Alright. But just for a while okay?"

She nodded. "I promise."

He grabbed his bag and ignored all the looks he got. Lunch break would be over soon. He had to scram. But when he passed by the school gate, a very familiar voice called him.

He looked back and frowned. "Clover," he acknowledged.

"Going somewhere?"

"Yeah. Home."

She laughed, her pleasant voice soft. "How come I think you're not referring to the Albatou residence?"

"What do you want? Aren't you even supposed to be in your school?"

"I just want to visit you in the middle of a school day. Is that so bad?"

His brows furrowed. Somehow, he knew this wasn't going to be good for him.

"Yes. I need to go now."

He turned away but she spoke again. "Going to your girlfriend?"

He stopped and looked back.

"Yes. I know of her," she drawled. "I followed you the night we saw each other at Tryst."

"And?"

"How come you never were like that to me? You were pretty tamed on her, Dilandau. You even hugged her for hours."

"That's none of your business."

"It is. Why are you wasting your time on a trash like her?"

"She's not trash!" He could feel his temper rising rapidly.

"You respect her a lot."

"I do."

She looked at him bitterly. "How come I never sensed that you respected me? I gave up a lot for you but I was nothing but your toy. You tire and just leave me. What has she got that made you love her?"

"I don't love her. We're just friends."

She laughed, although still bitterly. "You do. I know you do. Or else you wouldn't bother to go to her and get yourself in trouble. I tried hard, Dilandau. But why wasn't I enough? You couldn't even treat me as anything more than just a girl to mess around with."

His jaw clenched. "Let's talk some other time."

"I was everything a boy could ever want but you broke me into pieces. Yet, I still loved you. But you couldn't even return even a morsel of that love. And now, this girl. You love her so much. I don't want to hurt anyone, Dilandau. But you keep forcing me to. I hate her you know. Because even when she's so much lesser than me, she had you, the only thing I ever wanted. Unfortunately, I couldn't have you. I was never good enough."

Suddenly, a thought entered his mind. And his eyes narrowed at her. He strode towards her and towered over her, looking at her intently. "You did this hacking thing, didn't you?" He demanded.

She kept silent and looked at him.

"You did this, didn't you?!"

Her eyes dropped but then she looked up. "I loved you. I still do."

"You did this, didn't you?! Damn it! Answer me."

They stared at each other for quite a long time.

"I did. Aren't you happy now? After all the trouble you got into because of her, you finally got back to what she did. She's completely ruined."

His jaw clenched painfully. He shut his eyes tightly and prevented himself from screaming in rage.

"I did it for you," her voice said so softly. "I love you, Dilandau."

Then he felt her lips on his.

Everything went blank for a moment. But then he heard a sob not far from them.

He quickly pulled away, as if he was burned and looked back to see wide green eyes filled with tears of hurt and betrayal.

"Hitomi, I---"

"Don't," she interrupted through a tear-filled voice. "Don't you dare fill me in with your lies."

"Hitomi, listen---"

"Why should I? So you can trick me into believing you?!" Her voice didn't rise. But the intensity of hurt and betrayal did. "For a moment I thought I was so mean to say that you're untrustworthy."

He opened his mouth to speak but she raised her hand to silence him. And though he wanted so much to just make her listen, the tears running down her cheeks were enough to make him comply with what she wanted.

"I was going to apologize for all the mean things I said. For saying I hated you when I didn't. But now I changed my mind. You allied with her so you can get back at me for all the trouble that I always was, for being your stupid burden. I thought we were beginning to be close friends but it turns out that you truly do hate me. But I must congratulate you."

Forcing a smile, she looked at him. "Congratulations, Dilandau. You succeeded in accomplishing what students here in school couldn't. You didn't break my heart. You pulverized it."

She spun around and walked towards the taxi Hiko had hailed for her back at home.

His mind reeled at what was happening. But he can't let her go. He can't allow her to think that he hated her, that he did this to her. She never was trouble. She never was his stupid burden. She was one of the best things that happened to him however he tried to deny it.

"Hitomi, wait!" He strode towards her and caught her arm. "Please, listen to me," he pleaded.

She didn't look at him as he continued to plead for her to listen. She just worked on having her arm released. But he gripped it firmly, not wanting to let go.

"Let me go!" She exclaimed after some time.

"Just listen to me."

"You can talk all you want. I'm not going to believe you anyway. Now let me go!"

"I won't until you listen and believe me."

She looked up at him and glared through tear-filled green orbs. "Let me go this instant!"

"Hitomi," his chest tightened painfully for unknown reasons as she resumed her struggles. "Please believe me. I wouldn't do this to you."

She laughed bitterly. "But you just did. You got your revenge now so go celebrate with your girlfriend."

"No, Hitomi." He said almost desperately, not caring how pathetic he sounded or looked at that moment. "You have to believe me. I wouldn't do---"

"Let me go, Dilandau!"

"I won't."

She glared fiercely. And before he realized what happened, she had slapped him hard and wrenched her arm free of his hold.

He was stunned. His feet wouldn't move as the taxi drove away.

He just felt hurt… he felt empty.

He raised a hand on his stinging cheek and let his tears fall.

~tbc~

Author's Note: Please don't hate me for this. Anyway, do you remember something about a slap? Well, I hope you do coz those who asked for it from Intruder Alert got it now. I've got good news and bad news depending on how you'd take it.

      You do remember my policy about not wanting to extend ten chapters so that those who'd want to read it could still catch up. And since this is chapter nine, I'd end this in the next chapter. But then, I don't know how to rush this one especially I got accustomed to its pace so I'm really lost on what to do. Anyway, I remember people telling me back at Intruder Alert to not end this story until I think it's dragging or whatever. So I think I might end this at chapter ten but make a continuation on a next one. That's it. Decide whether it's bad or good news but it's still under serious thinking for now.

      Thanks to CelesteSpring for reviewing 'Standing at the Edge of the Earth'. I appreciate it. I love that line, too. ^^,

      To the original esca chick, actually that's just another way to say shut up. Lolz. When you suck something, you can't talk especially if what you're sucking is as big as a doorknob. About where it came from, it's always used in my sister's class (my favorite class in my school) and my sister was suggesting about it and I just so like those kids that I placed their phrase here although they don't use it anymore ^^, But for Hitomi here, it's a bit double-bladed coz she also hopes that sucking a doorknob would make that person choke to death.

      To MysticalDreamer32, I think it's because ff had this no-same-penname thing going on. About not rushing, I don't know. I just type and that's about it.

      To Catalina/Cai, the last one was a flashback. There was a scene before when Hitomi went to sleep and Dilandau came across Hiko… well you know the rest. It was also about that time that he learned about things that Hitomi was keeping from him.

      To SabrinaYutsuki, e-mail you, check ^^,

      To one_mean_rabbit, great? That's too much. But I will be like that, in my dreams. Lolz.

      To My Silver Flame, the grades are also in the computers as school record. That's how it is in my school so once you do something, the shame of it all. And Mei? Lolz. Wrong guess ^^, There's someone more evil. Lolz.

      To Moon Smurf, it's been so long. I thought you stopped reading.

      To Xen003, if you kill me, the story is hanging. *evil laugh*

      To Laochgael, that's so nice to know ^^, Another converted one. Lolz. Hope this chapter didn't make you change your mind.

      Till the next chapter then… Thanks for the support ^^,