Walking alone down the road, Hitomi wrapped her coat tightly around her small frame. Holly's words had thrown her off immensely, and it was hard to know how to trust. She wished she had someone like Yukari around here, but she'd have to rely on her gut for this one. Trudging down the road, she checked her watch as she sat grumpily on the worn bench beside the bus stop, a couple of sleek cars pulling past her as they sped off to their homes, probably full of flat screen televisions, leather couches, and blonde wood floors.

  The heel of her shoe clicked sharply against the light grey cement as she clasped her hands over her bag. Whirs of silver, black and blue rushed past her, and she felt slightly well… Beneath everyone, waiting for the bloody bus to come.

  "Where the hell is the bus?" Hitomi cursed under her breath, not noticing a polished black car roll up at the bus stop.

  "Need a ride, ma'am," came a male voice, and Hitomi was about to whip her head up and screech at the man when she met maroon eyes, creased slightly from the laughter dancing in them.

  Seeing Van in his sleek car, staring into his eyes, Hitomi almost dropped her bag and did the natural animal instinct: run away. Clutching the bag closer, Holly's words flashing in her mind, she took a step back while giving Van a wary expression... plus accepting a ride from Van would be like accepting charity from him, something she definitely didn't want to feel indented to him for.

  "I'm fine," she said hesitantly, biting her lip. "The bus will be here soon and I don't live that far away…" she trailed off, unable to keep eye contact with him any longer.

  Curious, Van raised his brow and looked Hitomi over, a few people at the bus watching the exchange between the two. Giving an awkward smile Van went ahead and tried another approach, wondering why Hitomi was suddenly so damn hesitant around him again.

  "Come on, it'd be no problem. I'd enjoy the company," Van smiled, surprised at his own words. He hadn't really told anyone that before!

  "Really, it's okay!" Hitomi urged still unable to meet Van's eyes. He noticed her grip on her handbag, the expression on her face, the blatant refusal to look him in the eye. What the heck had happened to her?

  "Sure it's okay but I would really like to give you a ride home," he stressed, his patience growing thinner by the minute. At this point he was almost ready to get out of the car and throw the woman over his shoulder and shove her into the car to get the message through her thick skull he wanted to give her a ride home.

  Looking up at the tone in his voice Hitomi looked into his eyes and saw that Van really wanted her to get in the car. 'Of course he wants you in the car,' Hitomi scolded herself, Holly's words screaming louder then ever in her mind. 'You're his next conquest.'

  "I…" she started, keeping eye contact, feeling herself loosing as Holly's words faded in and out, reason getting distorted the longer she looked at Van. "I guess…"

  Quickly she hurried around the back of the car and opened the door, sliding in and shutting the door. Without glancing at Van she clicked her seatbelt around her small frame and clung onto her bags as though afraid she'd get sucked into a vortex at any moment.

  "Never knew you took the bus," Van commented as the hum of the engine quieted, trees flashing by them.

  "Uh, yeah," Hitomi croaked, clearing her throat embarrassedly, "I've never had my own car yet."

  "You're a grown woman, you should get one," Van suggested, and Hitomi nodded shyly, fingering the leather strap in her hands.

  "Maybe, but the bus isn't bad," Hitomi replied quietly, and Van laughed.

  "Smells like urine, full of bacteria, you're lucky to get a seat… You're joking right?" he said, looking into the rear view mirror and catching Hitomi's emerald green eyes.

  "No," Hitomi replied, the cocky look in his maroon eyes irritating her slightly, yet she couldn't stop a smile from spreading on her face. "It's good for the environment. Carpooling is also good," nodded Hitomi.

  "It's also very irritating," Van shot back, a smirk lighting his features.

  "You're very irritating," Hitomi smiled impishly, and Van laughed.

  "Ouch," he replied, "You know, I'd be nice to me if I were you, I AM driving you."

  "I didn't need a ride," Hitomi pointed out. "You insisted."

  "But who could turn down a ride by such a cute guy like me?" Van winked, a different type of wink than the ones he gave the women at the office. More like a secret inside joke wink then a flirtatious one.

  "You're crazy," Hitomi giggled, her laugh dying as Holly's words hounded at her. She looked down at her purse again, cheeks still rosy from laughing.

  "You're right," Van grinned, "I think I should take a three year holiday so I can find why I'm so crazy."

  "Ahh, I see, one of those spiritual retreats?" Hitomi teased, and Van nodded.

  "Oh yeah, the whole candles and chanting? That's me," he joked.

  "We'll shave that head of yours bald," Hitomi smirked, and Van pretended to be horrified.

  "Not my hair," he gasped.

  "You call that dishevelled mop hair?" Hitomi replied, and Van felt that happy glow again, the one that took him over whenever he and Hitomi bantered.

  The car stopped at a red light, and Van turned around.

  "Okay, out of the car," he smiled, and Hitomi lifted her nose indignantly.

  "Fine, it's only two block anyways," she retorted, and stepping out with a huff she walked briskly down the street after weaving in-between the path of cars to the sidewalk.. Van didn't actually mean for her to get out, but the red quickly switched to green before he could call her to come back in the car.

"Damn," Van scowled as his hands remained on the ten and two o clock positions on the steering wheel. She wouldn't get away that quickly. Making a U-turn, Van grinned moronically as he followed the direction the sandy blonde had taken.

***

  Hitomi walked resentfully down the road, swinging her bag as her heels made a clicking noise. She left the main shops and turned left into the quiet residential streets, passing several apartment buildings. She heard the sloshing of a puddle and turned her head to see Van's car as he rolled on beside her. Keeping her gaze straight ahead, she tried not to smile as Van followed her every move, and opening the glass door to her apartment she lifted her green eyes to see Van nodding with a smile at her as he drove off. Feeling rather bubbly, Hitomi checked her mail box, then headed up stairs, beaming like an idiot.

  As the smell of lavender entered her nose, Hitomi set down her bag as the door swung shut behind her. Slipping off her shoes, and padding down the small hallway, Hitomi flung herself onto her couch, clicking on the television as she wished for a massage. Rubbing her own shoulders as she rolled her head from left to right, Hitomi spread out on the couch and leaned on the black canvas arm, noticing her answering machine blinking on the side table. Pressing a button, Hitomi's heart soared as she heard her best friend's familiar voice chirp onto the machine.

  "Hey, Hitomi! How've you been? It's me, your long lost sister, Kari! Things are great here, I've missed you so much though! Shopping's great, I have so much to tell you. Call me! It's juicy news, woman. Talk to you later," the message ended with the sound of a few beeps.

  A brilliant smile spread across her face as the message ended, a feeling of odd contentment slowly filling through her body. Yukari was an excellent person to talk to about her problems and her fears about Van, help her get Holly's voice out of there and let her focus on life once again. Quickly getting off the couch she walked across the room and grabbed her mobile phone, hitting the speed dial button as she moved back to the couch and lazily stretched out on it.

  "Hello?" came the familiar voice of Amano, his voice strained as the familiar scream of Makoto filled the air making Hitomi wince. Although her heart did go out to the couple a smirk appeared on her face, glad she had yet to experience the joys of raising a child.

  "Hey Amano," Hitomi said cheerfully knowing her tone in voice wouldn't cheer up the disgruntled father. "Is your wife there?"

  "Oh, hey Hitomi!" Amano yelled into the phone piece as Makoto's voice picked up in intensity. "She's trying to get Makoto into the bathroom to take a bath. I'll," he gulped, his voice wavering. "Hand the phone off to her and try."

  Setting the phone down Hitomi would hear Amano trying to yell to Yukari over the screams of their son and helplessly Hitomi laughed, glad that she only had to take care of the kid every-so-often. Don't get her wrong, she loved the kid but the terrible twos with that child was certainly something she wouldn't mind not going through.

  "Hello?" snapped Yukari as she walked away from the scene, slamming the door to the bedroom to try and muffle the screams from the hall.

  "I think your neighbours might call children services if Makoto keeps that up you know," Hitomi teased, her eyes twinkling mischievously as she got a grunt in return.

  "Hey, their brats were the same way," sniffed Yukari, flopping down on the bed and yelping when she landed on one of Makoto's toys. "When you have children someday I'll laugh at your suffering too!"

  "With good reason too," smiled Hitomi aimlessly picking up a magazine, flipping through the pages, various models with their fixed smiles staring blankly back at her. "So, you said you had juicy news?"

  "Yeah!" Yukari exclaimed, a few squeaks heard as she tossed the toys covering her bed onto the ground to give her room to lie down. "Well, you see, this co-worker of Amano's is currently single and very attractive so I was thinking…"

  "'Kari!" Hitomi yelled, exasperated already. It had been like this ever since college and part of Hitomi felt her friend thought she couldn't find dates for herself. That, and now that Yukari was domesticated she wanted a 'partner in crime', someone to grip about all sorts of domestic problems instead of a friend who was out in the real world, still single.

  "Okay, before you rip my head off hear me out!" Yukari interrupted, sensing she was treading on thin ice. "He's really cute and recently broke up with his long time girlfriend. It's a chance Hitomi! Seize the day!"

  "Last time you set me up with someone we were bored senseless by the first half hour," Hitomi reminded her friend remembering the boring date a few months back before Hitomi had moved. "Besides…" a slow blush spread across her cheeks, unsure of her emotions. "Well… you see…"

  "Ahhhh," Yukari's bubbling voice burst out as she sprung up, her eyes wide. "You've met someone!"

  "No!" Hitomi instantly replied, her face the rip shade of a tomato. "The man is just so… argh! And… urrgh!"

  "Calm down," Yukari said soothingly trying to keep the excitement she was feeling in her voice down. A silence spread between the two as Yukari waited for Hitomi to speak up again knowing that her friend had pent up all her frustrations and needed someone to vent them to, something Hitomi had problems with in expressing her feelings.

  "For one thing, he's my boss…"

  "Oooh! An office romance!" squealed Yukari wincing as she heard Amano let out a scream, a thud, and laughter from Makoto. "Late nights together over important documents, secret whispers, meetings at the photocopier…!"

  "Nothing like that!" Hitomi yelled in defence, her emotions getting the better of her. "It's just… well… today I had a talk with one of my co-workers and she said that he was…" she trailed off, the words beating against her self-esteem and making her feel like a little fifteen year old girl again, worried about the littlest things.

  "What?" Yukari said cautiously sensing her friends change in moods, knowing there was definitely something deeper that Hitomi wasn't telling her.

  "Well.. the co-worker said that… I was just a conquest, fresh meat if you will," Hitomi finally mumbled feeling tears slowly forming in her eyes, wondering if perhaps that was all she'd ever be to anyone. At twenty-four years old she had been on plenty of dates but, well, had never really been in a serious relationship that lasted more than a few months.

  Silence filled Yukari's end of the phone, even Makoto seemed to silence himself as his mother thought of the best way to reassure her friend. Finally, she replied brightly. "You know what it seems to me? It seems like, perhaps, this co-worker is jealous of you and not wanting you to go near the guy…?" she paused, wanting Hitomi to at least give the name of the man.

  "Being jealous of how Van – er – Mr. Fanel treats me?" laughed Hitomi, throwing her arms above her head, accidentally making the phone drop. Quickly she picked the phone up again, laughter still in her voice, although she wasn't sure exactly which type of laughter she was expressing. "Does she want to be harassed and have everything about her picked apart? Have to deal with the horrible temper? Be… be.. ARGH!"

  Yukari chuckled helplessly knowing she had a better picture of what was happening between the two of them then Hitomi did. "Well, you don't have to listen to me but I definitely think that there must be something going on to make the co-worker say something like that. Besides, how do you feel about Van?"

  "I… I… don't know," Hitomi finished lamely, feeling slightly stupid for not knowing her feelings towards Van. It was all jumbled up, constantly swirling, changing with every moment. Sometimes she wanted to slap him hard across the face while other times she wondered what it would be like to be held by him, to be kissed by him, to perhaps spend the rest of her life being with him.

  "Well, there is only one possible solution to that problem," Yukari concluded as the door could be heard opening and Makoto running in laughing to his mother. "Don't jumped on the bed when you're wet!" screeched Yukari before turning back to Hitomi. "I better go but thing of the one solution: spend time with him, that's the only way you're going to figure it all out. Besides, perhaps he's interested in you more than you think."

With that Yukari hung up the phone, always being the one to try and end her conversations dramatically, leaving a very confused Hitomi alone with her thoughts.

+++++++++++++++++++++++

  Shutting the door with a crisp sound, Van dropped his bag and let out a long groan, like the sound of a great tree beginning to teeter down. Home at last. Rolling his shoulders slightly, he checked his answering machine, loosening his tie as he heard Millerna's voice telling him about a new bar that he just "had to check out with her".

  Chuckling to himself at Millerna could be so serious at one moment and so child like the next, excited about everything, he flopped onto his couch as an old man's voice, croaky like gravel, came onto the machine.

  "Van Fanel.. It's been a while hasn't it," started the man, and sitting straight, Van's brow furrowed as his senses pricked up. His fingers undid his cuffs deftly, and he listened on.   "You may remember me from your high school days. Those days when you were a hooligan, a failure. And there I am, the other day, opening up my internet and what do the headlines read? Van Fanel one of the youngest business tycoons in Fanelia. Some critics even called you the 'young king'.

  The arrogant smile on the profile picture, so like you, Van. When I gave you shelter, food, warmth, what did you give me back? You fell short of the line. Did horribly. I wonder who changed you. Or rather," he continued, a sort of sick tone seeping through his voice, "What did you do to change yourself?"

  Van's right cheek twitched slightly as he froze, his hands shaking slightly as he fumbled with the top button of his shirt.

  "You couldn't have just magically gotten talent, now could you have, Van? Unless you were hiding something from me," the man continued, a sort of dry sucking noise interrupting his sentence, "No. I don't think so. But it's curious, isn't it. What was it Van? Old Dornkirk certainly wasn't rich. Even if you had stolen all my money you couldn't have bought your way into the company. Drugs, hmm? Or maybe sex. Knowing you, it was probably both.

  I'm not a preacher, Van. You and I both know we were never religious. I think that's the only thing in common we had. But I'm just telling you; remember who gave you a home. Do not brush me aside like I did nothing for you," Dornkirk hissed, "I know more about your past then you do."

  Van clenched his jaw, and as Dornkirk was about to continue in that slow, agonizing voice of his he picked up the smooth black machine and threw it across the condo. The small bags under his eyes, evidence that he had been lacking sleep grew more visible as his maroon eyes grew dark. Exhaling sharply, and then inhaling, mental walls shifted around Van until his face was blank.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

  Hitomi smiled sunnily as she was greeted by some friends she had made, and as she set down her briefcase she took a quick sip of coffee from her travel mug. Starting up her computer, she left her cubicle, and leaned on her colleague's cubicle wall gently.

  "Hey Gaddes," Hitomi smiled, and a man with dark brown hair looked up, his tanned features crinkling into a friendly smile.

  "Hey little lady," Gaddes grinned, "You seem happy; having a good morning?"

  "Not really," Hitomi laughed, looking down into her mug, blushing slightly, "Just... Sort of had a... Revelation last night."

  "Oh, really," Gaddes smiled, "Those are always good. Haven't had too many myself," He admitted boyishly, "But I've got time." Hitomi nodded with a beam, when a sudden gasping noise filled their ears, followed by light, bubbly giggles.

  "Looks like Mr. Fanel has entered the building," Gaddes smirked, "Better get back to work, he doesn't look too happy." Hitomi looked up, and frowned. Van looked fine. Not happy, but fine. Shrugging, Hitomi waved slightly to Gaddes before trotting over to Van's office, all the females she passed applying powder and lipstick.

  "Morning," she greeted as she leaned against his doorframe, and looking up, Van's expression didn't change.

  "Good morning," he nodded shortly, and setting down his briefcase he turned towards his computer, typing in his password as the gentle humming of the monitor filled the room.

  "How was your night?" Hitomi asked, wondering where that teasing sparkle had gone. "You look like a wreck," she tried, spreading on a grin.

  "Thank you," he replied sarcastically, but Hitomi frowned inside. It wasn't that bantering sort of happy sarcasm, it was more... Bitter.

  "Lot of work ahead of you today?" she questioned, cocking her head in a friendly manner.

  "Yes," Van answered curtly, not tearing his eyes away from the screen as he typed away rapidly.

  "Are you okay?" Hitomi asked after a silence, subdued.

  "I am fine, Ms. Kanzaki," Van snapped as he swung his chair to face her, "I am not having such a bubbly day like you are, but the world is not ending. I am sorry I can't be as chipper as you always seem to be, but maybe if you'd stop pestering me I could be! Now if you don't have anything important to tell me please get back to work."

  Van's flaming eyes instantly turned neutral again, his face blanking into his mask once more. He typed away, totally ignoring the hurt expression on Hitomi's face, and he pretended to himself he didn't hear the quiet sorry she whispered as she left his office.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

13.7.03:

CxV: ANNE IS A POST IT! n_n
MT: What the fu-- *noticed PG-13 rating*... fudge?
CxV: La La la n__n  Anne lives in a canteloupe under the sea! Steel Wool Anne Circle Shorts!
MT: I think you were the one taking the special K.... Anyway...
CxV: Not in front of the children Anne! *stern* :p  Please review n_n  And Anne is cool.
MT: Yeah, you too Ingrid. :p
CxV: *breaks out bawling*
Hitomi: Yeah, okay. Um. Ignore those two and review the story please O_O

Disclaimer: We do not own Escaflowne and are making no money off of this. Standard disclaimer obviously applies here.