Summary: Hitomi, adopted cousin of Van's, have been closer than siblings since they were three. They grow up together through the sad and happy times, always there for the other no matter the circumstances. But, the past comes to haunt Hitomi and her perfect world with her adopted father and the Fanel family. With their feelings for each other will Hitomi and Van be able to say goodbye?
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"A baby is God's opinion that the world should go on." - Carl Sandburg
A thin layer of snow frosted the ground around the hospital, light flakes slowly sprinkling down from the heavens giving Asturia General Hospital a friendly appearance like a snow globe in a silent world. This year was quiet odd for the small town. Being so closely situated to the sea it was rare that any snow would stick on the ground. Snow storms had however started early in November and pounded upon the town, stumping many of its citizens and making some of the elders fear that perhaps the world was coming to an end.
The city's hospital was quaint in size; an elderly old woman upon her death had left in her will a mansion to the city to build a hospital. The staff swore sometimes late at night the woman and her many cats could still be seen wandering the halls and visiting various patients in their rooms.
In the early hours of the morning a young girl and her boyfriend had come into the hospital in a quick frenzy, knocking over an old man in his wheelchair in their attempt to get the woman in as quickly as possible. The doctors and nurses throughout the hospital were not at all surprised to see the couple since they were the center of much gossip within the town.
Hideaki Kanzaki was the last person anyone would have suspected to have this happen to. An average student who was always soft-spoken that anyone could go to their problems with, the town admired him and thought that he would definitely be going places in his life. However, senior year it all changed when Yurie Kato had moved into their town.
They had a less than ideal first meeting. Yurie had tripped over Hideaki's backpack on the third day of school and ended up dumping her soft drink upon his head. Luckily for Yurie, Hideaki apologized for leaving his backpack out in the open. From that day on they were the perfect couple, hardly ever being seen apart.
In January the couple took their relationship to the next level and found that they were even more in love with each other. The young lovers, with the blooming bud of hope, made future plans and how they would get married once they finished college. However, in May Yurie discovered something that shook their plans and turned their world upside down…
Yurie was two months pregnant.
They were distraught over what to do now that they were carrying a child. Both did not believe in abortion and saw their happy futures slowly going down the drain. Eventually, their parents found out which caused a huge uproar between the families, trying to separate the couple and giving them an option: either they abort the child or get married.
The school year ended with many tears between the lovers. Yurie was sent to her grandma's house for the remainder of the summer; her parents were too upset with her to have Yurie under the same roof any longer while she was pregnant. They had to adjust to the idea and seeing their daughter's rapidly growing stomach did not help. At her grandma's house Yurie found the support she had been looking for: a comforting hug and someone to listen to her worries about the future.
Hideaki made a trip out to the grandma's place every few days just to make sure Yurie was okay, between visits constantly calling her to make sure she was taking care of herself.
Near the end of summer when Yurie's stomach was bulging comfortably against her summer dress her grandma had sat the couple outside on her porch and told them her idea.
"So Yurie, I just talked on the phone with your parents," sighed her grandma as she awkwardly sat down on the cushioned chair across the table from the lovers. They exchanged a worried glance at each other as Yurie's hand instinctively went to rest upon her belly.
"What do they want?" Hideaki asked harshly putting his hand upon Yurie's. Although his parents had been angry, if not angrier, when they had found out about the pregnancy they had slowly gotten used to the idea and now simply gave Hideaki the silent treatment.
"I've been thinking ever since you first came here at the start of the summer. Watching you two together I know how much you love each other and with this baby all I can see is bad news for your future," evenly replied Grandma Kato, pausing to take a gulp of her cold tea. Hideaki and Yurie's eyes widened as the words sank in. Was she suggested that they abort the child!?
"We could never…!"
"Hear me out child, I'm not suggesting abortion of anything like that," Grandma Kato said soothingly as Hideaki jumped to his feet and resting his hand upon the distraught Yurie's shoulder. "Have you thought of perhaps adoption…?"
After a late night of discussion the couple decided that it would be for the best to give up the child for a family that could take care of it and was ready for this type of life change. Both were devastated that they would have to give up their child and tried not to get too attached to the child within the womb.
Before the fall school year started, one Yurie would be delaying for another year, Grandma Kato took the couple to Asturia General Hospital for one of the general check-ups on the pregnancy and started making plans for the adoption. As her belly grew larger Yurie grew sadder and sadder about the child she would have to give up, the product of her love with Hideaki that they were simply not ready for.
Fall slowly melted into winter and with that brought the snow storms. December ninth dawned unusually cold and bright, a stillness filling the air throughout the small town. Hideaki picked Yurie up early in the morning to take her out to a small restaurant for breakfast.
The baby, however, had much different plans in mind.
Yurie was quickly admitted into the hospital and taken to the delivery room, already dilated at seven centimeters. One of the nurses threw scrubs at Hideaki and told him to follow them quickly into the delivery room to watch the birth of his child.
Hideaki wasn't sure if he could handle it.
What was the point of watching the birth or something you wouldn't be able to keep?
To be there for Yurie, to hold her hand and whisper encouraging words (despite the slaps and curses he received in return), he helped her through the delivery until they heard the healthy screams of their child. Quickly Hideaki reverted his gaze and looked down at his girlfriend's tired face to see tears in her green eyes as she stared at the ceiling.
"It's a healthy baby girl!" exclaimed the doctor as he slapped the baby smartly on the bottom and handed it to the nurses to clean. Hideaki and Yurie tightened the hold on each others hands. After a few tense minutes the doctor finally left congratulating the couple warmly, although he knew the fate of the child was not in their hands beyond that point, and left the couple alone with one of the nurses with their child in her arms.
"Do you want to see…?" one of the nurses hesitantly asked holding their child wrapped in a blanket protectively. Yurie chocked a sob and Hideaki somehow managed to whisper the words.
"No. We don't want to see our child yet…"
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Her eyes misted with forming tears as she looked through the window, out to the world of white wonderland. Ironic enough, the extraordinary woman's world was anything but a wonderland. The words kept resounding within her head. Over and over.
I am sorry, Mrs. Ganesha, we have diagnosed you with…uterus cancer.
I am sorry, Mrs. Ganesha, we have diagnosed you with…uterus cancer.
I am sorry, Mrs. Ganesha, we have diagnosed you with…uterus cancer.
She gulped back the tears, and turned to find her husband's tender gaze. She managed a hesitant smile. He was a tall man of approximately seven feet, with tanned skin, a very becoming beard, and dark eyebrows. Those who said that opposite attract obviously were right in their case. Balgus Ganesha was an opposite of Gytha, a tiny delicate featured woman. Their personalities were thoroughly conflicting; Gytha the tender, warm-hearted woman, and Balgus, a rough man. The presence of his wife, however, had tamed him into a gentle beast.
"Shall we go look at them?" He asked softly, knowing how delicate the subject was. Two months ago, Gytha was diagnosed with uterus cancer thus confirming that they would never be blessed with children of their own. Kids were the delight of his wife. He could discern the look of longing as she gazed at his nephew, Van, after his birth. He knew her heart like he knew his, perhaps even better. They had known each other as toddlers, grown up together as best friends and the easy camaraderie that they shared had bloomed into love during their college years. When they had married, Gytha and Balgus had dreamed of a house full of noisy kids, the mess of the opening of the annual Christmas presents, and laughter of children echoing in their home.
"Yes," she breathed in. "But, where is the doctor?"
"Well, he can wait." He winked. "We can just take a quick peek at them."
She smiled at her husband as he offered her an arm. Them were the babies at the hospital. Gytha and Balgus always made a habit to take a look at the children. It was much like the way a child gazed into pet stores, staring at puppies with longing knowing that they would could never have them. Never to have them to call their own.
Gytha pressed her nose to the glass that separated the newborns and them. Some were asleep, and others mewled like little kittens. Her concentration was interrupted by the loud cries of a baby, a nearby baby. She pivoted on her heel, only to find a nurse carrying a bundle of pink. She held a clip board in one hand, and tried to manage the wailing child. Gytha looked closely and realized that she knew the nurse that held the babe. It was a friendly nurse named Aya.
Knowing that Balgus's eyes were on her, she took three confident steps towards the nurse. "Want me to take the babe for a moment?" She smiled.
The nurse more than gladly handed the baby as she scribbled something frantically on her clipboard. "Ah, yes, thank-you dear. See if you can quiet her. You're awfully good with children."
Her lips curved into a smile when she found Balgus heading towards her. He also gazed over the babe. She cried as if possessed by some demon. Gytha cooed to her gently and rocked in her arms. The baby-girl's sobs subsided. They took a moment to observe the child. A mass of honey-brown hair lay on her delicate head, with a round angelic looking face. However, when the baby fully opened her eyes, the couple simultaneously gasped. Her eyes were a beautiful, melting, green…exactly matching Gytha's.
"You know, you could always consider adoption." A quiet voice said behind her.
She pivoted on her heel only to find her doctor's wise blue eyes staring at her deeply. Balgus gave the man a torn look. They were getting to their mid- thirties and the want of baby to call their own was burning ever so deep, especially since his own sister had given birth to a healthy baby boy just this year.
"You could have her if you wanted." He said gesturing the baby she held protectively, as if someone would snatch it away from her.
"We-we never thought of that."
The elderly man strode towards her. "Mrs.Ganesha, I am sorry to put it this way to you. But," he stole a glance at Balgus, who was frowning, "there is no hope for you to conceive children." She was very still, though her face had paled slightly. "Adoption is the only way out for you."
The baby sighed a sigh of content and snored gently. The couple gazed at the baby. Balgus slowly moved his fingers over the girl's hair, as if curious. He felt the texture of her hair, a soft, cotton like feel. Gytha's eyes met his and she spoke sincerely and plainly. "I want her, Balgus. I want her to be our daughter."
"Are you sure?" He asked softly, ignoring the doctor completely. It was always like this. At times like these, the outside world seemed to melt and disappear and all he saw was his wife.
"Yes. Sure as the day I married you." She smiled, the smile reaching her eyes and making them sparkle.
"She's ours then."
"Yes. Ours." She said, as a pleasant shiver ran down her spine.
The doctor coughed, interrupting the emotional moment. He scratched his head and tiredly found a seat. "Before you go on, perhaps you may want to know the background of this little young one?"
"Go on. It doesn't matter though. We wouldn't change our minds." Balgus stepped forward and spoke, his voice echoing slightly. It was surprising how different he seemed towards his wife.
He gave them a wary look and began with a deep breath. "She was born to an unfortunate couple. They weren't married yet…just out of high school. Young kids in love I suppose, or that's what they say. Though, they both came from the finest families." He raised his eyebrows and searched the couples' eyes for any hesitation. They were firm and a smile curved on Gytha's face as she looked that the baby's face.
"Her…err…breeding matters not to us."
"Has she been named already?" Gytha asked, curiously.
"No. The mother just gave birth to her just a few hours ago. The nurses just bathed the child."
"She should be called Hitomi. Just look at her eyes…!" Hitomi was the name of a forest sprite in Gaean Mythology who possessed extraordinarily beautiful forest green eyes and was the keeper of the lush forests.
The doctor clapped his hand. "Then it's settled! You'll just have to sign a few papers here and there and you can have her."
The adoption process in Gaea was quick and hassle free. The adopted parents had to first prove that they would be able to care for the babe by showing various documents stating their income, including the signing of a few papers from both the biological and adopted parents, and child was free to go. Alesides, the little town, just on the outskirts of the capital of Asturia, Palas, was a small homey town where everybody new each other. That made it easier, for everyone trusted each other and knew them well, even though Balgus and Gytha didn't always mix with the general public. But, they were known to be extremely generous and kind and everyone who met them had only proven the rumors of their good nature as to be true.
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The nurse entered the room, only to meet a woman in a mood that could be only described as…beastly. Her mousey brown hair hung loose and her face was ghostly pale, with dark circles under eyes. Her eyes, green as sea foam, flashed daggers.
"Where is my baby?! Where is she?" Yurie asked the nurse like a crazed person.
"Oh dear, calm yourself! I-I just came to give you the good news… Your child has been adopted by a couple."
Yurie gasped, and Hideaki appeared out of the shadows. His expression was hard, otherwise completely blank. If he was surprised, hurt, or sorrowful, it was expertly masked under the threatening look he gave the nurse.
"My poor baby… my baby…she's not mine. Not mine anymore." She turned to Hideaki and grasped his shirt front and sobbed. He rested his hand on her head. The nurse stepped backward, but before she could leave, Yurie spoke once more. "I want to see my child. Just once. I want to see her…before she's taken."
"No!" Hideaki shouted harshly. Moist, green eyes met his brown ones and pleaded. His tone was a little gentler but still rather harsh. "We-we can't see her. If we see her then it will be hard to let her go. You have to put her behind… We have to move on ahead." It was then that Yurie realized something. He spoke as if he was trying to convince himself rather than her. Tenderness filled her aching heart and she took hold of his hand tightly in hers.
In a shaky voice she spoke to the dumbfounded nurse. "We-we-we will be not seeing her. Have-have the…" she choked on the words, "parents named her yet?"
"Yes." The nurse fidgeted uncomfortably and spoke nervously. "It's… Hitomi, I believe."
She closed her eyes and murmured. "Thank-you."
The nurse left, more than happy to get away from the sudden tension that engulfed the hospital room. The woman with her sweetheart was silent as they prepared for the next step in their life.
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18/4/2003:
Maboroshi: bwhaha, Anne has
another account. ^^
Moonsword: Paige's first time writing as a co-author!
Maboroshi: Paige and I have been friends for the past
few months and decided that it would be fun to try and write a fanfic together using one of the wonderfully amazing
Paige's ideas. ^_^
Moonsword: Don't expect many regular updates, unless
you review like crazy and we can be convinced that this story indeed needs to
be updated first...
Maboroshi: Yeah, so no pressure. ^_^ See you when we
update. :p
Disclaimer: We do not own Escaflowne in any shape, form, imagination, or whatever else you can think of. Heck, we hardly own ourselves so no point in suing us for money (uneasy laughter)