Body ~ Well, I finally managed to churn out another chapter. We get a look at some of Hitomi's thoughts in this one. I know that nothing really happens in this chapter, but things are starting to be revealed.

Disclaimer: Escaflowne *takes deep calming breath* and its characters do... not... belong to me. You know, it gets harder to say every time instead of easier...

Forbearance

Part X

By: Penybright

Van shifted uncomfortably, the wound in his side burning and itching at the same time. His eyes fluttered open, examining his surroundings. He vaguely remembered the room he was in. At the time, he had been to delirious to comprehend what was going on, aside from the fact that he was in pain, and Hitomi was on Gaea...

As soon as Hitomi's name registered in Van's mind, he began to frantically search his room for her presence. She was gone.

"Hitomi," Van whispered in dread.

Gods, what were they going to do to her. What were they doing to her? What did they want from his angel. She was sweet and pure. Hitomi didn't deserve to go through even the smallest iota of what he'd experienced. Suddenly, Hitomi's words surfaced in Van's mind, and he let out a sob.

"I won't let anything happen to you..."

The door to Van's new prison opened, and a healer trundled in. He quickly bent over Van, peeling back his blood soaked bandages.

"Where's Hitomi?" Van demanded.

The healer ignored him, deftly going about his ministrations. In order to command the healer's attention, Van grasped his shoulders, wincing as pain exploded in his side.

"Where's Hitomi?" he gritted out through the pain.

The healer still refused to look him in the eye.

"You shouldn't move," he admonished. "You're tearing the wound open."

Van growled in frustration, struggling to get up. The healer firmly pushed him back down with another warning. Van paid no heed, continuing to struggle.

He gasped when he felt the needle pierce his flesh. His eyes glazed over as his vision became blurry. Van tried to fight it, but he was to weak. He shuddered, before going limp.

*

After Hitomi had been allowed to see Van, they had dragged her to the dingy room she now found herself in. She instantly decided she loathed her accommodations. The floor was damp, and a chilling draft constantly drifted though the area. It was also to dark for Hitomi's liking. The darkness allowed her to ponder thoughts she'd rather not. She had known something was wrong with Van for a while now. She could feel that he was in constant pain through their link. She wondered how long he had managed to keep even the pain from her. Knowing Van, even he pain he had allowed her to know abut was nothing compared to what he had really been feeling.

"Van," Hitomi whispered to herself and the cool room. "Why did you do it? Why were you so distraught when I came to your aide?"

Hitomi shuddered, remembering the sensations that had course through. She never wanted to feel anything like it again. The nightmares it induced were far more horrifying than most of her visions had been.

In that single, heart-wrenching moment, Hitomi had thought she lost him. In a way, she had lost him. Van was bewildered and frightened, but most of all, he was terror stricken at her presence on Gaea. He still loved her, she knew that. That feeling was unmistakable.

"What are you so afraid of, Van?" Hitomi quietly asked the shadowed walls. "What?" she whispered, attempting to blink back tears that had already begun to fall.

~ What DO they want Hitomi for? I'll give you a hint: fate. Don't you just hate that four letter word? It seems so harmless and innocent...