Chp.2: The boy in the picture

"Hey," Irvine strided over to Van's sister.

"Hmm?"

"Do you know the guy in this picture (heheh Ggundam pun :P)?" Irvine held it out to her.

Maria became silent and stared at the picture with an expression that couldn't be told what it was. Van felt a lump in his throaght. He didn't knowwhy, but he didn't want to know. Was he scared? Was he really? Or could he not face it, whatrever it might be….

Van felt good and ready to leave, but Irvine still had a good grip on his ponytail. He thought maybe he could still leave, but that was only if he wanted his hair ripped out.

"I knew this would happen…" Maria murmered.

Van looked over his shoulder feeling guilty somehow. Was she talking about how she didn't want him going up into the attic? Was this why? Van couldn't take it anymore. He desperately tried to pry Irvine's hand from his ponytail.

"LET GO!" He cried out.

"No, Van! You have to be here! This is more important to you than it would ever be to me!" Irvine took his wrist with his free hand and twisted it back. Van cried out in pain and dropped down onto his butt and held his wrist doing the best he could to keep from crying in front of them. It wasn't that his wrist hurt, even though it did, but his pride hurt a lot more. He felt like he'd done somethig stupid. He should have known he couldn't get away from Irvine. Not only was he older than him, but he had been raised up in hard labor. Irvine was strong, stronger than Van felt he could ever be.

Even so, he wouldn't turn around. He wouldn't get up. He just sat there, his back to the others with a hurt look on his face.

"It's---him….I could have sworn we got rid of those pictures. Han," Maria took the picture and tenderly touched it.

"Han?" Van took a small peak over his shoulder.

"He's your--brother," Maria said hestantly, not sure what Van would do.

"But I don't have a brother…." Van muttered.

"Yeah, you did, b-but he wasn't a good boy like you were…. Han was---well he--he didn't like you much, Van, and no matter how hard you tried to get him to love you like you loved him he-he wouldn't," Maria said.

"B-but why---don't I remember?" Van felt his spirit and pride cracking as his voice cracked with it.

"We had your memories erased by a machine. It cost a lot, but we couldn't allow you to remember. He tried to kill you, Van…then when he didn't succeed, he ran off, and we never saw him again. We waited till he was presumed dead and erased your memories….That's where that scar on your chest came from…" Maria said. Van pulled his shirt off and sat it on the ground and pointed to hesitantly.

"Th-this one?" Van realized his voice cracked. His eyes were hot and his cheeks were wet. He hadn't even realized he had begun to cry. He hung his hand to try and stop his tears with a fake cough, but it came out as a moan. He felt someone put his shirt back on him and hold him. Maria held her brother against her chest and rocked back and forth on her heels a little, trying to soothe him.

"Van…I'm sorry we didn't tell you, but he's gone now so there's nothing we can do about it.." Maria whispered.

"Actually," Irvine decided to step in and put in his two cents,"he's still alive. He broke into Fiona's room earlier today and held her against the wall."

"What?!" Maria flung her head around to look at Irvine. Her eyes were wide and her mouth was trembling slightly.

"Boy that looks like Van with braid down back…Yup, kinda suits the description, doesn't it?" Irvine said.

"Oh, God no,"Maria murmered and put her hand to her forehead in frustration. Van just sat there blankly. His face showed no emotion whatsoever. His mind was raging with everything he was taking in. His senses seemed stronger, and everything looked in slow motion.

"Van wait!" Maria's voice rang into his ears. He looked down and saw his feet traveling through the dirt and grass quickly in a fast run. His breathing was more of gulps combined with moans, his eyes spilling crystal tears everywhere……but he didn't stop. He ran past his house, past the people-including Thomas and Moonbay-and right out to his Blade Liger.

Zeke sat watching a butterfly in awe until Van came running up slower than before, out of breath and sobbing loudly now. He climbed up into his zoid and let it cover over him. He turned off all of the com links and waited for Zeke to join him. It didn't take but a second for the organoid to get the hint, and off the two rode into the desert.

Van layed his arms on the control panel and sobbed into them. Liger-or rather Zeke- roared soothingly to his friend. He hated seeing him this way. If only he understood.

Zeke stopped in the middle of the desert and waited for a while. Van finally settled down and wiped the tears from his eyes. He then sat back and smiled sadly. "I guess you want to know what's up, huh Zeke?" Zeke roared. Van then began his story to Zeke who listened intently only roaring in surprise from time to time.