"Van!"

The King of Fanelia stood in front of her. She looked at him... he was so proud but gentle at the same time. He hadn´t changed much in so those 3 years. He was taller and well-built. Aside from that, he still looked as she remembered him. So handsome...

"Hitomi..." his voice was sweet and caring. Her name sounded so beautiful in his lips... She became entraced in his eyes. The same deep brown eyes that haunted her every dream now gazed at her with pure love.

She lifted and started for him, her legs were trembling so bad, she was surprised they could carry her. He was faster than her, only seconds after she had gotten up, he had already gotten to her and was embracing his love, keeping her so close to his heart it would have hurt if he had cared.

She snuggled deeper in his arms basking in the comfort and happiness she hadn´t felt for so many time. Thank you God! Thanks for hearing my plead... He´s with me now, nothing else matters.

Chapter 3: Intact love

Van didn´t want to let go. It had been so many time since the last time he had been able to hold her. He had wished for this moment to arrive so many times, and finally, after all the suffering, hoping and pleading, he had been able to make it back to Earth...

With her.

"Van?" her soft voice entraced him. He shrivered and pulled back only enough to meet those esmerald green eyes he had dreamt so much for.

"Yeah?"

"I missed you so much..." her eyes shimered with joyful tears and his hand gently brushed them away.

" I missed you too... very much." He cupped her cheek in his hand and she smiled contently; just feeling his touch on her skin made her soul take flight.

"I´m sorry it had been so long, my dear Hitomi. I´ve been working so much rebuilding Fanelia... and... no, there´s no excuse... I´m sorry" Ashamed, the King lowered his head, only to find her hand on his chin, forcing him to look back at her.

"Van, it´s okay, you´re here now, that´s all that matters." My wish came true, I´m not going to ask anything. Just enjoy... Hitomi smiled lovingly. Van felt his heart pounding fast in his chest. She was as beautiful as he remembered. More femenine, since she had developed smooth curves in all the right places. Her hair was longer now, just below her shoulders, but it suited her fine.

I must tell her. I was such a coward before... but I won´t make the same mistake again. It would kill me. "Hitomi..." he clutched her close again and whispered in her ear "I love you so much..."

"Oh, Van!" She kissed his cheek and whispered back "I love you too".

"You know, I´ve been wanting to tell you this for such a long time." He smiled still feeling the odd, but more than pleasant, sensation Hitomi´s lips had left on his cheek.

"Really? Me too. Isn´t it an irony, we suffered so much because we didn´t tell our feelings when we needed to?" She pulled away slightly gazing at him again.

"Yeah... I, for one was quite stupid for letting you go." Van was amazed how easily it was telling her his feelings now. Three years ago, he wouldn´t have told her this... ever. I guess I´ve matured... being so many time far from her, made me realize so many things. I´m lucky to have her by my side now.

"Van..." she smiled and blushed slightly. He touched her cheek with the back of his hand. "Let´s make a promise, Van."

"Sure, whatever you want"

" We´ll never hide our feelings again. I mean, the last time we let that happen, we finished miles apart of each other... I don´t want that to happen again.." She whispered the last part as she placed her head on his chest and wrapped her arms around his neck again.

"I promise I won´t let that happen again, my dear Hitomi" He embraced her swearing to himself he would live to that promise.

He´ll be damned if he lost her again.