A/N: Yay! Finals are over, for this year. Now onto Physics Summer Classes. Woot. Either way I'll try to update more, I'm also getting a summer job and starting work on CAS hours so I'll be pretty busy. But gimme a break. Thanks for all the reviews.

Disclaimer: Hehe, I haven't done one of these for a while. Well, um, I don't own Escaflowne, only the plot for this story. I also don't own the song Trapeze Swinger by Iron and Wine. Good song, partly inspired me to write this chapter. Speaking of inspiration I could use some help in that department, if you have any suggestions that would help me a lot. Thank you. I hope you like it.

Please, Remember Me

Hitomi's POV

Christmas was coming, it was in the air. The December winds were blowing with a little more persistence and everybody was bundling up in defense against the chill.

Jingle bells, jingle bells, children were singing down the block. Their toques matched their scarves, matching school colours of course. It's hard to imagine, that only a few years ago I was that young. So much has happened since I was ten years old, singing Christmas carols with my classmates. But that's growing up.

Hitomi and Millerna were out not-so Christmas shopping. They were looking at things that they wished they could buy, but probably wouldn't. Not because they couldn't afford it necessarily, but because they had both forgotten their wallets at Millerna's house.

Walking down the street Hitomi thought of the people she needed to buy gifts for. There was Millerna of course, Aunt Marie, Allen, Yukari and Dilandau, and... Van. Hitomi was surprised that she had forgotten about him, but the truth is, she doesn't know him too well, even though they live together, and she had no idea what to get him.

Hitomi started slowly, ... What should I buy Van for Christmas?Hmm, I don't know. I bought him an alarm clock, he's almost always late for school. I don't know what you should get him though.What do you mean he's almost always late for school, he's normally gone before I get up. Hitomi was confused now, what did Van do all day?

You're right that is weird, you should ask him about it sometime. Oh well, he's still getting a clock from me, I already bought it and it's pretty cool. Millerna laughed to herself for no apparent reason.

The girls kept window shopping until their feet were swollen and their heads were throbbing from the mere thought of paying for Christmas presents.

Aunt Marie walked down the spiral staircase leading to the living room carrying a small wooden box. It looked old, but it was still beautiful. It had the name Kanzaki' engraved on it in ornate letters.

She noticed her niece laying on the couch, Are you awake?Yeah, just resting. What's up? Came Hitomi's quiet reply.

Well, I got a shipment of things from your mother's will, and uh, well this jewelry box was in it, I think she would have wanted you to have it. There are some other things, if you ever want to look at them, just ask. Marie pressed the box into Hitomi's hands.

Thank you, Hitomi said, sitting up a little more. And Aunt Marie? I have a question...Yes, what is it?I wanted to buy a Christmas present for Van, but I don't know what to get him.I think you should look in that box and maybe you'll get an idea. Okay? Aunt Marie said winking.

Hitomi nodded.

Okay, well I'm going out, it's cold out, so I don't know what you'll do for the rest of the night. I'll be home pretty late, I have a business dinner. So if I don't get back before you're in bed, good night sweet heart. Aunt Marie said.

Good night, have fun.

As Marie left Hitomi began to open the small chest and was surprised to see more pictures of her childhood and some old necklaces and pins and the like. She saw pictures of herself with her family in front of a small yellow house with a picket fence. The house was surrounded by lush, rolling hills that dropped off steeply to the coast below. Farther in the background, she could barely make out another small house, this was a light blue colour, and the shape of what looked like many trees. A forest.

Please, remember me
Happily
By the rosebush laughing
With bruises on my chin

Next she looked at a snapshot of what looked like her and Van in front of the little yellow house wrestling and playing by a red rose bush.

Flash Back

Mommy, mommy, Van scraped his chin really bad! It's bleeding. What do we do? Light crying could be heard outside the window.

What do you mean, really bad? Just let me get the band-aids and a cloth. Hitomi's mother came out in the garden, her blonde hair shining gold in the summer sun.

Hitomi's young face was painted with worry for her playmate, they had only been playing but then he tripped when she pushed him, and then he fell, and then he scraped his hands and his chin, and it was all her fault.

There you are, you'll be just fine Van. Hitomi's mother told the boy with picture-agat eyes. Would you two like some ice cream?

Both children nodded, as Hitomi's mother led the way into the kitchen.

The time when
We counted every black car passing
Your house beneath the hill

And up until
Someone caught us in the kitchen
With maps, a mountain range,
A piggy bank

Slowly a plan was forming in Hitomi's mind, an idea of what to do for Van's Christmas gift. She continued looking through the box and found a locket with the words, Together forever etched nicely on the back, and the initials K-F. Hitomi assumed that this had belonged to her mother, and opening it, she was surprised when a dried wildflower floated down onto her lap. The flower was a faded pink colour, and...

Flash Back

No matter what happens, I'll never leave you. Hitomi was confused, but as she looked into those red-brown eyes, all she could do was believe that whatever he was talking about, was important. She had to trust him.

What do you mean, if something happens? She asked in her lilting voice. Nothing's going to happen to us.

The boy looked uncomfortable for a minute, his hand rubbing the back of his head. Yeah, you're right, Hitomi, but just in case. I need you to know that I'll always be here for you.Okay. It's a deal, I mean, okay.

A rush of inexplicable bitterness hit Hitomi hard as that deal was sealed once more. She felt betrayed, he had promised, and then he had left. She felt warm tears falling down her cheeks and became lost in all the memories, all the pain of those few months. Hitomi didn't even look up as Van Fanel, the reason for her tears, walked in and brushed the first winter snow off of his jacket.

When he heard her crying, he couldn't say why, but he just had to hold her, to make her feel better about whatever it was she was upset about. He hurried over to the couch and sat down.

What's wrong, Hitomi? He asked in a voice just above a whisper.

The teenage girl looked up, her face hot and shining with tears, You left me, you promised me you would never go, and you left. Even though she couldn't explain why she felt so lonely, Hitomi firmly believed that she had no idea what to believe right then. And it was all she could do, to let Van awkwardly put his arms around. And it was all he could do to hold her tightly to him, and be utterly lost by her outburst.

A vision too removed to mention
But

Please, remember me
Fondly