Chapter 4

"Don't you think it's cold?" Hitomi turned from her spot near the open window to where Josceline stood in the middle of the room. The night's breeze from the ocean was coming through the window, brushing against the bare skin of her arms and neck, playing with her night-gown and hair.

Josceline didn't look to be enjoying the breeze. He had his arms wrapped around himself and was shuffling the blanket he had lain down on the floor with his feet rather then bend down and fix it straight.

He had been surprised when she told him she didn't want to sleep with Van that night, but gave into her pleadings for him to stay with her. But he would most definitely be sleeping on the floor.

"No, it feels nice." Hitomi turned away from him again, watching the lights wink out one of one in the city below. "Your just not used to the cold weather."

"No, I'm not." He took one of the many pillows off the bed Millerna had supplied her and plumped it out, shivering all the while. "Can we at least close the window a bit more?"

She shrugged and closed the window completely. Then, pulling her hair over her shoulder, she walked over to the bed, her feet shuffling against the plush carpets as she walked. The bed was extremely comfortable, she was happy to find, her body sinking into the feather mattress and many pillows.

"What did Millerna say was wrong?" He didn't look over at her as he kneeled down onto the floor at the end of the bed to fix his sleeping arrangements.

"I'm pregnant."

He looked up then, staring at her in shock. "Your-" She could see him swallow, his throat moving in the action, then he looked away. "It's not his... he didn't touch you did he?" His tone suddenly took on a protective tone and she watched as he glared out the window.

"It's Van's..." She watched him for a long moment before moving from the centre of the bed to the side. "Come here, Josceline."

He stood, but hesitated near the end of the bed, watching her in the bed, his brows knit together.

"I won't bite." She told him then, her voice not showing any amusement what so ever, but her eyes sparkled with mischief.

He sat carefully beside her on the bed, not looking down at her. She had the blankets pulled up past her chest, nearly to her chin, but he could still see her gentle form through the blankets, and watch as her hand came from under to it grasp his. He looked at her then.

"Your such a nice guy Josceline." She hesitated, watching him for a moment before sitting up, taking his hand in both hers now. "And... I think you deserve someone."

He blinked at her a moment, then shook his head, a small blush coming to his face. "That's against the rules."

"Well the other Celestials aren't exactly following the rules are they?"

He looked down at the blankets, then at her hands holding his. "My job is to protect you."

"I know..." She smiled. "But that doesn't mean you can't be happy as well."

"I am happy..." He met her gaze then, a small blush coming to his face. "I-"

"Josceline." She placed a finger to his mouth, causing him to blush even more and close his mouth. She knew what he was going to say. "You don't love me... really."

He blinked at her, then hastily tried to move away. She let him go, but he only got as far as the side of the bed. "What makes you think I love you."

She didn't say anything, only watched as his shoulders slowly dropped and he walked to the end of the bed.

"You don't know what love is." Her voice was caring and gentle as she watched him sit down on his makeshift bed. "But you will... if you give it a chance. I'm allowing you to date and such."

"Date?" He looked up at her, a pained expression on his face. "What does that mean."

"Oh...uh..." She blushed slightly. "Court... I mean."

He sighed deeply, his expression changing to one of exasperation. "Maybe I don't love you..." He looked up at her sharply. "But I still care about you."

"That's fine." She smiled. "And I like it like that. I care about you too." And in one quick motion, she moved across the bed, still clutching her blanket to her, took Josceline's chin in her hand, and gave him a small peck on the lips.

He blushed profusely and turned away, mumbling something about having to go to sleep.

Smiling to herself, she lay back down on the bed and placed her hand on her stomach, turning over to go to sleep. She was just closing her eyes when the bed suddenly dipped at her feet. Sitting up, she blinked at him in surprise.

Josceline was leaning over the bed frame, his elbows on the end of the bed. He was watching her worriedly. "But, he didn't touch you did he?"

"I can't say he didn't." She watched as his brows furrowed together. "I'm fine Josceline."

He moved out of site again, but as she lay back down she heard his voice from the darkness. "You really need to talk to Van."

She sighed, and watched the shadows the clouds outside cast against the moonlight move along the ceiling. "I know."

ooooooooooooooooooooo

Hitomi walked into the large meeting room with Josceline at her side. All the elders men turned towards the door in surprise as she entered, then began to mutter to themselves, bowing against themselves it seemed. Dryden was at the head of the table, and he stood as she entered, a smile on his face.

"Hitomi, welcome." He pulled back a chair next to him and ushered her forward. Josceline fell back as she moved along the edge of the room to get to the other side, brushing past Van; who was on Dryden's other side, to the chair offered to her.

Sitting down, she met his burgundy gaze however. His look questioning, hurt... she tried not to turn away this time, but was brought away when Dryden took his spot again, his robes rustling in the suddenly very quiet room.

"We were just discussing what to do about our situation."

"It doesn't have to be debated does it?" She asked, her voice slightly colder then she meant it to be. She glared at the elder men as they glared at her in turn. "Either you help, or me and my mages will go in alone."

"And Fanalia." Van's voice was quiet, but strong as he spoke up somewhere behind Dryden's form.

Dryden laughed suddenly, causing all attention to drift to him once more. Dryden obviously had a good hold on his council, because all fell silent again, no more whispering about the breech in their tight circle. "We'll help, Your Majesty... no need to bite our heads off."

Hitomi would have blushed if she wasn't so annoyed. "Then what is all this discussion about?"

"We can hardly charge in there waving our weapons and yelling like idiots." He told her. This time, she did blush.

"You are new at this... you don't understand the ways of government yet." One particularly nasty looking old man spoke up from her side. As an after thought he added, "Your Majesty".

She glared at him and opened her mouth to talk, but Dryden cut her off. "Besides, in your state, you will be doing no fighting at all."

Hitomi turned to him quickly, but the damage was already done. Van peered around Dryden, watching her with apprehension. "What state is that?"

"Pregnant women can hardly march into battle... you should know that Hitomi."

Hitomi's heart sped up, and she found herself turning away from Van again. She had seen the look of shock, of realization on his face before she did so. She bit her lip, and watched as the door slowly opened, and Josceline stepped back to allow the person to enter the room.

It was more then one person at the door. Corilith stood there, hers best robes on, pulled around her frail body, her blue eyes piercing as usual. She pulled away to the side, bowing in Hitomi and the two kings direction as she did so.

In stepped Selena, standing close to the mage. She looked very nervous, and glanced around the room as she entered. Hitomi had a feeling she was looking for Allen. She didn't know where the knight was either. She would have to ask someone later.

"Your Majesty." Corilith was addressing Hitomi directly, and she raised her eyebrows in the older women's direction. It wasn't like the mage to address her like this in the presence of other royalty. Especially in a room full of men who thought it was a mans job to rule. "I've been enlisting help."

"Oh?" She continued to watch the mage with curiosity... then something pricked at the back of her head. She stood suddenly, watching the mage with slightly fear. "What did you do Corilith?" Her voice came out a whisper, and all heads turned to her in surprise at her sudden change in tone.

"I've been getting all your mages together... and..." She stepped back even further now, Selena grasping at her sleeve as she too moved to make way for the person entering the room. The teen girl's eyes were wider now, fearful.

Van jumped to his feet, his hands going for his sword when the silvery haired youth entered the room, his red eyes flashing over in the King's direction as soon as he came into the room, the same smirk coming to his face from all those years ago.

Hitomi felt as if cold water had just been splashed down her back. "Dilandau."

He bowed to her, sarcastically, but stood when Selena suddenly, and unexpectedly nudged him sharply in the ribs. He stood straight, his smirk off his face as he glanced in the girl's direction then at the mage.

"How did you..." Hitomi trailed off, staring at the young man she thought would never come back. And he was standing there with Selena; the one he usually shared a body with, next to him.

"A bit of complicated magic." She moved forward and gracefully brushed her thin fingers over one of the woven cords that were around Dilandau's wrists.

"Are you crazy?" Hitomi let her eyes drift over the black and white cords tied around his slender wrists, then turned her shocked gaze on the head mage. She only smiled.

"Dilandau is a murderer." Van was walking around the table, his sword half drawn. Hitomi watched as he advanced to the front, and saw from the side, Josceline's sudden reaction to the fight that was about to occur. He had his daggers drawn without making a sound or any harsh movements.

"So are you, Van." He said Van's name just as he always did all those years ago, sadistic anger showing in his eyes caused the king to stop in his advance. They were glaring at each other.

"Stop it." Hitomi came around the table then, ignoring the arm that Dryden put out to try and hold her back. "Just stop, Van." She made a motion to Josceline in the corner as she moved as well, telling him without words to do the same. He quickly sheathed his daggers once more.

"Control you mages, they only cause damage." One of the elders spoke up where she stopped next to Van. She ignored the comment, and ignored the look Van was giving her.

"Corilith, explain." Her voice was commanding, but she did not take her eyes off the albino.

"He will follow orders. The magic cords are keeping him here in this world... I can destroy them whenever I choose."

Hitomi was quiet a long moment, listening to Van's heavy breathing of anger and the mumbles of the council members. Then she smiled slightly. "Since I'm not allowed to fight... it can't hurt to have someone to do it for me." Dilandau smirked at her comment.

"You can't be serious." She looked up at Van. He was watching her with both surprise and anger.

"I am serious." She turned away from him almost as quickly as she looked at him, then walked forward, brushing her shoulder against the ex-Zaibach warrior as she passed. He bowed his head to hear her words. "You will destroy him for me."

Dilandau cocked an eyebrow at her, but she only passed him by, walking in a quick pace out of the room without so much as a goodbye of acknowledgement to the rest of the room. Josceline hesitated near the door, watching Van.

The king took a step forward towards the door, but stopped, turning away, a deeply pained expression on his face. Josceline left the room, falling into step with Hitomi.

ooooooooooooo

Without a word, Hitomi entered her room and promptly knocked at the beauty products off their shelf near her bed onto the floor with a loud clatter and shattering off broken bottles. She staggered, resting against the wall before rushing off to the bathroom to relieve her stomach from the contents of breakfast.

Josceline stood over the mess on the floor, trying to ignore the wrenching noises she was making from the next room over. He was bending over the broken glass, deciding to clean up the mess and just wondering if her bad mood would get worse during her pregnancy when someone knocked on the door. He stood hastily, turning with his hands on his daggers to the doorway he left open.

The king of Fanalia stood there, watching him with a decidedly blank expression on his face. Both men turned towards the bathroom when Hitomi coughed loudly and made a small noise which sounded much like a sob.

The guard bowed the king and moved past him out in to the hallway.

Van entered the room, eyeing the broken bottles and splashed power on the carpets and stone near her bed, stepping around a bottle of overturned perfume which was leaking into the carpet. He was bending to upright it when he froze in the action, Hitomi speaking from the bathroom.

"Josceline..."

Van stepped closer, his heart pounding. She was sick, her voice groggy as she spoke. He heard her get off the floor and run water from the tap, sniffing well she did so.

"I'm sorry... It's just frustrating that I can't do anything for my own country." He could hear her place her hands in the water she had run, the drops falling and splattering over marble. "It makes me feel so useless."

Briefly, Van felt hurt that she was confiding such stuff to her guard where as she hadn't even said a word to him yet since her rescue, but he brushed it off. There was a reason she was acting like that. And now he knew.

"It's like when I first came to Gaea... all I ever did was let people get hurt... let people protect me..." She was crying now, he could hear her soft sobbing, and when he peaked into the bathroom she was leaning over the sink, her head bowed, her hands braced on either side of her.

"None of that was your fault." She looked up in the mirror. He saw her tear stained face, watched as her eyes widened and she suddenly spun around bracing herself against the counter, strands of her hair sticking to the tears running down her face.

Hitomi felt her heart race up as she looked into the mirror, a gasp escaping from her lips as she met with a man with long black hair and cold green eyes, she spun around to face the man she feared, but stopped short, bracing her arms against the cold marble at her elbows as she blinked at Van. She let her breath out quickly, not able to tear her gaze away from his surprised expression.

"Van... you scared me..." Her voice was a pathetic whisper, she knew, but her heart was pounding too hard and fast to get hold of herself.

He looked down at his feet as he took a few more steps into the room, then, head slightly cocked to the side, he looked back up at her. "He hurt you... and now your pregnant." His voice took on a form she hadn't heard for years. Hurt... an unbelievable amount of pain. His eyes sparkled with unshed tears. He was feeling just as useless as she was.

"Van..." She swallowed and turned away, her head clouded. "I had to let him touch me... he would have killed my family."

He made a small noise that sounded like a withheld sob and he turned away, facing the bathtub. "I still love you." His voice was no more then a whisper, but she could hear it in the echoing bathroom.

She pushed herself away from the counter and moved towards him, wrapping her arms around his waist, pulling herself as close to him as possible. She could feel his heart pound through his chest, his breath coming out shaky. He was trembling, but trying to hide it. He tensed when she touched him.

"It's not his baby, Van." She felt him instantly relax in her touch, and she was pushed away by the shoulders so he could look down at her face. He was calculating, questioning, searching for something.

"It's mine?" She nodded. It took a few more seconds before he pulled her close again, not saying a single word as he ran his trembling hands through her hair, brushing away her tears with a thumb, burying his face in her neck, leaving small kisses along her shoulder.

And she clung to him, like he was the only thing she had left. She clung onto him so hard that she didn't even look up when Josceline spoke from just outside the door.

"His Majesty, Dryden is looking for you Van." He did not come into the room.

Van moved his face away from her neck and mumbled something that sounded very much like 'shit' before he pulled away completely, placing a kiss on her forehead before stepping away. She tried to smile for him when he surveyed her, worried for her, but she couldn't find herself able to. She looked to the floor when he left the room, feeling suddenly very empty.

Van strode out of the bathroom, running a hand through his hair with irritation. He stopped next to Josceline, hesitating before he turned to him, his eyes pleading. "Comfort her."

"What?" He blinked in surprise at him, then turned away, blushing. "Don't you think your best for that."

"She needs someone right now."

"What can I do?" His voice was desperate, unsure as he turned towards the bathroom as if a horrible fate awaited him.

"Do what you normally do... it seems to help." He gave Josceline a look that clearly showed his annoyance, then left the room, closing the door behind him.

Josceline sighed and walked carefully over to the bathroom, listening to Hitomi's small sobs coming from the room.

oooooooooooooooo

AN:

Don't worry all Hitomi/Van fans... Josceline doesn't love her, and Hitomi doesn't love Josceline. This will remain a V/H fic till the end.

The next chapter will have more Van/Hitomi scenes... and if you like their bunny-ness (if you know what I mean -wink wink-) you'll like the next chapter. Though it's kind of angsty... but still good and mushy

I'm already thinking of doing a sequel to this story... but I'm not sure if I will or not. It would be a cute little fic about their kids and such and their romantic stuff... I wrote a fanfic about Hitomi and Van's daughter before but it didn't get much readers or reviews so I'm not sure what would happen with the next one. Perhaps I'll post it somewhere else. Input would be good

Reviews please! I love you all!