Hey everyone! Thanks for the encouragement and reviews! They were soooooo nice! More! More! More! Otherwise, how can I keep writing? They were really inspiring though! Anyway…here is the Reviews and Responses section!

R&R

Chocolate-Covered-Coffee-Beans- I updated! I really hope you like this chapter, thanks for your review! And OMG! I LOVE YOUR STORY SWEET SIXTEEN!

Fireangel621- I hope you like this chapter…I love the beginning anyway…

Sammaalnldvaille- OMG! First you review my other story and now…this! You are such a diligent reviewer!

Shadow Glider- I love your review. I love your review. I love your review. Did I just say that I love your review? (By the way, thanks for the compliment!)

Honeypots- lol…

Hitomi21- In tears! I can't believe I'd get such a compliment. Thanks!

BlAcKeSt StAr CaTcHeR- I hope you like this chapter and don't worry! Van'll come to her rescue soon…

Chapter 2: Freedom

A young lady ran on the path. Her shoes making a sharp sound on the concrete. Her hair, blonde and brown, cut short, just brushing her shoulders, she ran with a determination that no one had noticed. Her breath was in tatters and her chest heaved with each take of breath. Twenty four years old and still going she was wearing a light blue shirt and weather worn jeans. She bumped into many people and they gave shouts of surprise and anger but she ignored them. The lady kept on running. Running and running, never stopping, she didn't dare turn her head in case she faltered and slowed.

The wind whistled through her hair and it flew at her eyes with no mercy making them sting. Her emerald eyes starting to water as the wind attacked them and her soft lips were slightly apart to breath. She could hear them, just behind her, always on her heels. Her eyes widened and she pushed herself to go faster than ever. Her legs were a blur and her arms too.She closed her eyes shut as she gave herself one last boost of strength.

"Whoa! Hey!"

She fell onto the rough surface of the path and she quickly turned around, still on the ground and stared up at the man in horror.

His hair was dark black and an untidy mess that forever seemed to be stubbornly like that no matter how many times it was brushed. The emerald eyes trailed down to his eyes to find that they were a dark maroon, deep and mesmerizing. As they fell lower she could see his well-defined nose, sun-kissed lips and the clothes he were wearing showed too much too bear. The man was wearing a black muscle shirt that slightly showed his six packs and he seemed to be wearing dusty blue jeans.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his deep velvety voice penetrating her mind.

She didn't answer. She just…stared.

Suddenly another man came into the scene. Silver hair ruffled as a soft breeze came by and crimson eyes stared down at the lady. A smirk was fitted onto his face and more men came behind the crimson eyed man.

"Hitomi…" smirked Dilandau

Hitomi looked up at him in horror. She slowly crawled back away from the silver haired man. However, the man with the lovely voice glanced back at Hitomi to Dilandau, confused.

"What's happening here?" He asked with a slightly demanding tone to it

Dilandau looked at him and back at Hitomi before smirking again.

"You haven't told him have you…?"

The golden haired beauty looked at Dilandau and the black haired man looked even more confused and kneeled down to Hitomi's level.

"Are you in shock?" asked the man, concerned eyes staring straight into her emerald jewels.

Hitomi looked at him even more terrified and backed away. Dilandau gave an evil laugh, its sound producing a shiver down the lady's back.

"But wait a second, you can't tell him!" continued the crimson eyed man laughing even louder.

Van turned to Dilandau obviously unhappy, a deep frown set on his face.

"Look, I don't know who you are but I'd appreciate it if you moved away, she's scared of you,"

Dilandau nearly choked on his own breath.

"If you didn't know, mister, but, Hitomi's more scared of you," the silver-haired man shot back

Hitomi glanced from man to man. It was strange. To have someone stand up for you and just when Dilandau says 'she's a mute' the strangers would look at her and turn away and let Dilandau take her back thinking maybe she was a lunatic and that the strange silver haired man with blood shot eyes was her, 'Supervisor'. It had been another of her escapades. Hitomi had thought that maybe today would've been her day but it had been just her luck that she ran into someone. It was strange for them to be living in a posh place. The residents would always look down at you if you were deaf, blind or mute. Hitomi sighed.

'Hitomi is too beautiful a name to let someone like him utter it!' Van thought in a sudden rage.

Just the thought of a harmless lady being bullied and harassed by a stronger man seemed to perk up madness in him.

"Don't you know, she's a mute," said Dilandau smirking widely

Hitomi flinched but she held her spot, sitting on the gravel path. She saw the man with the mesmerizing eyes glance at her from the corner of his eyes. She thought that he'd suddenly move away nodding, having a look of disgust on his face but nothing moved. He just stood there in front of her looking at Dilandau coldly.

"Is that supposed to mean something?" Van said icily

Dilandau's smirk froze. The maroon eyed man spun on his heels and pulling Hitomi up he held onto her arm and started to pull her the opposite direction to Dilandau's. Dilandau's face turned into a frown and he started to jog up to them, to catch up but Van wouldn't let him. Holding onto Hitomi tightly Van jerked her into a dark alley turned into another alley, pulled her up somebody's roof and jumped down again before helping Hitomi down. They could both hear Dilandau's shout just behind them but they didn't falter. Van started to pull Hitomi into a run. Running as fast as they both could Van cut a corner and turned sharply.Hitomi did not protest for they had lost Dilandau.

The two had arrived onto a busy road and Van tugged Hitomi into a small cosy café and sat her down. He sat in front of her staring at her features. Hitomi had a sort of dreamy look in her eyes and she was staring at the road. Her hair was slightly messed up because of the wind whipping her hair, her cheeks were flushed and Van couldn't help noticing that her body filled out in all the right places. He shook his head; here he was only noticing the physical feminine body when he hardly knew the girl.

"Are you okay? – I mean, just nod or something," Van said softly

Hitomi was harshly brought back to the real world. She glanced at the man startled. Her fingers seemed to start to be fidgeting and she gave a slight nod before quickly looking up at him with her emerald eyes.

Van took in a deep breath. Her eyes could put shame to any wild field. They were beautiful. Hypnotizing. Bright. And full of emotion.

Van snapped out of his transition when he saw the mute girl mime a pen and paper. Understanding right away hefished around in his pocket and took out a beautifully wrought pen and a piece of crumpled paper. Taking it Hitomi started to write, her flowing handwriting that was starting to seem as if it was pouring onto the piece of paper. Up, down, over and around, curl that, curl this and lift and… dot. Van quickly leaned forward from his seat and took the paper from her grasp.

"Thank you…I'm fine," Hitomi had wrote

Van gave a small grin.

"Hey, no need to thank me, I'm Van,"

Hitomi gave a slight smile, lighting up the whole day even though it was small. Taking the pen lightly in her hand and taking back the piece of paper she started to write.

"Hello…Van…If you don't mind though…I should be going" Hitomi wrote before starting to stand up.

"Wait, Hitomi…" Van said as his eyes glanced at the paper and stood up too

Hitomi sharply turned her head. How was it that he knew her name? Then she remembered Dilandau had slipped her name a while back.

"Well…do you have anywhere to go..? Look I don't mind I mean I'd feel so much better if you lived with my friends…even if you did have an apartment I mean…but you know…maybe..?"

Van turned hopeful eyes towards Hitomi's face. She hesitated.

'I don't have anywhere else to go…' thought Hitomi

She slowly nodded and Van's face lightened up. He started to walk out of the café and beckoned Hitomi to follow. Wondering where he was going to take her she started to follow.

They passed a few parks and a few couples but Hitomi and Van walked on in a comfortable silence. For the first time in her life Hitomi felt free. Alive and not constricted, she was free from Dilandau. The man that held her prisoner in his trashy home from the very day of the death of her parents, Hitomi sighed and shook her head from the thought. It was a long time ago now. It seemed so far away.

Van suddenly stopped in front of a rather posh building. Hitomi started to hesitate entering such a rich place and stopped in her tracks. The dark haired man looked at her before he gave a reassuring smile and taking her wrist firmly in his hands he started to drag her into the building. Hitomi tried to resist shaking her head furiously.

"Don't worry Hitomi…"

Van passed the receptionist lady who gave him a roll of the eyes and he smiled back. The woman looked at Hitomi however and gave her a warm smile before calling out.

"Who's your friend there Van?"

Van glanced up at the receptionist giving her a small grin.

"Hitomi" and Van left it at there and pushed Hitomi into the elevator.

Hitomi struggled and when she finally ripped her wrist away from Van and was just about to run out the doors of the elevator they had closed. She glared at him for bringing her to such a posh place. Hitomi was sure she'd be humiliated. Van just leaned on the walls of the moving transport, his arms crossed casually over his chest with a playful smirk on his face.

"What are you worrying about Hitomi...? Trust me…"

Trust me… The two words echoed through Hitomi's mind and she relaxed. The doors opened and had it not be for Van's firm grip as he stepped forward and catched her, Hitomi would have fallen back from leaning on the doors. They both found themselves in a very awkward position. Hitomi had both her hands placed lightly on his chest and Van had both his hands placed on her hips. Hitomi blushed hotly and pushed herself away before looking in another direction and observed the row of doors.

Van had a slight rose colour before dropping his arms to his side. He hardly knew the woman and already he was holding her in an intimate way. He shook his head and walked past her before going up to the door at the end of the corridor. The door was plain and brown. An average door like all the rest, but what was different was the fact that behind this door…was a few special people who were close to Van's heart.

He knocked once, he knocked twice and he knocked thrice. Nothing happened for a moment and Hitomi stood behind him. The door opened a crack and the most brightest pair of blue eyes peeped out.

"Van?"

The lady behind the door opened the door a bit wider and her features were seen. Long flowing blonde hair that reached to her waist and her face almost looked like it was made from porcelain. The lady's mouth was a bright pink and she wearing an apron. Her mouth tweaked upwards to form a warm smile and she threw open the door.

"Van! Where have you been…Dryden has been so worried!"

Van smiled at her behavior, "Hey Millerna…"

Hitomi sharply gasped. She was so sure that she heard that voice before. Peeking over Van's shoulder Hitomi slowly revealed herself for all to see.

Millerna's eyes widened.

Yay! I'm sooooo sorry for the long update once again. I had like study and everything…well anyway I hope you like this chapter. I really like this chapter anyhow. So review!

Elarai