Author Note: I've read this chapter over and over again, but I can't find out what's wrong with it. Something's just not right, but I can't figure it out. Oh well, if one of you guys know then feel free to tell me. Anyways, in this chapter you'll notice a change over Hilary. I realize this change might be hard to understand because you don't know exactly why Hilary was acting the way she was before. But in this chapter, she gets over it slightly. Though I can tell you it's a false feeling of safety that she receives. On to the reviewer response! I got a couple new readers this chapter. You guys are awesome!!!
Mrs. Sumpter- Thank-you for your review! I would also like to thank you for the compliments. It's true; description is where I write best. I'm not very good with action but oh, well. I do my best! If I was the reader of the fic, me being a big KaixHil fan as well, I would probably take the 'That's it. This is my reason to live.' Part the same way as you. My goodness, I am involved in a lot of things. I have taken piano for 8 years and took up clarinet 3 years ago. I am also involved in 2 choirs, 2 bands (one of them being a rock band) and of course take piano every week. Then all the hobbies I'm involved in have 2 concerts plus all of the extra, last-minute practices. Phew, you can just imagine how busy I was! Anyways, thank-you for wishing me good luck!
Nubia- Thank-you for being so understanding. It's really hard to keep up with school, all my extra-curricular activities and writing a fanfic constantly. Thank-you for the review too!
angel14- I'm glad that you understand and I promise you that I will do the best I can to update as fast as I can. I have a feeling that you will like this chapter. More action and more KaixHil. You rock too! Hope you like this chapter and sorry for not updating in such a long time.
twincharm- Thank-youfor the review and the compliments! I write better detail then action. This plot-line of this story just…called out to me to make it… poetic or detailed. Yes, KaixHilary are one of the best pairings ever, if you ask me! I've read some of your fics before and I love 'em! Hope you like the new chapter!
Kami's Right hand girl- Thank-you for the review and compliment! It's always nice to hear from new reviewers! Hope you like the next chapter.
Hutchy- Good job on completing four of them! I wish you the best of luck on the rest though by now you have took them already. Thank-you for the review and I hope you like the next chapter!
Chibi-Kari- Thanks for the review! I really liked the last chapter too. I like writing about childhood memories. They make me feel all warm inside. Lol, anyways I hope you like the next chapter!
LightningAurora- Thank-you for the review and compliments. I'm glad that you liked the last chapter! It's nice to have people pay enough attention to the story to have them guess at what things mean. I've always enjoyed writing about meaningful things. Of course no one really knows why we are on this earth or why we should live, what the meaning of life is etc. But the last chapter was a little taste of what I think the meaning of life is and I love writing about things that have no right or wrong answer. Anyways, thank-you for the compliments and I hope you like the new chapter!
Random reviewer- You scared me for a sec. I thought you wouldn't be reviewing the last chapter at all. You and Lightning Aurora reviewed so late and I look forward to hearing your opinions for each chapter. Anyways, I like your theme song. Good luck with working on it! Kai is there…well I was originally planning to add why he was there, but…I didn't. He was just…um…walking and bumped into Hilary. Actually he was worried about her so he followed her there against his own will. Yes, I do try to do my best with chapters. I write as fast as my brain can come up with anything half-good. Anyways, the plot-line is kinda hard to figure out but I will be giving you clues in a few chapters. Then you can guess and I'm sure you'll guess right before the end of the story. Your guess so far is…well wrong, but right in a small way. Keep guessing and I hope you like the next chapter. Thanks for reviewing!
CyberWarriorRose- Thank-you for reviewing and I'm glad you like my story. Sorry 'bout the wait for the next chapter and I hope you like it anywyas!
Phew, lot's of typing. Anyways, here's the next chapter since I can't think of anything more to say!
Heaven's Call
Run of Freedom…
Right in front of you.
Right in front of me.
We were looking but somehow,
Someway we couldn't see…
Nothing in Kai's eyes seemed to be accusing or making fun of her. In fact, Kai's unwavering gaze was nothing. Just a neutral look as if she wasn't laying in grass laughing to herself. As she returned his stare her eye caught the flicker of curiosity in his crimson depths. But as quickly as it came it was gone again. Her cheeks faintly turning red she raised herself on her elbows and pushed herself the rest of the way off the ground.
"Um…hi Kai…"
She waited in expectancy for the feeling of everlasting misery to come back. The hollow hole that was now always filling the middle of her stomach, preying on her hopes and dreams. But it didn't come. When she sat up in that cradle of downy grass, with soft, white dandelion seeds falling gently around her she felt empty, but at ease. Her laughter started again and she desperately tried to control it.
"…Sorry…" Hilary's lame attempt at keeping quiet made her laugh even harder. Giddiness welled up inside her and for the first time in ages she felt happy. Happier than ever before. She felt like dancing-no! Flying! She wanted to soar over mountains and touch the stars that grace our skies with their beauty. Her laughter spilled out in gales sharing with the world her joy.
Kai's expression had quickly turned from neutral to one of disbelief. He stood in silence and watched the laughing girl swing around in circles in front of him. To him, it was if she was happy for the first time. Exactly like a child on Christmas. It was enchanting to watch. Finally she stopped and fell, still giggling slightly to the ground. Her ruby orbs flashed in the failing sunlight and the grasses rustled softly in a slight breeze.
As Hilary caught her breath in the soft bed of grass she watched Kai out of the corner of her eye. His expression was so un-Kai-like that she almost started laughing again. But, to her surprise she felt no embarrassment this time. She felt too much joy, as she was free from her misery. True, there would still be pain, though for now she was free!
Kai stood and mused at how strange the girl in front of him was. Hilary's moods changed so quickly. First she acted as if someone had died and the world was falling apart at the seams and the next moment you find her dancing around a park like a maniac, oblivious to the curious stares people are giving her. Despite the joyous behavior, grief still hung thick in the air. Kai could sense it with every move Hilary made, as if she had just recovered from a very grave injury. Something in the depths of her eyes hinted that the real pain was still to come.
Very suddenly the girl in question jumped up. Her eyes flashed with excitement and she practically pranced over to him.
"Kai. Come with me!"
And before a protest could exit his mouth she had grabbed his hand and started to run. Feet tripping with the shock of being pulled along, at such an astounding rate for this fragile girl, he managed to stay upright until she again reached the top of the hill he had first seen her on. Fingers intertwined, vibrations of excitement bolted through one, while the other remained calm and emotionless.
Hilary's eyes took in the beauty of the blood red sunset. The deeper crimson bottom melded with clouds and gave off an eerie feeling. Trees and structures that got in the way of the sun's final rays were made black, transforming the elegant scenery to look like nothing more than dark silhouettes in a play. Even with her eyes closed, Hilary could still clearly imagine the scene before her. Sunsets remind of something ending, something forgotten. But sunsets never go away. Early the next morning, you will catch the sparkling morning rays, reflecting crystallized light and bringing with it another day, and another sunset.
Kai watched the girl beside him with passionate interest. Slowly, her smile faded into an expression of serenity. Full, lush lips were drawn into a solemn line, though still remained slightly pursed, as though their owner was thinking hard. Brilliantly chocolate hair cascaded down her back. Her brows knitted into a tight knot of concentration and a warm south wind blew. The girl's arms outstretched straight and her fingertips faced the heavens. She looked poised on the tip of flight. The wind spiraled around her bringing with it souvenirs from places beyond, soft feathers from the downy coats of ducks and brightly colored leaves. Finally the wind ceased and with it brought a faint feeling of sadness for Kai. The feeling as though the girl in front of him really was going to fly but the wind had stopped too soon and her chance was now gone.
Her bright, starry eyes opened and her lashes blinked slowly as if realizing where she was for the first time. A small, sad smile crept over her lips and her eyes again analyzed the sunset once again. Kai sighed with a feeling he did not know to name and she turned to look at him. Her smile instantly bloomed into a beam and she opened her mouth to speak.
"Have you ever just ran? Ran just for the freedom? To be wild and to laugh?" her tone was one of frenzied excitement, held in by the bonding of self-control. Intensity was building somewhere and you could feel the tension building under Hilary's limbs, like lightning waiting to strike. Kai blinked and his mind went blank at the immaturity of the question. Never had he ever heard such a foolish question.
Who runs just for fun?
"No, of course not. Who does?"
Her immediate frown of disapproval, told him that he had said the wrong thing. The spark of joy, hidden deep in her ruby orbs, went out and she again wore the same expression as she had when he had first seen her on the hill. Suddenly, everything that had seemed beautiful before faded into an ugly gray and didn't sparkle anymore. Just because this girl in front of him didn't feel any joy. His mind lurched.
The world comes to a crashing halt just because I made her unhappy...?
"You mean you never done something, anything for fun?" Her eyes still missed the spark of life she had seemingly just discovered.
"I don't do things for fun." Kai stated firmly and without emotion. But he instantly knew that he had said another wrong thing. He had hesitated for just a nanosecond before answering and in that nanosecond Hilary had regained her hope. Her eyes were again lit with a flame of passion for life.
She laughed. Musically, tinkling like water and full of bubbling happiness. Then she spoke and in those words his fate was sealed. He was lost in her world of the fascination of being a child.
"Well, then you need to!" And she latched onto his wrist and jumped as high and far as she could down the hill. In the brief moment of mid-jump she looked as if an angel to Kai, his savior and window to a world he had never experienced before. Then she hit the ground and her beautiful laugh erupted again. Grasses were crushed and clods of dirt were thrown in the air as she started to roll as fast as she could down the hill. It would have been beautiful to watch if he had not been at that moment pulled to the ground himself and forced to go rolling down after her.
He was immediately aware of being extremely itchy because of stray pieces of grass stuck in his shirt and collected many bruises from the uneven, dirty ground. A muffled yell escaped his throat as he tumbled ungracefully but exhilaration filled his lungs and called to him for more. Inside, he wanted to run until he was gasping for breath and his muscles were begging to stop. His eyes opened and a small smile bloomed on his mouth. But through the glimpses of olive green grass, ground, and fading blue sky he was made aware of an extremely large rock, sitting like a huge ogre, in is path to the bottom of the hill. Eyes wide with sudden realization, his breath was forced out of his lungs as his body slammed into it with harsh force. Instantly he was paralyzed with pain from head to toe. A small voice inside his head laughed darkly.
This is what happens when you do things for fun.
Kai groaned and rolled over; the only thing running through his head was the small voice and the sounds of soft grasses rustling like the whispering of mother to her child. Then, Hilary was by his side, cooing with pity. Her soft touch coaxed his body into movement once again and the pain receded. Her newly discovered smile was worth the pain. She knelt over him and laid her head on his chest.
"Wasn't that fun?"
His crimson eyes regarded her in silence for a moment before laying his head back down to the soft cradle of grass, like a pillow under his head, once more.
"I dunno. It didn't feel like fun to me."
Then a soft laugh, like tinkling music, flowing in molten silver. Her face turned so her cheek was against his chest, right over his heartbeat and her eyes watched the glorious golden sunset with laughter in them.
"Then let's do it again."
He looked up surprised. Her eyes still watched the sunset as if with fascination. The stinging fire of pain in his bones had faded now and he raised himself on his elbows to get a better look at her. Hilary's eyes then moved to match his in stare for stare and she leaned forward. Right past his raised brows and wide eyes. She leaned and stopped only when her lips were just inches from his ear. Flowing, chocolate locks brushed against his skin and despite himself his heartbeat picked up. Beating faster and faster. Her lips opened and she huskily whispered.
"Tag. You're it."
Then the stillness of the evening was rewarded with her beautiful laughter and her hands reached out and pushed him back down playfully. She turned, brunette locks flying, and raced to the nearest grass field swaying and shining like a green sea in the wind. Kai's heartbeat picked up even more, but not from erotic excitement instead with the call of a challenge. A smile again consumed his lips and he jumped up, despite the dull, leftover feeling of pain. She ran as if in slow motion, heels flying, delicately choosing her way among the twisted roots of trees. Gracefully, as if in a dance. Her smile lit the way for the raw feeling of joy inside of him that he was experiencing anew. A soft dandelion fuzz blew it's way across his cheek, tickling with it's soft downy as he fondly watched the girl before the challenge again called to him and he was off, running and leaping over small mounds of dirt and roots.
Laughter danced in the evening, brought alive by the spirit of being young. It spun like gold thread, spinning yarns of joy into the ever-twisted pattern of the two teens miserable lives. Broken memories stirred in each youth's mind, but all was forgotten in this moment of pure happiness, bliss. Being a child meant having no responsibilities and soaring unbound, unchecked, using the world as your playground. Both teens understood the feeling. Maybe the last feeling of pure, innocent joy they would ever feel. If it was, they were not going to let that moment go to waste and their immature games spun a complicated web of might have beens for the length of the evening.
Author Note: I once wrote a story all about the fascination of being a child. Can you tell? I am being yelled at to get off the computer so this note is short! I promised the KaixHil part would come up next and it did. It will last for 2 to 3 chapters maybe more. Anyways, R&R, I always love hearing your opinions!