Act 3, Chapter 8:

Nodding proudly to affirm the arrangement, Celena asked them if they wanted anything else and when it seemed like everybody was content with just drinks, the young woman left to tend to another table.

Van then directed his attention back to Dryden. "Sorry but you've got the wrong guy." Dryden was about to disagree, readjusting his spectacles, but Van had already gotten up from his chair and was straightening his uniform jacket. "I apologize for any inconveniences and would also like to thank you for your help back at the pool. I don't know what I would have done to Miss Kanzaki if it hadn't been for you."

So many words. Van didn't know where they were all coming from, nor why he was referring to Hitomi in a formal manner that discredited pretty much everything they had been through together. What mental strength reserves had he suddenly tapped into that bestowed upon him such mad attempts towards dignity, composure, and…foolishness? Maybe his brother's words? Perhaps, but only that couldn't explain everything. No matter what, he had to take advantage of whatever this was and extract himself from this overwhelming situation.

Van had avoided looking at Hitomi's face for precisely one reason. Because she could, in just a few heartbeats, easily break through his many layers of self-loathe. She had the gift, or more like the curse, to see right through him and probably wasn't even aware of it. Before he knew it, he was halfway across the square, dodging passersby and making sure to avoid throngs of reporters who were lobbing onto other uniformed people who were more willing to share their story.

"Van, please wait!" Hitomi's voice reached for him once more through the crowd. Her hand wrapped around his wrist but slipped away as soon as he turned around, a bit startled. This day had been emotionally overwhelming for him already and surely Dryden's proposition, as well as Celena's words, only added to that.

When he faced her, Hitomi found herself in complete and utter disbelief over the genuine, kind smile she saw on Van's face. Despite everything, he seemed more in control of himself than she had anticipated. She had expected anything but that. What was suddenly going on?

"Hitomi. Please don't waste your time with me. I'm not entitled to claim any more of your time and kindness. Go and focus on being happy again. You deserve it so much." He spoke with a genuine intonation. After that, he turned and quickly disappeared into the crowd.

Hitomi couldn't bring herself to follow him again. What exactly was she supposed to say? She wasn't even sure what she was feeling, except for dire emotional strife in the form of a weird pang bouncing back and forth between her head and chest.

Just in time, Van blended in with the mass of people again. Just in time to hide the grim scowl his previously friendly facial expression finally began to turn into when it dawned on him what he had done. His heart already scolded him for being an idiot. An idiot who was willingly withholding himself from the best thing that had happened to him in years. Even after his commanding officer had precisely told him to not do that.

His conscience, still disconnected from this emotional predicament, was pleased - ever the guiding force behind most decisions since the accident. Although, that was beginning to change in certain moments, namely when he was in Hitomi's orbit. If only he was more worthy of her gift, less damaged inside and out from this whole nightmare.

Working more on forgiving himself was one thing but demanding the state of happiness Hitomi could offer him would be an entirely different affair. His desire to be near her was undeniable but he would likely only fail her somehow in the end. He wasn't ready for this after all. Not while he was still in disagreement with himself about certain matters, and the same was true for her too.

Hitomi's head, contrary to what she had anticipated, was devoid of most thoughts. She still stood in the busy square and if a camera had slowly zoomed out of the area, one could have seen the flow of people pass around her as the only unmoving person amongst the steady stream of bodies.

While Hitomi's head was blissfully free, her heart felt funny. It was weird because Van's words had not been the least bit egoistic or cruel. Something like that would have maybe compelled her to become angry. On the contrary, he genuinely appeared to want her to be happy but what if him being egoistic about her would have been the one thing to make her happy?

Too many possibilities were making her own head spin and she couldn't convince herself to be mad at him for that. Her legs finally moved and she began to walk as if on autopilot, trudging across the square slowly. Unfortunately, the much-needed urge to confront Van was quickly suppressed by her subconscious which was still not certain that ignoring these feelings instead of sorting them out was beginning to be more harmful than beneficial.


That same evening on the front porch of the Fanel residence, Van lifted the necklace from around his neck, dislodged the pink pendant from its setting and, quite unceremoniously, dropped it on the floor. He only regarded it for a moment before bringing the heel of his mechanical leg down as hard as he could, effectively cracking the small thing.

The feeling that accompanied this action was indescribable. It was as if he could finally breathe freely again after restlessly searching for a way out of a confining cage. He had known it was the right thing to do after hearing his brother's words in the memory hologram, after seeing Eriya's face and especially when witnessing their determination. What Folken wanted for him was to move on and to move on, this was the first step.

Van's eyes itched a bit while he could feel the program connected to the small, no-longer pink storage device slowly deteriorate on his retina, the overlay dissolving automatically as it went. At least it worked exactly like they had described in training. In case of capture by the enemy, the device and every evidence of how it functioned needed to be destroyed.

What lay before Van on the ground was now merely a slightly cracked, grey pebble and when he picked it up and flung it down onto the walkway by the house, it blended in with the gravel seamlessly. Not a minute later, his sister appeared behind him.

"Did you drop something?" Merle asked him curiously. "I was in the kitchen and heard a loud noise."

"No," Van faced his sister and looked at her with rich, chocolate brown eyes, "I just discharged myself from the military. Looks like I'll be officially unemployed starting tomorrow."

Merle squealed unabashedly at the sound of his words and threw her arms around him in a fierce hug. "I'm so happy Van!" She leaned back to scan his face and her gaze finally rested on a pair of eyes she hadn't seen since they were little. She had her beloved brother back, fully and completely.

Van responded to her enthusiasm with a warm smile. "I could use your help writing that last piece of comm to make it official if you don't mind."

Merle beamed at him. It had been forever and a day since her older brother had asked for her help with, well, anything. "You bet I will help! Let's do it right now," she sang and took a hold of his hand, pulling him along to his room where the laptop was stored away.

It was on a regular weekday morning a few days later when a stranger rang the doorbell of the Fanel residence. Van opened the front door a bit wearily but relaxed when the short-haired, blonde guy across from him shot him an eager smile.

"Good day! I'm looking for Van Fanel. Can I assume that I just found him?" The man greeted Van.

"Sure can," Van answered. "How may I help?"

The guy grinned even more, causing his eyes to narrow to a squint. "So pleased to meet you." He extended a hand to shake Van's." My name is Kaz and I work for Dryden Fassa."

Handshake done and out of the way, Van folded his arms across his chest. "I see, and what does Dryden Fassa want?"

"Well, it's not actually just Dryden Fassa who wants something," the taller guy answered a bit vaguely. "I know this is a bit unconventional but would you mind coming with me? I'd like to show you something and I promise that you will like it." The man finished ominously.

"That so?" Van inquired with a raised eyebrow.

"Definitely!" The man affirmed eagerly, the toothy grin and the way his eyes lit up strangely endearing.

"Alright." Van couldn't deny that he was a bit intrigued. He had expected Dryden to give up after Van had deliberately ignored every single one of his phone calls in the past days. Even when he got Chid to leave messages in a pleading, innocent voice clearly intended to cajole him into reconsidering their offer. They were persistent, he had to give them that.

Obviously, they were moving on to the big guns now. Quite literally actually, as the older man across from him wasn't exactly on the scrawny side, almost a head taller than Van and rather muscular looking.

The drive wasn't long and Kaz didn't offer any more information while Van, not the inquisitive type to begin with, remained quiet. His interest was piqued when they pulled into the parking lot of a large building. It clearly had a historic main structure in the middle but the addition on the side, large and mostly built with a lot of steel and glass, was very new.

There was a rectangular, wide sign at the front entrance. The top part of it was blank while the wording on the bottom read 'An organization providing help to those who proudly fought'.

"Dryden's still looking for the perfect name," Kaz explained to Van while they exited the vehicle. "…and for someone to run it."

Van rolled his eyes a bit at the hint Kaz had dropped. "I know…"

"Come on, let me give you a tour," the blonde man offered eagerly.

Van simply nodded as he followed Kaz through a set of heavy oak doors. He did care about his brothers and sisters in arms and supposed that he at least owed it to them to check out this place.

The hallways were lined with paintings and photographs. Not of historic battles or portraits of commanders like in buildings on military installations but images like lush landscapes and beautiful ships sailing the seas. They moved through the old part of the building first, then took a right into a hallway which lead them towards the large glass structure Van had seen from the parking lot.

"Behind us is the administrative building but this one here is my fave. It's the recreational complex," Kaz explained with no small measure of excitement and pride.

"I see," Van answered, looking outside through the transparent wall to check out the large lap pool where some people were gathered, swimming or relaxing in the sun.

Van wasn't prepared for what lay behind the doors they went through after that. An impressive collection of workout equipment was spread out across the vast space before them. Several people were busy here, working out and encouraging each other every now and again with loud chants. It didn't take long for some of them to notice the two newcomers.

"Yo, Kaz! That handsome fella the chosen one?" A voice from the side asked.

Van followed it to see a guy with dark blue hair in a wheelchair approach them. He, too, looked like he had been working out, dressed in a pair of sweatpants and a performance shirt.

"Sho is!" Kaz replied eagerly. "Van, this is Gaddes. A bullet hit and cracked his back way at the beginning of the war but it didn't break his corny humor."

Gaddes offered his hand to Van and he accepted it. "Honored to meet you, Van!"

They had drawn the attention of some other people by now which were slowly making their way up to the three men.

A fairly skinny, short guy with messy, brown hair came over to them and threw a salute. "Is that him? Chief Fanel, it's an honor to meet you."

"Chill out Reeden, don't want to scare him away...and drop the rank. We ain't in the military no more." Kaz said as he gently took the man's wrist and nudged it away from the side of his head.

"Oh. My bad." Reeden laughed while staring at a spot on the wall between Van and Kaz.

Van had to do a double take before he noticed it. The guy was blind.

"You probably already guessed it. Reeden can't see anymore. He was blinded by a flash grenade. Still got a brilliant brain though. He works for IT. Engineered himself this fancy contraption that lets him use voice commands and whatnot. As you can see, everybody here is a former soldier. If it wasn't for Fassa, we'd still be scrounging for jobs long after the war." Gaddess explained. "I work in PR and Kaz is talented in other ways. He...well, he gets shit done."

The blonde man shot his buddy a bit of an evil glare in response to the lackluster, official introduction. In the meantime, more people had started to approach them. Some walked on canes or crutches while others had injuries which couldn't be so easily seen but they all had this one thing in common. They had all fought together for the allied kingdoms at some point.

"Hello. I'm Kio." A deep voice from behind Van accompanied the heavy hand that settled itself on his shoulder. How familiar that gesture felt but this time, Van was less in need of its calming effect.

When Van turned, he came face to face with a giant - and he had thought Kaz was big. The man named Kio shook his hand almost a bit too timidly for a guy his size.

"Ah yes, our gentle giant from accounting," Reeden stated. "Good old Kio has probably had the toughest time of all of us. His scars aren't visible to the eye."

Kio's face reflected underlying sadness as he nodded. "Still dream about it a lot. My battle buddy, Teo, saved my life while losing his in the process. Threw himself on top of an energist grenade to catch the brunt of the explosion." The big man's eyes darted around nervously while he talked, as if re-living the scene right then and there.

Gaddess spoke up again. "It's not easy talking about things like that to civilians but this is a judgment free, safe environment full of people who went through the same things and understand without feeling the need to ask uncomfortable questions."

"Okay fine. I see what this is. This is a ploy right?" Van sighed. "A ploy to make me change my mind."

The guys looked at each other, obviously communicating non-verbally for a second.

"Afraid so." Gaddess grinned eventually.

Dryden was a sly fox. He already had everything in place when Van came to see him in the older part of the building complex. He even had Van's name engraved on a small plaque, mounted next to the door. That conneving smooth-talker. Conneving was the perfect word for Dryden. It combined conniving and scheming. Two terms which described him through and through. In the best way possible though.

"We'll call it Vision for Vets," Van announced after letting himself into the office and without even greeting Dryden who was buried in a pile of papers and looked a bit overworked. Attempting to run two organizations appeared to be taking a toll on the usually composed businessman.

"Perfect," the brown-haired man grinned at Van, eyes sparkling behind his trademark spectacles and not the least bit surprised to see him.

Damn. Damn. Damn. What had he just agreed to? The momentary lapse of good judgment brought forth by this extremely convincing display of camaraderie had made Van reconsider but now, on the way home where he had more time to mull the decision over again, dread was setting in.

This was going to be a whole new level of responsibility. Van had no experience running anything except his thoughtless mouth.

If it wasn't for Folken's memory, Van would have never been able to gather enough strength to pursue this new venture. It wasn't just Folken, Balgus, and the twins which he had to thank for this. It was also due to a certain young woman that he finally was beginning to be brave again.

Nearly two weeks later, Van stared at the picture of the Paragon squad on his desk like so often after he had taken it to the office. It was the first thing he had brought there with him. The photograph didn't deserve to collect dust on his bookshelf any longer and was the most treasured piece of decoration on his desk at the organization's headquarters.

After looking at it from his sitting position in the office chair, Van rose and a bit absentmindedly rubbed his lower back while shifting his gaze back to Kio and Gaddess who had been talking about proposals from more businesses who wanted to get in on sponsoring their cause.

The organization was on its way to becoming a massive success. Due to the more than generous financial aid of Meiden's and some other big name businesses who had joined not shortly after, The Vision, as many called it, had been able to quickly establish a network of medical treatment providers, job assistance, training, and recreational and rehabilitation opportunities for those having served in any war.

The building was buzzing every day with former soldiers who worked for the organization or enjoyed some free time in the facilities there.

"I told you about a thousand times already Van," Reeden scolded him upon noting the other man's mental absence. "You seriously need to consider using the services we are offering for their intended purpose too. We exist for the sole reason of aiding wounded vets with whatever they need help with. You clearly need the medical attention. Dryden keeps pushing me to remind you about it."

"Yeah, I know…" Van confirmed and nodded his head lightly. He once again stared at the picture, specifically focusing on his brother's face. If Folken were here, he wouldn't take no for an answer. His little brother's wellbeing had not only been important to him, he had died for it.

"I'll do it." Van said.

"Finally!" Even Kio verbalized his elation in an uncharacteristic way upon hearing Van's decision.

"That's what I'm talking about! Could tell Gaddess to put it in the newsletter, announcing that our very own figurehead is finally going to be grade A meat again soon. Err well, close to anyway." Reeden corrected himself while grinning sheepishly.

"Like hell you will." Van narrowed his eyes. "This doesn't need to be an announcement. I mean it."

"You're the boss," Reeden shrugged before both men finally moved to leave his office. "I suppose everybody will see it anyway when we host the benefit run and you sport a pair of sexy, short running shorts."

Van could only shake his head at the man's remark while stifling a chuckle. As quirky as these guys were, they had greatly contributed to his sanity and continuously improving mental condition. Who knew that being gently forced into this gig, to see how other people successfully dealt with their own past, could be so rehabilitational.


A few weeks had already passed since they last saw each other. The last time being the day Van had encouraged Hitomi to find happiness with somebody else. A half-hearted attempt to avoid possibly hurting her in the future. Right now, however, wasn't the time to think or give him a hard time about it. Right now, he was in the intensive care unit after undergoing a procedure to receive a new mechanical prosthetic.

Even Van's dark skin looked a bit pale against the crisp, white hospital bed sheets. The only thing that still stood out clearly was his ebony hair, sticking out in all kinds of angles from being moved around on stretchers and tables before.

Once again, it was Dr. Yurizen who had let Hitomi in on this event in Van's life by dropping a hint early this morning when she passed his office. She couldn't really blame him this time. Medical stuff was private and it would have been odd to call her after everything, just tell her this was going to happen. From what she had previously read in the newspapers and been told during the occasional phone conversation with Millerna, he was running the veteran's organization quite well.

Millerna and her had remained somewhat close ever since the day they met, their chats long since covering more than just mental health and transcending into topics of other nature. Sometimes, the blonde physician still tried to inquire about Hitomi's feelings in regards to Van but she quickly realized that it had become a difficult subject to discuss. The young woman's mind, as of now, remained a turmoil of sorts.

When Van slowly cracked open his eyes in the recovery room, the first thing Hitomi noticed was that they were no longer garnet red but instead a rich, chocolate brown. He still looked fairly out of it although his pupils widened a bit when he focused on her familiar features and an expression of recognition immediately appeared on his face.

"Hey," he mumbled. If he was surprised to see her right by his side yet again, he didn't or wasn't able to show it.

"Hey." Hitomi smiled, not concerned about anything but his wellbeing at the moment.

"The procedure was a great success." Dr. Yurizen's large form, still clad in scrubs and a white lab coat appeared behind Hitomi.

Van then also noticed that someone was holding his hand. That someone being his sister, of course. A grin so wide it almost split her face in half was plastered on her face and her ears were perked to the max. "Van! Oh my goodness, you need to see it! It looks so sleek!" She exclaimed excitedly, very true to her nature and not beating around the bush while pointing at the shape of his right leg under the covers.

Still groggy, Van pulled the blanket aside a bit and stared at the new mechanical leg. No longer scuffed and rough looking, but sleek and light was it. It looked to be less complicated in fabrication and more refined than the old one. A truly beautiful work of Ispano technology, just like the Escaflowne had been. Supposedly, he would even regain something like a touch-sensation and be able to feel again after his nerves began to re-vitalize through the biologically engineered connection to the remaining tissue.

It responded perfectly when he carefully tested the knee joint, bending it a bit and rotating the artificial ankle. "Wow." Was all he managed to say.

"I don't even see cause to keep you longer than overnight." Dr. Yurizen said. "Just take it easy for a few hours. Sleep off the rest of the anesthesia and then beat it. I don't want to ever see you here again," he added almost jokingly.

"Yes, sir." Van slurred.

Dr. Yurizen lifted a bushy eyebrow at the sound of that. "I already told you. Don't…"

"…call me that anymore." Van finished for him with some effort.

"You got it." Dr. Yurizen's mustache quivered briefly before he turned and left the room, one hand raised as a goodbye.

Merle was so overjoyed Van couldn't help but focus his attention on her again. Hitomi smiled a bit, taking a step away from the bed. He deserved to be well finally and this was not contingent on her own state of mind. While the siblings were engrossed in a conversation which, due to Van's slightly delirious state, was heavily dominated by the pink-haired neko, Hitomi left the room.

It took her the rest of her shift to come to a decision about her own future. The locker room was already empty and the thoughts in her head had slowed her actions to a snail's pace while changing. When she walked down the hallway towards the area in the hospital which housed the after-surgery patients, the door was already locked for the night, visiting hours having ended long ago.

Hitomi punched a code into the panel next to it and the door's mechanism clicked open. A perk of working here. She could slightly bend the rules in her favor. Van didn't look to be asleep when Hitomi snuck into his room down the hall, his eyes already open when she quietly snuck inside.

"Shouldn't you be sleeping off the rest of those drugs?" Hitomi asked him quietly.

"Can't," Van replied a bit incoherently, raising one hand to wipe his tired-looking face. "The smell in this place is waking old memories and my new leg is itching."

Hitomi's eyes widened in wonder. "Already? That's amazing."

"Depends on the point of view I guess," Van responded. "Scientifically amazing but personally a bit frustrating."

Hitomi nodded in agreement but with pursed lips. What she was going to do wouldn't be exactly easy for her. "I've been meaning to give these back to you," she said while digging around her messenger bag and finally retrieved Van's motorcycle gloves. "Been carrying them around for weeks."

"I'd completely forgotten. Thanks..." Van offered her a light smile while Hitomi deposited them on the metal hospital nightstand next to his bed.

A brief moment of silence stretched into a whole minute. There were many things Van wanted to say but he had resolved himself to not do it. It would only make everything more difficult for both of them. Instead, he said something else. "Thank you for everything you've done for me, Hitomi. I won't ever forget it. Thank you for your kindness and for being truly you." He was still mumbling but not to the point where she couldn't hear him.

Hitomi's throat was tightening more and more with each of his words. Was she selfless enough to be able to proceed and ignore her own feelings? Really?

"You're welcome," she whispered because her voice failed her.

She was. The worst part about it being that she still couldn't be mad at Van for...for…wanting to protect her from himself?

"Guess I'll see you around," Hitomi said with a sound of resolve covering up her own insecurity about the subject.

She didn't want to wait for Van's response, didn't want to wait for a desperate attempt to keep the conversation afloat. Instead, she turned away and softly traced her fingertips down the inside of his lower arm and open palm which was resting on top of the sheets before quietly slipping out the door.

Van could only stare at her disappearing form while biting his tongue to keep himself from calling her back to him. It was for the best. She would forget about him soon and he would move on to continue working for the good of his comrades, forgetting about the longing inside of him.

The tingle Hitomi's touch had created on his skin finally distracted him from the buzzing feeling in his artificial leg. It was comforting and lingered just long enough to finally put him to sleep. Funny, he thought while that was happening. She was doing him a whole lot of good yet again without even being here anymore.


Hitomi ended up being glad to have phoned Yukari a few days ago to finally pour out her heart about what else had happened with Van, especially at the court building.

"He did not say that." The redhead exclaimed from the other end of the line.

Hitomi sighed and a response wasn't necessary.

"I knew he'd hurt you one way or the other!" Yukari scoffed. "Now where is that shovel…," she trailed off.

"Yukari, it's… it's fine. I know why he did it. Van is right. I…don't know if I can do this…" Hitomi admitted. "I'm so scared to let anyone get close to me still."

Based on her previous comments about Van, Yukari's following calm, collected words surprised her. "Hitomi, you know I love to hate this guy, well…not hate but be errr... skeptical about his intentions when it comes to you but I'm also telling you this. If you can love the man who was wrong for you, meaning Amano, so much it still paralyzes you with fear because he left, just try to imagine how much you could love the man who is right for you."

Hitomi remained silent to let Yukari elaborate.

"I'm not saying it's this Fanel guy. It could be somebody else but you need to finally open yourself to the possibility again. You need to give yourself that chance."

Hitomi sighed once more. She seemed to do that a lot lately. "I'll think about it. I really will, Yukari. Thank you for being honest with me."


Only a few days later, Van was back in his chair at the office but mentally in a faraway place. Sure, he was now functioning so well he barely even remembered his right leg was artificial but his mind was as plagued as ever. Would this ever end?

The matter with Hitomi weighed heavily on him. Contrary to what he had hoped it was as if he was floating in a sort of emotional limbo with his thoughts not wanting to rest and his heart refusing to let go. Although they had parted on friendly terms, it was undetermined yet as to what would happen now. Were they still friends at least?

It felt weird to imagine that when he precisely knew that he wanted so much more. However, he also wasn't sure whether Hitomi was over what was holding her back either. He had hoped that a less broken man would be able to provide whatever she needed. A man who wasn't marked by war and haunted by the ghosts of his past. He had already taken so much from her and it just wouldn't do to selfishly satisfy his own needs through her healing presence.

It was quite incomprehensible really, how much just the sight of her was able to calm him after only a short while. How her strong-willed mind and entire personality had slowly, layer by layer, brought forth his true self again. Granted, it was a bit marred and shaken but due to her ground work and with more time, he would become as good a man as he could again. Just, something kept nagging on the back of his mind. Something that was still missing.

Merle had told him he was beginning to overdo it a bit, spending more effort on making sure his comrades were helped instead of caring for himself. Was he doing it to keep repenting for something he was not to blame for in the first place? Perhaps, but it also gave him a sense of purpose again, a sense of pride and fulfillment. Maybe Dryden and Chid hadn't been wrong after all. He was beginning to enjoy being a leader.

Of course, The Vision's success was not only due to Van's gradually developing organizational leadership skills but also due to the wonderful team surrounding him. At first, the idea of hosting a charity run had been a bit daunting, but Vision for Vets needed a formal debut. What better to do than to involve the public?

This was how the idea had first taken shape before his procedure the previous month. There was a lot to organize but thanks to the tireless efforts of everybody, they were already in the finishing stages. A few more details that would still need attention came to Van's mind so he jotted them on his notepad before departing for the day.

They still needed a few officials and one of the ladies in accounting had mentioned having ties to some sort of celebrity who could possibly be persuaded to make an appearance or hand out medals. One or two banners still needed to be sent from new sponsors who had wanted to participate last minute but other than that, everything seemed to be running smoothly.

It made Van smile inside his motorcycle helmet on the way home. His motorcycle was one of the things he had been very firm on keeping. There was no reason to spend money on a car when the white bike was in excellent working condition. In some way, it gave him an excuse to partly be the Van from before. This wild side of him would likely never change.

One other thing which would also never change was his sister's blunt honesty. Van was freshly reminded of it later that evening.

"Merle, I can't just invite her to this out of the blue. It's weird. We haven't talked since I got out of the hospital and I'm not even sure if we are even friends now." Van shrugged in frustration while toweling off a wet dinner plate she had handed him from her position at the sink.

"Nonsense!" Merle waved the wet scrubbie around to emphasize her point. "She's a caring person and would be proud of what's been done so far. It's not just about you after all. I bet she'd want to see what everyone there has accomplished," his sister stated without missing a beat. "I'm sure she has seen at least one of the segments on the news about it. They keep mentioning it to increase awareness. There's no way she doesn't know about the event."

Merle wasn't wrong. The race was being advertised in the local news. All of Palas would have seen it by now. Hitomi would have seen it by now. Van found himself wondering what she could be doing at the moment.

"Why do you want me to talk to her so badly anyway?" Van questioned his sister's passion about the matter.

"Because of the way you look at each other. Especially that time at the clinic where she dropped an entire stack of papers when she saw your shaved face. Besides, Eriya told me back at the hospital already what was going on. You're in love with that woman. So why are you not doing something about it?" His sister visibly enjoyed dropping that knowledge bomb on him.

Van could only rub the bridge of his nose in response. She really was too observational for her own good sometimes. At least, there was another week to mull this over still.


Hitomi picked up her apartment phone after the second ring.

"Hello?"

"Good afternoon, Hitomi. It's Allen."

It had been a while since the exchange with Celena so Hitomi hadn't expected him to really call anymore. "Oh, hey Allen. What's up?" Hitomi asked him as casually as possible. Of course, she knew what was up.

Only a brief moment of silence passed before Allen answered. " Well, I was wondering if you had any plans this Saturday." His smooth voice emanated the same level of confidence he displayed every time he was talking about work related subjects.

"There is a lantern art installation in the second district and if you're not busy, I'd like to take you there to see it, after that we could go for a nice dinner."

Hitomi closed her eyes and took time for a calm inhale. Allen was a good man. He had never given her cause for heartache or worries, always been fair and respectful. Allen, no doubt, would treat her well. Like Van had said, he seemed like a good man but was that enough? Should she give Allen a chance to see if he could become more, now that it was possible?

An even calmer exhale followed these thoughts before she gave him an answer.


"Sorry I can't come. I really have to cram more for this exam on Monday," Merle leaned against the handrail of the stairwell while Van sat on the bottom step, tying his running shoes. The black pair of running shorts he wore, while not as short as Reeden had jokingly implied, showed almost the entirety of his sleek, mechanical leg.

It was Saturday afternoon. The day of the race and first official, big event hosted by the still fairly new Vision for Vets organization.

"It's fine, Merle. There will be many more events in the future." Van assured her. "I think some of the ladies were wanting to organize a black tie thing to encourage more sponsorship in the next months."

Merle smiled at his calm answer before a thought crossed her mind. "Speaking of black tie event. Been wondering if you are finally going to ask Miss Kanzaki out. Don't even think I forgot. I know you never called her about the run." She couldn't help but scold him again and it was unlikely that she was going to drop the subject anytime soon. "You have changed so much in the past weeks, Van. I barely even recognize you anymore. Don't you think it's time to move on in that area of your life too?"

The gears in Van's head were spinning. Of course, he had thought about it. Every damn day when his mind wasn't already occupied otherwise, pretty much.

"Actually, I have a better idea." He said while tying his running shoes. "Thanks for reminding me about it again at the perfect time." Van ruffled his sister's hair on the way out.

"Hey watch it!" Merle growled as she attempted to duck out from under his hand.

Indeed, this was the best idea to perhaps help a certain someone overcome a mental barrier. Van grinned as he descended the few steps from the porch to the walkway and Merle couldn't help but smile a bit at seeing him with something that could almost be described as a spring in his step.

Opting for Merle's car this time, it didn't take long to get to Hitomi's apartment building and if luck was on his side, then she would be home. Van took two steps at a time on the way to her floor and only slowed down a little as he approached her unit. He had thought a bit about what he was going to say but in the end, he couldn't be sure that the right things would come out. He was afraid of ruining everything with careless words.

It took a while for Van to hear her moving inside the apartment after he knocked and having her footsteps approach the door made it all the more real that he was going to have to say something of substance this time. None of the evasive nonsense from before.

Then, a much more alarming thought made dread spread through his limbs. What if it was too late? Was if Allen had already contacted her? What if he was with her? Right now?

He was undoubtedly late in realizing that this would be the perfect opportunity to return the benevolence she had shown towards him. What, though, if she didn't need him anymore? He suddenly felt like a complete idiot and it jumbled the carefully pre-selected words in his head.

When Hitomi cracked the door open, she was so shocked she almost slammed it right in his face. What in the world did he want from her again all of a sudden? After being the one to push her away and the one who proposed that it was better for her if they stayed apart? She couldn't handle it anymore. The door, however, wouldn't close.

Van decided that Hitomi wouldn't be acting like this if she had company. There was a chance. With incontestable, yet careful force he planted one hand on the door to prevent Hitomi from closing it. "Wait. Please, Hitomi."

"What do you want?" Hitomi asked him, leaning her forehead against the door with one hand on the handle but not pushing against him too hard. She wasn't exactly mad but frustrated. Most of all with herself.

Van sighed and answered. "You." Before clearing his throat to elaborate. "For you to come with me. Do the charity run with me, please."

Hitomi couldn't help but laugh at this proposition out of the blue. "Why?"

"Because I'm an invalid and it would be heartless to turn me down," he tried.

Hitomi huffed. "Don't say nonsense like that to make me feel bad. You hate being pitied."

There was no hesitation in her words. She did know that about him. "Okay then, maybe my leg is going to bother me and I will need attention from a skilled therapist to make the pain go away." Van smiled a bit, unseen to her.

"Liar. It's custom made for you. The fit is perfect. There is no reason you should be in pain." Hitomi wrinkled her brows behind the door. "You're blackmailing me by appealing to my good morals. That's not fair."

"Fine. Maybe I'm guilty of that." Van's shoulders grew rigid. It was time to be serious. "It would mean a lot to me if you came, Hitomi. I mean it."

Damn this man. Part of her wanted to be mad. Hitomi finally inched her head to the side, so that he could see half of her face behind the door. "I haven't done a run in over a year. I'm in no shape to be competitive."

Hitomi froze again when Van flashed her a mischievous smile past the cracked door. "Who said this needed to be a competition? I just want you…us to have fun!"

Hearing the sincerity in his words made her soften, surrender to every wave of emotion he was emanating.

She only pondered it for another few moments before agreeing. "Fine." She was caught between a rock and a hard place. The desire to be close to him but also to protect herself was equally strong so she had to trust the less logical part of herself. The less logical part of herself who, on the phone the other day, had gently let Allen down despite the decisions she had previously made.

When she finally took a moment to seize up Van's whole appearance, she couldn't help but let a small puff of a laugh escape her lips although her face was still mostly serious.

"What?" Van asked while looking down the front of his body, checking his clothing. "Ah. It's the shirt. Isn't it?"

"Maybe…" Hitomi was holding her breath as she tried to get used to seeing him in the bright pink Meiden's shirt. It wasn't the color that amused her but more so the print. It depicted the bakery's newest item, a lemon curd cream puff complete with face and chubby little cartoon arms. In contrast with Van's features, this made for a rather interesting combination.

'Tangy, sweet and delicious' it said next to the little pastry. How relevant, Hitomi thought but could only frown inwardly at the immediate association.

"Alright. Wait on the couch while I change."

She stepped aside to let Van enter and he obediently planted himself on the piece of furniture while Hitomi disappeared into her bedroom. Closing the door behind herself, she exhaled audibly. What was she getting herself into? Was she insane? This was probably a recipe for disaster all over again but she just couldn't ignore the excitement building inside herself at the thought of spending time with Van.

Although, what was she expecting? He had made it fairly clear that he didn't consider himself to be right for her. Yet here he was, sitting on her couch, patiently waiting for her to prepare face something she was dreading almost as much as sharing her feelings with someone again.

Even though the concerns were manifold, Hitomi found her body to be moving on its own, as if entranced by the sheer thought of being close to him even if it was just as a friend.

It took a few minutes of rummaging to find a pair of red running shorts and a sports bra. The white shirt she was already wearing would work just fine. She changed her clothing and also found a pair of tall socks before exiting her bedroom again. Van rose from the couch when he saw her and smiled at her appearance.

"Will you help me get my running shoes? Saves me the work of using a chair." Hitomi walked over to the wall closet by the front door and opened it, pointing to the topmost shelf.

Van nodded and stepped next to her, grabbing the box. "No problem." He didn't even have to reach far to get it.

Something did a backflip inside her chest when Van stood so close and handed her the cardboard box.

Hitomi removed the lid and found her running shoes just as she had stored them after her injury. They were neatly cleaned and stuffed with paper to keep away unwanted moisture. She was suddenly very nostalgic, glad that she hadn't tossed them in the dumpster as prompted by her impulsive inclination back then.

The shoes still fit well and the cushioning immediately felt familiar around her feet, making her want to test the squishy soles by jumping up and down but she refrained from doing so under the gaze of the man who was standing right next to her, watching her every move with curiosity.

"Ready?" Van asked, seeing the slight glint of excitement in her eyes.

Hitomi gave a firm nod. "Yeah."

At the event space, everything was already running smoothly. Van only had to answer a few questions here and there before someone handed him two stickers with start numbers which they attached to the sleeves of their shirts.

Hitomi was impressed with how well organized everything was. Clearly, the staff, which consisted mainly of wounded veterans, was skilled in planning and execution of such a large event. It didn't take long for a too familiar voice to announce the start of the race and hearing it almost made Hitomi's heart stop.

It was Amano. But why? Her head whipped around nervously until she caught sight of him. He wasn't too far away, on the side of the start tent, shaded by a large sun umbrella. He looked just like she remembered him. Brown hair at shoulder length and with a gentle expression on his face.

Van cleared his throat next to hear. "Oh yeah. Sorry, I must have forgotten to mention he would be here. One of the accountants knows him and thought it would be neat to have him start the race, hand out medals and such."

Oh, this was just peachy. Hitomi tore her gaze away from Amano but calmed down considerably when she saw Van's kind and confident face.

"Hey, relax. Stay with me and everything will be just fine. I promise. You don't need to talk to him and I doubt he even knows you are here." Van assured her.

"S…sure." Hitomi stuttered, attempting to focus on the countdown visible on the digital board not far to the side. She moved around Van, finding a more comfortable position where he could shield her from possibly being seen by the man who had hurt her so terribly not all that long ago.

After the signal, the mass of people began to move. Slowly at first, everybody began to walk but as the first few began to run, there soon was enough room for the faster people to maneuver through and take the lead. Hitomi and Van weren't among them.

In an unspoken agreement, they settled for a comfortable, slow pace. People kept passing them but at least they were not the slowest. While they didn't talk they still made sure to stay close to each other, running at matching cadence.

The first two miles were easy and passed all too quickly but after that, Hitomi's body began to labor a bit. She wasn't used to exercising anymore and it was beginning to show but she kept pushing herself stubbornly.

Somewhere along the line, Hitomi noticed that Van's steps were perfectly smooth, any kind of irregularity in his gait completely gone. He'd have no more physical pain of any sort from of an ill-fitting prosthetic. The thought made her so happy she let out a small laugh that could have been mistaken for a loud exhale.

When they turned a corner, they came up on Palas' harbor district. The shallow sea was sparkling in the sunlight as the course led past the promenade where the water was lower down. Since there was not a beach in this area due to the port further up ahead, the path was elevated. The sight of water made Hitomi wish she could take a quick break and just let herself fall into the refreshing waves.

Summer was nearly at an end but today, the sun seemed to be very deliberate about casting its most fierce rays upon Gaea in a sort of farewell before the approaching autumn.

This, however, wasn't a good time for daydreaming about a refreshing break. On the contrary. To Hitomi's dismay, the street which was blocked off for the race was slowly beginning to incline. She gradually became slower and Van matched her new pace without a comment.

The roasting sun was already making it difficult enough to take it easy but the incline was an additional hardship, especially for someone who was a little out of shape. That someone being Hitomi. She was instantly mad at herself for having let her heartache keep her from sticking with at least a casual training schedule. This used to be her favorite thing in the world. She used to enjoy running but then, upon beginning the strenuous workout plan to match Amano's performance, had forgotten the most important part about it…to have fun.

They passed an older woman who also was suffering quite a bit due to the heat and incline but soon Hitomi found that she just might have to slow down even more. Van seemed to have noticed her struggle and pointed at a small, green area not too far ahead where the road curved around an ancient-looking tree with a lush canopy in a small park.

"Let's hang out in the shade for a minute," he said and was already a few steps ahead to take the lead and encourage Hitomi to follow him.

Hitomi was so out of breath that she didn't have the nerve to protest and attempt to fend for her dignity. She really was struggling. Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea to rest for a moment and catch her breath. Some stray, tall grass stalks tickled her ankles when she stepped off the road, across the sidewalk and into the shade of the tree in the grass.

Bracing her hands on her thighs, Hitomi greedily gasped for air, letting her heartbeat calm and her breaths even out. When she felt a bit better, she straightened up and looked for Van. He was still close but facing away from her and staring at the water.

He appeared to be doing much better than her. Not a big surprise considering that The Vision's facilities supposedly were equipped with a great selection of workout equipment. No doubt, he was in much better shape than her. He could have been at the front of the pack the whole time but chose to stay with her.

As of right now, he was politely offering her a calm moment free from his watchful eyes to gather her strength again. Hitomi continued to scrutinize him, scanning him from the mess of damp, slightly tangled hair down to the spots of his pink shirt which were dark with sweat. A soft breeze brushed past them and offered some relief in addition to the shade but that was short-lived.

While they were standing there, other runners passed them. Most of them were fairly slow, indicating the stragglers in the back were not far behind.

"If we hang out much longer, we're going to be dead last," Hitomi said to catch Van's attention.

A lopsided smile yanked on the corner of his mouth when Van turned his head to face her. "So? Who cares."

He really didn't, Hitomi understood. Truly, he only cared about being with her today. The realization flooded her anew. He hadn't been wrong either. Despite the heat and lack of conditioning, she was having fun being outside and moving her body. At present, though, that changed nothing about her exhaustion or emotional tenderness.

Hitomi stepped up close to the tree where the shade provided the most relief and leaned her back against it to help her body rest while quietly contemplating this.

"Van." She finally addressed him.

"Hmm?" He responded lazily, meeting her eyes.

The sight of him didn't make it any easier for her. His gaze made her nervous but she couldn't stand it anymore.

"Why did you show me your memories from the war…and…those of us together? The one where we kissed…the one by the battlefield where you almost kissed me again. Why did you come get me today? What is…this now? What is this really?" Hitomi pointed at the space between them vaguely. "I'm still confused. I don't know what I'm supposed to do or think and it's messing with me so badly." Hitomi was beginning to shake a bit while she so freely asked him all that.

One corner of Van's mouth twitched a bit before answering. "Do you ever wonder what it would be like if I loved you?" He was treading on thin ice, so very afraid that his own feelings would be hurt. She had every right to question him after he had gently but deliberately pushed her away before. There was a chance, after all, that he was imagining everything. That there wasn't something between them that had gradually developed in the few months they had known each other.

Hitomi looked to be uneasy. Was she nervous? Nervous to turn him down or nervous to confirm his suspicions? Her bright, green eyes were focused on him while her mind was going a mile a minute. Fight or flight?

This time, she chose to fight.

"Yes, Van but…I'm scared. Scared of how much I want that. Scared of how much I think of you all the time and of how much I want to be near you." Hitomi slapped a hand across her mouth, shocked at the words she had spoken, albeit quietly. "Why me, Van?" Hitomi finally mumbled from behind the hand before she lowered it again.

Her words. These words and this question were all the encouragement he needed. "Because you're everything," Van exclaimed passionately. "It's that simple. You're beautiful inside and out but that's not the only reason I'm drawn to you. You somehow…make things easier. You're so strong even when you are sad or scared and I don't know where I'd be at this point without you."

While speaking, he took a few cautious steps closer. "You offered me something when I needed it. Patience, compassion, …comfort. I feel it when you're near me and over time it's only become more and more difficult to constantly think about you but lack the courage to do something about it. You haven't been in my life until recently but…I'm not sure if I can go back to that."

While he spoke, Van inched closer and closer to her, bracing one hand against the rough tree bark beside her head while the other was hovering in the air next to her cheek, just so close that she could almost feel his touch. If she wanted, all she needed to do was move her head ever so slightly to the side but she didn't need to.

"Hitomi," he almost whispered her name, "…may I kiss you?" He drew in a ragged breath, nervous and full of anticipation. "Please," he urged almost desperately.

The blush that immediately started to form on her already warm face was not only due to his words but also due to the proximity of their bodies. He was so close it made her head swim and flashes of their previous passionate encounter resurfaced in her memories.

Hitomi gulped a bit when remembering what that had made her feel like. Protected, needed, and complete. Only managing a slight nod, she braced herself before finally allowing her own hands to reach out so they could rest against his chest.

Eyes closing halfway, she inclined her head as Van threaded nervous fingers into the soft, short baby hair near her ear. The gentle touch sent goosebumps up and down her arms and spine. What caused her heart to flutter, though, was the fact that she didn't feel his warm lips against her own but instead against her temple which was subconsciously strained in anticipation.

His gentle caress lingered against her sweat-dampened skin for what felt like an eternity but left the spot devoid of their heat still much too soon.

"Thank you," Van mumbled, still so close his breath grazed her skin all the way down her cheek and ear. The tension on her face melted away when she felt overwhelming serenity spread through her which was quickly followed by small sparks of something else.

Hitomi caught herself uttering a small sound of protest when he drew his head away while the hand remained in her damp hair, his thumb moving back and forth in a small caress.

Van's lips quirked with satisfaction upon noting her reaction. It wasn't the first time he had seen this particular expression but never before had it filled him with so much male pride.

Hitomi's hands were placed lightly on his damp shirt, gripping the fabric a bit between her fingers but unsure what to do and reluctant to let go at the same time. Van's chest was rising and sinking steadily and only the erratic heartbeat under her right hand was evidence for his own discomposure.

The amazing woman standing before him had given him the thing he had needed most in the past months. She had given him a reason to persevere. Van had been slow to notice it and even slower to accept it but he couldn't, wouldn't imagine her not being near any longer. She was so precious to him that finally holding her, touching her again, nearly caused his heart to jump out of his chest.

At present, her beautiful face was flushed for various reasons, the smell and presence of sweat on her skin and in her hair only emphasizing her overwhelming vitality. Her lips were parted slightly as she was still catching her breath from the physical exhaustion and a wholly different cause for excitement which had set every fiber of her being on fire.

The entirety of her was so inviting that Van couldn't deny it to himself, no, both of them, any longer. When he inched his head closer to Hitomi's again, he allowed himself to enjoy the feel her hot breath on his yearning lips for only a heartbeat before they finally found hers.

Hitomi's hands tightened instantly on the sweat-dampened fabric of his shirt when, after a brief taste of tangy sweat, she began to savor the sweetest, most delicious kiss she had ever received. Van was taking his time, not eager to rush and deepen it but carefully tasting her and giving her time to do the same, just as he had done the first time even when they barely even knew each other.

They both were still marginally aware of the setting and the people passing by but it somehow only added to the intimacy of the moment, creating a thrilling sensation which was akin to that felt when taking off in a sprint. Hitomi steadied herself by slowly sliding her arms around Van's neck, softly caressing the damp hair at his nape.

This encouraged him to finally let go of the rough tree bark his other hand was still planted on. He had kept it there to stay somewhat grounded, just in case but now no longer needed it. As they soared together, it found a much softer spot to rest on, in the curve of Hitomi's waist. After they finally broke apart, a bit out of breath and with their foreheads resting against each other, neither was willing to let the other go.

From not far away, the sound of hollering and whistling reached their ears. "Yo, Van! Plenty of time for this later!" Gaddes teased. "Better get a move on or did you both want to get beat by a guy in a wheelchair?"

Van rolled his eyes and only waved a hand in Gadess' general direction, shooing him away haphazardly as a response.

"Well, should we get a move on?" Hitomi smiled softly.

"No," was all Van replied in a husky voice before he repositioned his hands on her head and waist to pull her more firmly, almost possessively against himself. It was all the warning Hitomi got before his lips descended on hers again, more passionately this time, yet still conveying only a small measure of the things and moments he had in mind for the future. As far as he was concerned, they had all the time in the world.

They were dead last when they walked toward the finish line hand in hand. Hitomi was being very vocal about the fact that it was most definitely not her fault that they had fallen behind so far.

Van could only throw his head back in laughter. "…but it is," he assured her.

"How so?" Hitomi huffed more in mock-annoyance than actual frustration.

Pulling on her hand slightly to make her stop, they came to a halt right on the blue chalk line that served as the final mile marker. Van faced her with a fairly serious expression again before saying, "what do you think?"

He released her but only to cradle her face in both his hands and tilt her head up slightly so he could catch her lips in a soft kiss yet again, just like he had done a handful of times during the jog here.

Van had deliberately feigned exhaustion more than a few times to make Hitomi stop so they could kiss some more. Not that she had had any notion to protest. She barely even recognized him anymore from the rugged, antisocial individual who had walked into the clinic months ago and it was astounding to see the person he had become.

This Van was finally full of life and purpose again, much like she had imagined him to be before the accident. He was confident, passionate, and almost playful. These thoughts sent another rush of goosebumps across her arms and back.

By now, some of the people in the crowd gathered further ahead noticed them and it didn't take long for Gaddes and the rest of his entourage to join them. Only, there was one other person with them.

"Oi, Van. Our celebrity here wants to meet the guy behind this great event." Gaddess announced while they all came to a halt.

Van was still looking at Hitomi and gave her a reassuring smile before finally acknowledging the others. "Hi. It's a pleasure to finally meet you. On behalf of Vision for Vets, I'd like to thank you for your support today." He confidently stretched out his hand and offered it to Amano who shook it a bit uneasily and with a curious side glance at Hitomi.

"Pleasure. It's the least I can do, really…Hitomi…hi." His words seamlessly traversed into the unavoidable confrontation.

"Hey, Amano," Hitomi said a bit more quietly than she had meant to. "Nice of you to make room in your busy schedule for this cause."

Everybody looked at Amano in confusion, nobody but Van being privy to their previous relationship.

"Well, actually," Amano seemed to be a bit nervous himself. "Now that I'm at the peak of my career, having achieved so much in this area of my life, I was thinking about retiring. Make some time to focus on other things like a family…you know…," he trailed off, seemingly not comfortable with sharing more of these thoughts in front of a group of people.

"I'd like to talk to you about that when you have time." Amano calmly directed this invitation to Hitomi.

At the sound of it, Van casually took Hitomi's hand which was only a hair away from his and gave it a light squeeze.

Hitomi only smiled softly when she answered. "I'm sorry, Amano but I don't think I will have any time for that today or in the future."

Kaz, who had been leaning on the handles of Gaddess' wheelchair was shaking out one of his hands after feeling the flaming pain of that burn even in the background.

"I see…," Amano responded, his voice full of regret and discomfort, ego severely dented by Hitomi's rejection.

"Wellll…" Gaddess chuckled in an attempt to disrupt the uncomfortable silence which lingered between them. "How about some beer?"

The other guys eagerly agreed and began to comment on the heat, their sweat, and other such things in order to distract from the tender situation.

Hitomi only smiled at Amano one last time. It was a warm smile, completely free of resentment. "I wish you all the best Amano. I really do. I hope you find what you need."

Van couldn't help but add, "…and when you do, don't ever let it go again."

Amano didn't say anything back. He simply nodded his head, the gravity of the situation finally sinking in.

Hitomi and Van walked away, following the group of jokesters to the event space under a large awning and only letting go of each other's hand when absolutely necessary.

The End

A/N: First off, I'd like to apologize to the crew of the Crusade for taking my liberty with their bodies. Especially Gaddess and Reeden. Sorry, folks!

Most importantly though, thank you to my faithful reviewers. You da bomb! You kept me going! I re-read your kind words many many times and that seriously kept me motivated.

I'm mostly certain I want to write an epilog for this but have been sort of busy especially due to the nice weather so not sure when that will come. It's also likely not going to be 20 pages long. In the meantime, if you haven't already, check out King of Anything which is a one-shot (as of now) I wrote on a whim the other week. That one was a blast to write since it truly and most accurately matches my narrator personality in reality.

"Thanks for stopping by and stay classy." XD