Author's Note: I feel that I must give my apologies to all of you readers who have been waiting patiently for an update. My life has been crazy, but that isn't a reason for me not to do my best and write when I can. Anyway, this is the longest chapter in this fic to date; I figured you all deserved it.

Outside of the Dream
By: Starlight-x
Chapter 6: Chasing

Machika ran. How long or how far she couldn't say. She only knew that it felt like her heart would break into a million pieces if she stopped. The sharp stabbing pain of a side ache was the thing to finally slow her down. She leaned against a rock and gasped for air, watching as the tears that overflowed from her eyes splashed to the ground, darkening the sand for just a moment before the heat made the wetness disappear.

Just like Rain. He's leaving me behind. I can't blame him, who would want to keep someone around who'd threatened to kill you?

The feeling of loss deep inside her heart evoked another bout of tears. Machika slumped to the ground. She couldn't seem to stop the tears flooding from her eyes. Rain didn't want her. That much had been obvious. She was just a nuisance following him around like that, threatening to take his head. I mean, who would really want a crazy girl with a scythe following them?

What's left for me though? Grandfather's dead, I can't get him back, no matter how much I might want to.

She didn't have a reason to take Rain's head, no matter what she said otherwise. She would leave him. That was the only concrete thought inside her head. She wouldn't force Rain to endure her presence anymore.

Still, the thought of no longer seeing his face or hearing his voice made her heart die just a little more.

"Mii."

Something soft rubbed against her ankle. Machika looked and saw Kiki. The little animal looked up at her with anxious eyes. "Mii?"

"Kiki." Machika reached down with one hand and stroked the little creature's head. "I don't know what I'm going to do. I don't want to be alone again." I don't want anymore days of looking for a kind face in a sea of strangers, waiting for a familiar voice to call my name just one more time, longing to feel a loving touch that would let me know I'm not alone.

More tears. She seemed to have an abundance of them today. Machika sniffed, rubbing at her face. She really had to stop crying now.

The scuff of a foot against sand alerted her to the presence of another. Turning she looked up and saw the last person she wanted to see then. "Rain?" Immediately she was aware of the tear tracks that still glistened on her cheeks. She hastened to remove any evidence of her cry, fighting the urge to burst into tears again. "I got something in my eye." Her excuse sounded flimsy even to her.

She rose, backing away from him, her hands clutched tightly behind her back. "I'm sorry Rain, I was getting in the way." She dropped her gaze, unable to look at him. "So stupid of me, thinking I could help you out." She could feel his gaze on her still. "I wish I could disappear." Turning she attempted to run, only to feel her hand captured by a larger one.

"No, let go Rain." Machika struggled to free herself, pulling helplessly. Rain's grip on her hands, was firm even while it was gentle, preventing her from fleeing.

"Enough already!" Machika could no longer stop the tears she'd been suppressing. "I'll forget everything about you Rain, I won't chase you anymore. I promise."

At her words Rain abruptly let go, causing her to stumble back several steps. Machika looked up and the look in Rain's eyes froze her. He reached out and pulled her to him in an embrace.

"At this point I don't even want my grim reaper turning her back on me." He tightened his hold on her. "I'm sorry, your life is so fragile."

Machika grabbed the front of his shirt and looked up at him. "Would you hold me like glass?" She caught his gaze. "I already told you, I'm not weak. I can take care of myself." He was so tall. Machika buried her face in his front, clutching him tightly. "Besides, I still have to take your head."

"Really?" There was slight amusement in his voice.

"Yeah," Machika ignored him, feeling the tears start flowing again, tears of relief now. "I'll definitely be your grim reaper."

00000

She was sleeping, her head cradled in his lap. Rain leaned back against the rock formation they were seated under and ran one hand lightly over Machika's hair. She had cried and clung to him until weariness had taken over and she slept. He stared down at her face, peaceful in repose. He was still unsure of what to make of her, this girl, so young, so vibrant. But he was content to let her stay with him for now.

She filled the place in his heart that had responded to her tears.

The sound of rain falling lulled him, giving him a sense of peace.

00000

"I'm wondering about something Rain." Machika's voice was casual, even

"Hmm?" Rain didn't look over at her, his face conveniently hidden by his hair. He hadn't seemed concerned throughout the entire embarrassing episode of being searched, and then forced into a suit of genderless prison garb.

Machika felt a nervous twitch inside her as she stared into the room filled with tables of men eating. Several brawls were taking place which the guards ignored. She had to restrain the urge to drop her dinner tray and clutch at Rain's shirt. Having been stripped of her scythe she felt extraordinarily vulnerable. "Never mind."

"Come on." Rain didn't seem bothered by her abrupt refusal to speak her mind. He led the way through the tables until they came to two open places.

Machika followed Rain's example, dropping into the seat next to him. The immortal began to eat, seemingly undisturbed by the chaos around him.

Resting her chin on her left hand Machika stared up at him. He seemed relaxed. It's like he doesn't even care that we're heading for the execution grounds. Like he doesn't care that someone is waiting there to cut off his head.

So absorbed was she in her perusal of Rain that she jumped as hands landed heavily on her shoulders. The next instant she was pulled roughly from her seat.

"Hey, look, it's a chick."

The excited exclamation brought a group of men gathering.

"W-wait a minute…" Machika face blanched as hands roamed over her body. One man even leaned in close to sniff at her hair. Someone grabbed at her butt and squeezed. "Hey!"

"Now where can I take you?" The man who had discovered her glanced around. "Maybe the bathroom…"

Suddenly he was gone, tossed aside like a sack of old clothes. Machika stared in surprise as he crashed into a table several feet away. Then she felt a pair of hands lift her and settle her gently back into her chair. Rain sat down beside her and resumed eating like nothing had happened.

The silence that filled the room was broken by an irritated growl. The next moment Rain was bowled over as the man he'd just thrown rammed into him, driving him into the floor. "I'm gonna kill you!"

"Rain!" Machika leaped to her feet.

"Quit it you idiots."

The voice that cut across the chaos was full of authority, irritation and definitely feminine.

"Rain!" Machika dropped to his side.

"Methuselah!"

The same feminine voice captured her attention. Machika looked up to see one of the most imposing woman she'd ever met standing over them. The woman's gaze was fixed on Rain. "Who are you?" Machika blinked at the woman.

That intense glare was transferred toward her for a moment. "I'm the on duty guard." The woman snapped before turning back to Rain.

"Um, excuse me Miss?"

Machika turned to see the captain standing next to her. He had kindly eyes and a large mustache and he was even shorter then her. "Could you help out in the kitchens? We're a little shorthanded."

"Uh, sure." Machika glanced over at Rain to see his reaction. He was looking at her, but as soon as their eyes met he turned his head away.

Irritated without knowing why Machika turned and followed the captain out of the room.

The captain was right; the kitchen was most definitely shorthanded. The few women working there greeted her happily and set her to washing the dirty dishes that covered one counter.

As she worked Machika found her mind wandering. The past several days seemed clouded in a haze of unreality. Coming to some kind of understanding with Rain, going back to pick up their stuff and finding the business card Eury had left behind along with their things, following Rain and becoming inmates on Prison Airship 54. Of course that last one had made her question Rain's sanity for a bit. But now she had taken a more pragmatic view of the situation. They would escape. Until then she would just do her best. She dried her hands on a towel and turned toward the food preparation area. She would make Rain some lunch.

00000

Rain sloshed water over the deck, pushing the mop back and forth without any real effort. The words the captain's wife had spoken to him echoed in his mind.

"What are you thinking, letting that girl follow you? She's not immortal like you. You should let her go before she gets caught up in your fate and you ruin her life."

He knew, better then anyone the dangers that surrounded his day to day existence. Hunters out for the extravagant bounty on his head, fearful or superstitious people reacting to his very presence. And then there was him. Rain paused in his work, one hand reaching up to grip the iron cross on his chest. The date engraved there was carved deep into his memory.

He knew he shouldn't let Machika stay with him but the thought of being without her….

It hurts. Pain…

"HEY, what are you doing up here?"

Rain turned his head to see Machika confronting the guard.

"I'm bringing him a snack. He's been working since early this morning." She noticed Rain was looking at her and waved enthusiastically. "Hey Rain! I made you some oniguri!" She took a step forward, trying to move around the guard. He made a grab for her tipping her tray. Rain watched as one of the oniguri fell to the ground where the guard subsequently stepped on it.

Everyone froze. The guard glanced up at Rain and then quickly turned away. "Don't stay too long." He spoke gruffly to Machika before leaving the deck.

Rain bent over and carefully scooped up the dilapidated rice ball. Without looking at Machika he stuffed the entire thing into his mouth.

"Don't eat it dummy! It was on the ground!" Machika heaved a sigh and the asked in a quieter voice. "Was it okay? Don't blame me if it makes you sick."

Rain swallowed the rice in his mouth, settled himself on the deck and reached for one of the oniguri still on the tray Machika held. "I was prepared for that since you made them."

He heard Machika's irritated growl, turned and gave her a cheeky smile. She plopped down next to him and grinned back, a faint blush staining her face.

For a while there was quiet as Rain ate. Despite his teasing comment he found the oniguri to be quite delicious. There was something he found comforting about the simple food.

"Wow!"

Machika's sudden comment startled him and he looked over to see she'd risen to her feet and was staring enraptured at the vast blue of the ocean spreading beneath them.

"Look Rain, it's the ocean." In her enthusiasm Machika grabbed him and gave him a shake.

"I see, I see." Rain raised his hands in self-defense.

Machika released him and turned back to the railing. "It's my first time seeing it." She rested her arms on the railing. "It's so big and pretty it almost makes you want to cry doesn't it?"

Rain found himself lost in watching the changing emotions on Machika's face smiled gently. "Yeah."

He finished the last oniguri and turned to look out at the ocean, it spread out for what seemed to be infinity, finally merging with the blue of the sky on the horizon.

"Rain?" A tug on his sleeve captured his attention. He looked down to see Machika staring intently at him.

"Rain, why did you become immortal?"

The question threw him for a moment. But the answer came immediately to his lips. "I can't die, not until I meet him again."

"Who?" Machika leaned closer.

"Yuca Collabell." The name came easier then he would've thought possible. "The date when we would meet again is carved on the cross on my chest." Until then he would just have to wait. Machika was still clutching his arm tightly. Gently he disentangled her grip. "I will meet him again, and then we'll settle things."

00000

Machika lay on the bed in her cell. Kiki rubbed against her anxiously. Her happy bubble had been burst abruptly by the guard.

"He's immortal. There's no way you could live with him."

The woman's words had hit hard.

I was so stupid. Machika hid her face in the blankets. Of course Rain is going to leave me and there's nothing I can do.

She gave a sniffle, feeling the tears welling up in her eyes.

Something dropped by her head; a soft almost indistinct perfume disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. Machika looked and saw a small white flower resting on the sheet near her head. Abruptly she sat up and plucked the blossom up for a closer inspection. As she did more flowers drifted down in a fragrant shower. Kiki batted at the flowers as they fell.

Machika looked up to find the source of the flowers to be the vent near the ceiling. The cover had been removed and a hand appeared with astonishing regularity to drop another handful of blossoms.

Rain…

"What are you doing?"

The hand appeared again. "I thought this would cheer you up."

"Why don't you come out of the vent?" Machika brushed the petals of a flower across her lips. It felt soft.

"I would, but I'm stuck." Rain sounded somewhat apologetic.

Machika sighed and stood up. "Give me your hands." She gripped Rain's hands that he obligingly thrust out, stuck one foot firmly against the wall and pulled with all her strength.

It took a lot of tugging on her part and pained grunts from Rain before he slid the rest of the way out of the vent in a shower of flower petals and both of them fell back in a heap on the bed.

"Ah, thanks. I was thinking I was never gonna get out of there." Rain gave a sheepish grin.

Machika stared somberly at him and then dropped her gaze.

"Machika?"

Hot tears formed and spilled down her cheeks.

"Um, did I tell you that I really liked the oniguri? I was just kidding about getting sick."

"That's not it, that's not it!" Machika clenched her hands, feeling her nails dig into her palms. "You're all I have to live for." She buried her face in her hands.

She was pulled forward and found herself caught in a tight embrace. Rain didn't say anything and Machika allowed herself to be held until her tears slowed, gripping his shirt with her hand. "Rain, if you stay immortal, if you can't become human again, then I'll live as long as I can, until I'm two hundred years old. I won't leave you alone, I promise."

The door to the cell slammed open. "Methuselah, come quickly."

Machika looked and saw the captain standing in the doorway. He took in the scene before him and his cheeks flushed a bright red.

"Ex-excuse me." He turned and exited as abruptly as he'd entered only to enter again just as abruptly. "Sorry, but this is important."

"Just tell me what you need to." Rain said patently.

The next few moments were a blur for Machika, the captain babbling on about intruders and herding both of them down various hallways. Next thing she knew she was holding her scythe again and Rain had changed back to his normal clothes.

"Are you sure this is okay?" Rain asked the captain.

"You were planning to escape anyway, weren't you?" The captain smiled. "Hurry and go."

.Machika watched as Rain moved away from her. She didn't move unsure of her place. Should I go, or am I supposed to stay here?

Rain turned, looking. A smile lifted his lips and he reached out one hand to her. "Come on Machika."

The invitation unfroze her feet and Machika ran toward that welcoming hand, reaching out to grab it, their fingertips brushed.

Pain exploded in Machika's left shoulder and she was falling backwards away from Rain and the sudden desperation in his face. He was still reaching for her. Then she heard him give a sudden loud cry.

"MACHIKA!"