A note from your Author: I just wanted to give you the disclamer. I don't own Escaflowne or any of the other stuff I referance to in this chapter.

Chapter 2

"Stop it!" The three heard this and ran.

Allen had come out of the shop only to see a sliver-haired boy bending over Hitomi.

"Hitomi!" Allen started to run to the girl curled up at the young-man's knees. The boy looked up, causing Allen almost to stop at his exceeding beauty. Allen knew as well as any male, he hated being called beautiful but this boy here was the pillar of beauty.

His face reminded Allen of a statue, it was deathly pale but was so soft Allen had a hard time believing he could see the anger searing out of the boy's eyes. His features seemed to be chisled out of stone rather than skin over bone. When Allen looked into the boy's eyes, he could feel his spine freeze.

The young man glanced down at Hitomi who was starting to get up, she struggled and the boy put an arm around her.

"Don't try to move too soon, they really kicked you hard." His voice couldn't have been further from his face. If razors could fit into a voice, that's what this guy sounded like, hard and cold. But Allen was surprised when he heard such softness trying to peek through when the boy spoke to Hitomi.

"Nah, you showed up in time, they've gone longer." Hitomi didn't seem to notice Allen as she buried her face into the boy's chest. "But for safety you better help me up."

"No problem." They boy was helping the girl up but his eyes never left Allen's. Such strange eyes, blood red Allen thought.

When the young man had successfully dropped Hitomi off at her house, Allen started to make for his own. Wondering how many times Hitomi had been brought home with cuts and bruises for her mother to not look surprised. He knew if his sister had come home like that his mother would have a fit. Allen was almost home when he felt a strong grab at the back of his jacket.

"You, come with me." The boy had silently followed Allen and pounced when he knew it was far enough away from her house. "It's Schezar, right? You don't seem like your about six or seven." Allen glared at the boy wondering what gave him the right to say that. "Hitomi was told you would be younger." At the sound of her name the boy seemed to remember why he had dragged Allen into the wooded area surrounding the main house.

Allen hated the way those red eyes flashed as the boy seemed to grow angrier and angrier.

"You!" The male turned on Allen, "What were you doing with Hitomi?" The boy had him backed up into a tree and grabbed the front of Allen's collar.

"Nothing, we were just walking around, and then these girls showed up, gave her a hard time and then left. How do I know you didn't do something to her?" Allen got his answer in the form of a punch across the jaw.

"Don't you ever hint I would even hurt Hitomi, you were the one who let her leave with those girls around. Didn't she tell you she was bullied at school? If you ever see her with other people at her school you stand by her side." Allen was able to sense a different emotion creeping up with the anger. "You were the one with her, you were supposed to protect her." Both of them heard the noise of a person walking down the path.

"Ah Dilandau! I was looking all over for you, Dornkirk is expecting a full report." Another silvery haired being strolled between them, he gave Allen a passing glance but then turned to Dilandau.

"I'll be there in a second Folken," then in a harsher, quieter voice to Allen he said "I will be visiting Hitomi many times so if I see that she's getting hurt, you're going to pay."

With that he followed Folken and waved a hand over his shoulder in a one finger salute.

When Hitomi awoke she saw her mother leaning over her.

"I'm sorry to wake you, honey, but I'm afraid someone is waiting for you downstairs." A cold fist grabbed Hitomi's stomach, not now, why can't they wait for another time? Surly she couldn't be summoned to the main house now?

When she reached the bottom of the stairs she saw Alan standing talking politely with her mother.

"A- Allen, why are you here?" The man looked up to see Hitomi blushing in her pajama's and fuzzy slippers.

"I came to check to see if you are okay." He smiled through his entire statement, a smile that made Hitomi's mother melt, and Hitomi herself blush even more.

"Do you wanna come upstairs?" She knew nothing was going to happen, but she also knew she had to get Allen away from her mother before she stared talking about marriage.

Hitomi led the way quietly to her room with Alan only a few steps behind her. How could this happen? I'm taking one of the most handsome guys from Gaea up to my bedroom! Hitomi didn't have to fret long, though, her room was one of the first off the stairs.

Hitomi never realized how different her room looked with someone new standing in it. It was as if she could see her room through Allen's eyes. Her messy pile of books strewn around on the floor, her massive bookshelf, also filled with books. Her unkempt bed with her computer desk next to it, homework still lying out on top of it, I forgot to bring that today, well it was good it was a holiday. The art posters that were hanging on her walls were simple decoration; she never had time for art, just like most of the books on her shelves were covered in dust, their spines never being cracked.

She sat on her bed as she watched Allen slowly make his way around, considering all the posters, and stopping to read many of the titles. For some reason, unknown to her, Hitomi wanted his approval to her room. She didn't know what would happen if he didn't like it, but she knew she wanted him to.

"You have interesting taste." He commented, showing her a book entitled The Scarlet Letter.

"That was a joke, the person who gave it to me knew I hated Hawthorn but gave it to me anyway." Why was she getting so flustered?

Allen growing bored with his endless pacing around her room, sat down on the bed.

"I, uh, well I um, just wanted to see if you were ok." Why was he suddenly getting so nervous? Its because she's here the small voice said she doesn't react to you the same way other girls do and you're beginning to like it. Allen shook his head slightly, how could he like someone who could have the potential to know his secret?

"Yes, I mean, I'm fine. If Dilandau hadn't been there, they could have done more damage, but I'm used to it." She smiled in such a way Allen forgot all of his troubles and was intent on staying by her side.

"Well, I better get going, it's getting late." Allen knew that was a lie, but the way he felt so safe with Hitomi was beginning to scare him.

"Yeah, right well I hope you'll be able to get to school on your own; I wouldn't want the other students to see you with me, today was bad enough. The break ends on Sunday so be sure to be there on time on Monday morning. I'll probably see—" She stopped speaking because Allen had bent down and kissed her on the forehead.

"What are you doing tomorrow?" He said as he pulled away.

"I….I think I'll be summoned." The blush, which had successfully been cleared away had now returned. Her forehead felt so hot, and it took all of Hitomi's power to not reach up and touch the spot he kissed.

"Then I'll be waiting the next day." He kissed her hand for the second time that day and left.

A figure standing in the shadows smirked as he watched Hitomi gently touch her forehead.