(I'm back! I want to thank all of you that reviewed! Darkia, thanks for pointing out the mistakes! I need to edit my stories better... I would be really annoyed if I was reading a story filled with errors. Thanks for the pointers; I really needed the help. I didn't even notice that I was spelling Amano's name wrong. I'm sorry. The thing about Yukari coming with Hitomi will be explained in a later chapter, so please be patient because all will be revealed! To everyone, thanks for the other reviews! I updated thanks to you!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my own perverted thoughts. As you can tell, that ain't much.)

"Why didn't you tell me Van!"

Van, Merle, Yukari, Hitomi and Allen were all gathered in Van's advisory room. He had gathered them all to tell Allen and Merle what he and Hitomi had uncovered. Yukari seemed to already know most of the situation. Donte was outside in the hall with Spark and a small force of guards from the Second Fanel Laos division to block the meeting from prying eyes.

"I could have helped to capture the girl's father! He might not have gotten away if you hadn't rashly chased him away!"

Was Allen always this annoying? No. In the war he was much more composed. Something was up with him, but Van didn't have time to think about Allen's problems now. He had the problem of finding Gothel on his hands, not to mention the strained relationship with Basram and the constant threat of Diaz on his mind. Do I never just get some time off?

"I had to act quickly because I know he wants to kill Hitomi. Gothel may be a traitor, but he isn't stupid. He must have known something was wrong last night or he wouldn't have escaped so fast. I was trying to catch him before he slipped away! You forget who you speak to Allen, if you question my judgment. Last I checked, I am in command here, not you."

"Why are you so threatened by help, Van? I came because I know you needed it."

"I didn't ask for it!"

How could he? He had reached for help in the war, leaned too heavily on the aid of Allen and the others, and it had only led to pain. Everyone in this room had suffered from his weakness, his need for a hand in his battles and against his enemies. He was tired of leaning on them. If he was going to be any kind of leader, he had to stand alone sometimes to protect the ones he cared for the most.

Hitomi spoke up.

"We need to stop this fighting amongst ourselves. What we need to do is find Gothel before he reaches an informant for the empire."

For a moment all were silent. Merle was first to speak again.

"We have his daughter, don't we? Maybe she has information we can use to find him. She was found in his room this morning, right?"

Allen squashed her idea quickly.

"All the evidence shows she was the one who helped him escape, so it's very possible that he had called her here to Fanelia from Austuria just to use as a decoy to throw us off track. There is also no concrete evidence to prove that he's even the informant to Zaibach."

Hitomi spoke again. "Then how about sending a search party? I'm sure someone could find him. Or... Or maybe there's some connection between him and who the informant is. Why isn't there anything more productive we can do than sit here, talking? It's clear that we have to find Gothel and find the informant to the empire!"

"But what about the problem of Basram and the Alliance? Surely you know that if you and your friend stay here it will only be so they can use you as a tool. What if there is a connection to why so many pleaded to Van to get you? It doesn't make sense. Many of the Alliance were less than willing to get your help in the war. Why did they feel your presence would be necessary? I think there has to be a connection.

That's a valid point. Why does the Alliance want Hitomi so badly? Do they think that just because she came that she'll be a willing tool for them to use at their disposal! He couldn't let that happen.

His thoughts were interrupted by Allen again.

"Basram pulling out of the Alliance is another mystery. They were our allies in the Gaea War, and in the war it was easily the most powerful in terms of their energist bomb, but it's weakness was its small force of ground troops that could otherwise not play a vital role for Diaz's plan."

Merle cut in again.

"Zaibach may already know how to make the bomb. Perhaps they need something else from Basram. They have always rivaled Zaibach in technological advances. Perhaps Diaz needs Basram to complete his machine."

Another silence followed this. Van spoke up.

"I think that two things are clear. We still have to send someone to Basram to try to re-establish relations between the Alliance and them. The other point is that Hitomi and Yukari aren't safe on Gaea."

Hitomi's evergreen eyes met his. How could the sadness in them shine as bright as though she stood facing a blazing sun?

"If you suggest that I leave, you can't force me."

"Hitomi-"

"You can't!"

"I don't want to see you die again!"

He knew he was being an ass, but he couldn't help it. He had already gotten up. It was all too easy to grab her arm and drag her from the room.

"Stop it Van! I don't want to leave!"

He could feel her hitting his arm as he led her out the doors of the COM room and past the guards outside. He could hear Donte and Spark ask what was going on. He could hear Allen and the others follow them.

He turned his head back to yell at Allen, "Go to Asrum, Allen! Get Dryden to accompany you and try to find out the real reason for their change of heart!"

He saw out of the corner of his eye Yukari, who had remained a silent spectator of the the conversation in the COM room and the drama unfolding outside it. She was matching pace with him and her friend, who continued to fight him as he pulled her down the hall and toward the Entrance hall and the doors leading outside.

Hopefully they can forgive me... Hopefully Hitomi can forgive me. Gods know I just want to protect her...

As soon as he felt the gust of wind hit his face as he stepped outside, he could feel the pendant against his chest grow hot.

I just want to protect you Hitomi. Even if it means I can never see you again.

Why did the warm pendant on his chest feel like a dagger point just about to break the skin above his rapidly beating heart?

(And I'm done! I hoped you liked this chapter! I got it up really fast, didn't I? I'm sorry it's short though. Something very important was supposed to happen in the chapter, but I decided to postpone it until another one. Sorry! I just want to build suspense. Is it working? I just loved how many people reviewed last chapter so I got my new one up as quick as I could. I hoped you enjoyed it. R&r please, because maybe then I'll update! Love ya!)