Chapter 4

Jun woke up form her deep sleep with a start. Sitting up so suddenly made her vision become blurry with bright iridescent stars dancing in front of her eyes and her mind still felt a little foggy from the day before, shifting her weight she began to roll onto one side. That's when she felt a strong hand steady her.

"Don't move so fast, you had a tough night." A masculine voice forced her to stop moving, for a split second she couldn't place it.

Then he spoke again. "How are you feeling at the moment?"

Her mind began to clear and her eyes refocused, gingerly she looked up into a pair of concerned blue eyes.

"Ken…I…" Jun stammered, she didn't know what she wanted to say, eventually she found the words. "Have you been here for long?"

Shifting her gaze past him, the blanket and pillow thrown hap hazardly over the chair in the corner spoke for him.

"Ahhh…not long." He lied.

"What happened to honesty between us?" Jun reprimanded him.

Ken glanced over at the mess and his concern turned to a sheepish smile. "You know me too well…"

"Don't forget it Eagle, I can see through you…" She reminded him.

"But I can't see through you so well…I wish I could have." Ken let out a drawn in breath and turned his face away from her. Like he didn't want her to see his reaction to the remark he made, so she dropped the topic all together.

"I need to get out of this hospital gown." Jun said looking down at the shapeless bland coloured night dress.

"I'll be outside…" Ken said walking out the door.

She dressed quickly and joined him a few minutes later.

"Lucky you're so fit…or you might have been out of action longer." Ken's tone became more like the Eagle, and he began leading her down the hall way of the mountain base.

"Lucky me…" She responded matter-factly, looking at him sharply. Something about the expression on his face made her feel he wanted to ask her something but he didn't know how to approach the topic.

"The visit with Dyami went well." Jun baited knowing it must have been on his mind.

Ken didn't say a word, so for a while they walked in silence. When they reached a part of the corridor that was empty of personnel he stopped walking and looked at her with concerned eyes again.

"Really?" Ken's eyes darkened. "Is that why you woke up screaming?"

Jun's heart began to beat faster. "What are you indicating?"

"Jun don't lie to yourself…" He said firmly. "Seeing him happy with another family gives you nightmares…stop torturing yourself like that."

"I'm not in denial about his adoption any more… I like seeing him happy." Jun became more defensive.

Who does Ken think he is to demand things of her now in relation to the contact she has with biological son? She thought angrily.

The dreams became blurry in her mind, like they had been someone else's. Jun barely remember the nightmare in the cold light of day.

"I can't remember any bad dreams." Jun frowned and she folded her arms and glared at him. Well vaguely anyway.

"I think you should sever any contact you have with them." Ken returned her glare.

"When you are the commander of the team you order me around and even hit me if your heart or need to maintain control so much desires…in my private life you have no domain Eagle Ken. Our romantic relationship ended a long time age." Jun's tone became more determined as she spoke. Despite her strong stance Jun felt a lump form in her throat. This was the first time she had openly said those words to him. It felt final between them.

"Yes it did…It could have been-" Ken's broken voice became barely a whisper, pain filled his eyes.

"It was a fantasy…"Jun's bottom lip trembled at how short the time had been that they really had together as a couple. Jun felt a strong pull towards him at this mutual acknowledgment.

Ken's face contorted with strong emotions. "Nothing sticks…everyone you love eventually dies or leaves you…so why be involved, love and life outside of the team and the ISO is a fantasy…we both have to face that truth." His pain became more evident in his voice. "Those nightmares you have is the reason you should stop all contact, you're just prolonging the pain of losing him…"

Those words brought a flash back in her mind from the dream she had the night before of him laying lifeless on a white cloud, a faint condemning voice began to say horrible words. Jun blocked it out, banishing it from her thoughts.

"No Ken…we have to have some hope, or we perish." Jun reached out for him, Ken pulled away.

"We have to go and see Kamo now- he's been waiting for us, we have a new ship and he wants to present it with us all there…"Ken sighed. "Joe's back in hospital, so he won't be joining us." Ken announced. Jun could tell he was covering up his pain by becoming Gatchaman in that instant. All about the mission, all about defeating Galactor to bring about the other fantasy "world peace."

"Lead the way." Jun said trying to compose herself.

Without hesitation Ken lead the way to the launch bay with Jun following him.