Hey, thanks for all your reviews and such =)

Lois, if you're reading, bugger off =)

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Hanschen had been walking for hours, the thought of Ernst ever prominent in his mind but still not enough to stop his legs aching. He had rested once, sitting under a tree for maybe fifteen minutes. His eyes were flickering shut every few steps even so, and he didn't know if he could keep walking.

His head snapped up as he heard someone calling his name.

'Ernst?' he said wearily.

'Hanschen!'

He turned around. The voice was too strong to be Ernst's, and it had to be close to 3am: who would be up? He squinted into the darkness to make out a figure coming towards him.

'Hanschen!' It was Ilse, who ran up to him and engulfed him in a hug. 'Hansi, it's been too long!'

He hugged back politely. 'Hello, Ilse.' As pleased as he was to see her, she was no Ernst.

'What are you doing here? Melchi said you moved away!'

'I had to come back to see... someone.'

'That's so sweet! Oh my gosh, you look so tired, how long have you been walking?'

'I left at about ten,' he said, stifling a yawn.

'That's awful Hans, come with me, I've set up camp over here by those trees.' She grabbed his hand and dragged him towards a forest.

'I couldn't, it's your space.'

'Don't be silly, you're always welcome to stay with me.'

'Really, I'd better-' Another yawn cut him off. Well, maybe a ten-minute lie down...

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He awoke to the sun streaming in through the branches of the trees overhead. Ilse was snuggled up to him and looked so comfortable that he had no idea how long they'd been there.

Mentally berating himself for falling asleep so long, he gently lifted Ilse off his chest and stood up to leave. He felt bad leaving Ilse without another word but he was growing desperate now, and the thought of Ernst became ever more urgent in his head.

He ploughed onwards, out of the woods, through a field and finally on to the road that led into town, a familiar road which told him it was only short while until he got to his dear Ernst...

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Hanschen swung open the gate to the vineyard, taking a deep breath before stepping in.

Of course nothing told him Ernst would be here, but Hanschen knew if he himself had been the one left alone, he would be here more than he would be at home.

His heart skipped a beat as he looked over to the end, spotted a dark figure leaning against a hedge, and realised he was right. He started running over, but the vineyard suddenly seemed so big... He was sure that even if he were flying he wouldn't be moving quickly enough. He started shouting.

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Ernst lolled his head back against the hedge he was sitting in front of. Seven weeks, it had been, since he had last seen Hanschen. His leaving had been so abrupt, he wished he'd had a chance to stop and memorise all of Hanschen's God-like features, that blond hair, those blue eyes, those arms, that voice. It still hurt.

'Ernst!'

Ernst's head snapped up. That voice. So familiar, yet something he'd only been imagining for the past seven weeks. Surely it couldn't be...

'Ernst!' He saw it, the blond figure coming quickly across the field. As it came closer, it became clear it was running. And it became clear who was running.

'Hanschen?' the word came out as barely a whisper as Ernst stared in disbelief. 'Hanschen?' Louder. 'Hanschen!' He got to his feet and bolted towards the figure, not slowing for fear it may disappear.

He didn't slow down even as he was approaching him, but instead jumped at him in a monster hug. Hanschen grinned as he wrapped his arms firmly round Ernst, bowing his head as he tried to get as close as he could. He placed a small kiss on the smaller boy's neck, prompting him to look up into the blond's eyes. Their lips crashed together, seven weeks of emotion and passion and love in one fiery kiss.

As they broke apart and looked into each other's eyes, they couldn't help but get the feeling everything was going to work out.

Hmm... I don't know if that was as good as it could have been =/

And you're probably thinking there was something missing? That's coming in the next chapter =]

Reviews are love!

Charz

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