Chapter dedicated to Avaris Sky…enjoy…   

                                                           

                                                            Chapter 5.0

~For it was not into my ear you whispered,

but into my heart. It was not my lips

you kissed, but my soul.~

-Judy Garland

            "Van, would you slow down!" a feminine voice sounded out between giggles. "Mrs. Archer will have a heart attack when she finds us gone…and my legs will break!" The school year was coming to an end and summer was just around the corner which also meant it was time for their annual field trip and coincidentally the freshman and sophomore classes were both going together. This time, however, they were hiking in the mountains and Mrs. Archer had bored them senseless talking of the herbal properties of particular plants—her interest in botany clearly showing through.

            It was after during one of those lessons when the students had gotten a little leeway and time to explore about the place they were going to camp for the night. He had just grasped her hand with a twinkling smile and pulled her as they ran.

            They halted abruptly and watched the mountains with starry eyes. The view left them breathless and gasping for air. Their dark silhouettes, Van's lanky and boyishly tall, and Hitomi's head shorter form depicted an image one found in portraits. They were portraits of unspoken love, undeniable friendship, and an everlasting bond that transcended distance, space, time.

            Soft mist surrounded the mountain peaks and the valleys of rich forestry stretched down below her.

            "Tell me," gasp, "not to," another gasp, "accompany you," a final heave, "on these little urges." She wiped away the sweat on her forehead and smiled up at her best friend and then turned away to catch another look at the scenery.

            He grinned boyishly and looked down at her, "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

            She gazed ahead at the mountain peeks of bluish green and nodded in agreement as she murmured, "Yes…" She turned her head to look at him and a flicker of sadness crossed her eyes. She sighed; these were the times when she wanted to memorize him, to engrain him, to brand him to her. There was a shout of names and both boy and girl jumped.

            "Are they calling for us?" she asked softly.

            "No, no. Stay here, let me check the clearing. It's probably nothing—guys messing around."

            She grinned. "Sure." That was another thing. If the world itself was collapsing and if Van was near she would feel safest and would have happily died in his arms. Life in the orphanage was lonely for the others and in that way Hitomi was lucky to have Van. Lucky for so long, she corrected herself mentally.

            Van however, didn't just go near the clearing, he disappeared into the thick woods, but Hitomi wasn't particularly worried. She breathed in the freshening scent of the mountains and felt at peace with the world. What force it was, she wasn't sure, or what possessed her to take one more tentative step towards the edge of the mountain, but she found herself doing so.   

            She snow beneath her was slippery and suddenly broke and gave in. A shrill scream emitted from her throat as she fell. The air swooshed around her and she wasn't aware of a pale, dark haired boy running at break neck speed towards the source of the sound, hoping against hope his suspicions wouldn't be confirmed.

            She prayed for something, a root, a branch to hold on to and as if her prayers were instantly messaged to God, a root gaped out of the mountain and she found herself clinging to it.

            If only she had the weight of a cat! Then perhaps, the root wouldn't give in. And it did. Her eyes were snapped shut and she knew she was falling into the inevitable pit of death. And if only she opened them to see the heavenly being, all worries would be erased and her mind would've been a clean slate.

            A soul-searching voice called out, "Hitomi!" She slowly opened her eyes and gaped. There he was before her, his hands outstretched, reaching out to her. Wings. He had enormous wings of ethereal white, so pure like freshly fallen snow that they were almost blinding to her sight.

            His hand grasped her palm and with his strong arms he effortlessly cradled her in his arms and his sturdy wings ascended to the mountain.

            "Van…" she looked at him, but his eyes didn't meet hers. "You're…" But she also found herself feeling unfocused. She fainted.

            *          *          *

            He watched her small form on the makeshift mattress in the tent illuminated by the soft light of the lantern. It was a fairly small tent, one that had a capacity for two but ideally for one and enough room lengthwise to be sitting up. He reviewed the reaction of the people as they saw them both together, him walking back, holding her in his arms, after he pulled on a snow-wet sweater to cover his bare torso. They had thankfully not asked detailed questions and readily accepted that she had slipped and fell in the woods, thus explaining the scratches on her arm and knee.

            He peeled off the wet sweater and pulled off his pants, leaving him bare except for his boxers. He ignored the biting cold that permeated through the close tent and crawled over to pull on a pair of fresh, thick pants. Sighing, his thick-lashed gaze reverted back to the female figure and moving closer, he brushed away a few tendrils of her honey brown hair that had come loose during her fall.

            Her fall. She had seen his wings, his accursed wings that were a stigma in Gaean society. Would she shun him now? Fear him? Or even worse, hate him? He hoped it was anything but the latter. He needed her too much to ever let go of her, but he would bear it somehow if she did leave. Just as long as she didn't hate him. My God, anything but hate!

            He hadn't noticed her awakening as he was too lost in thought.

            A whisper elicited from her lips, "Van…"  He met her eyes for a millisecond, and she saw enough to know what was going through his mind. Her heart ached at the possibility of what he was thinking. How could he! How dare he!

            He moved away from her reflexively like a frightened rabbit shying away from human contact as her hand reached out to him. Turning his back to her, he found his voice, which was somehow strained. "How are you feeling?"

            She frowned, "Fine."

            He grunted in response as she carefully rose from the bed and sat up, her palms flat on the soft sheets.

            "You're avoiding me. You haven't really looked me in the eye."

            A memory washed over him as he remembered the ten year old version of Hitomi, her hands on her hips confronting him, pink cheeked and her hair flying everywhere. 

            "Look me in the eye and tell me the truth, Van…"

            His voice croaked uncharacteristically. "Do you hate me?"

            "Hate you?" she asked, shock evident in her voice. "Why would I ever hate you?"

            He turned around and fully met her eyes, eyes like the young evergreens. Unwavering, unfailing eyes they were. She looked at him, trying hard to not to let her gaze stray any lower than his neck, knowing she would embarrass herself surely gaping at his well toned chest. "Well, if I hadn't forced you to come with me you wouldn't have fallen and-"

            "And if I hadn't fallen, you'd have lied to me all my life, never revealing your true identity."

            He winced at her words. True identity. True identity as a monster? Alright, she didn't hate him, but her opinion of him had certainly changed…in what way though—the bad or good?

            He whipped around and for some reason he didn't want to find out what her thoughts were of him. Angrily, he grabbed his shoes and violently shoved his feet in them.

            Her eyes clouded with confusion and she reached out to Van's arm, which he pulled away. "Van…" she tried again, "speak to me, please."

              It happened in quick seconds—no, merely moments. She grasped his arm which he pulled away and she found herself raising her voice to call out his name. A struggle ensued as he pushed her and she threw herself on him. She found herself, breathing shallowly on top of him, body to body, her hands caught beneath her stomach and his. She got a tingling feeling where her bare arms touched his bare chest. The thin warm garment that somebody had changed her into made her feel as if she was melting into him and there weren't two bodies, but one.

             There was silence and both inhaled and exhaled slowly, seemingly frozen in time. Blotches of pink adorned her soft cheeks, but she found this position to be perfect for her cause. Finally, he was still and not moving! Turning her head so that her lips were less than a centimeter away from his ear, she whispered. "You being Draconian changes nothing…except," she blinked, "that I love you even more." His eyes simultaneously widened and neither noticed as his arms enclosed around her waist.   

            "Are you sure?" he whispered hoarsely. She loved him! He must be dreaming…

            "Can you doubt me?" Instantly, he switched positions and he looked down at her, lying on the floor, below him, trapped between his hands which he used to support himself so that she wouldn't be crushed beneath his weight. When he met her eyes, there was no shadow of doubt, for if love was ever captured and contained into one thing, it was captured in her eyes. She smiled slowly and admiringly, "I think your wings are beautiful."

            He didn't answer and kept looking at her, that soul searing look of his that had men crawling inside. His inscrutable gaze confused her and with her fingers she caressed his cheek. "Van…?" Was it something she said, she wondered, as she bit her lip.  

            He freed one of his hands from the ground and tenderly brushed his thumb over her mouth. She shivered under his touch and she found herself inexplicably hypnotized under his stare. And suddenly, it seemed so clear. His look, his appearance was one of love. The light in his eyes…the shallow breathing…the slight arch of his eyebrows…all spoke of his tender gaze. Slowly, his voice like coarse velvet, he spoke. "Hitomi, can I kiss you?"

            Her green eyes widened instantly and then softened. She nodded; the silence so acute that she could hear the chirpings of the cricket and the distant hoot of the owl.

            His head descended as she closed her eyes, his lips drawing inexorably closer and closer. He bent down and let his lips brush her right cheek softly. Her eyes fluttered open and she tried to suppress the disappointed feeling at the pit of her stomach. As she gazed into his eyes, he smiled, and at that moment, she realized what he'd reminded her of.

            An angel.

            With her eyes wide open, he leaned down once again and this time, the course of his lips landed precisely where she had wanted it to land from the beginning. His lips brushed hers and then kissed more forcefully, hungrily, possessively. They were like two sinners who desired salvation, somehow reasoning that this was the only way they would ever come close to that feeling. It was a feeling that no words could fully explain the power of. That moment, which she felt as if she part of him, that she wasn't just kissing his lips, no, it was as if she was kissing his soul, his heart, his mind, all at once. He was her universe; he was everywhere, his presence, every place where their body intimately touched. He was a part of her for those precious moments. It was the elusive meeting of two souls who had finally found peace, finally a home.

            When people said perfection didn't exist in the human race, they were wrong, so very wrong. Their moment was a paragon of what perfection truly meant.

             They pulled apart reluctantly, Hitomi blushing pink. Van felt no embarrassment, just this inexplicable tenderness that clawed at his heart. His lips somehow felt cold, and very wrong. He mentally whacked himself, what was wrong with him? Oh yes, the next thing he could do is scare the hell out of her if he voiced out the thought that he missed her lips on his and it had only been a second or two ago…

            He rolled over and allowed her to straighten her hair and sit comfortably. He sat in front of her and grinned at her contemplating face. "You scared us very much with that fall…I though Mrs. Archer was going to have a heart attack when she saw you fainted."

            She smiled at him, "Were you worried?"

            He turned his back to get medicinal cream that Mrs. Archer had left for her cuts and scarpes. "Nope."

            She grinned knowingly. "Maybe I should jump over cliffs and such, more often to have you worri—"

            She was cut off unexpectedly for he quickly whipped around and pulled her into his arms and rasped into her ear. "You scared me very, very much."

            "Van…"

            He let go of her abruptly, pulled her right leg straight and pushed up her woolen shift up to her thighs.

            "Van!" she blushed profusely as her fingers automatically gripped the edge of her grown. What was he thinking??

            "I am not going to do hurt you," he huffed as he stopped her from pushing down her gown.

            "But I—" She stopped short as she found gasping in pain when he applied the cream to her scraped knee. She balled her hands into fists.

            "It b-burns!" 

            "Shhh…I know," he soothed her softly, as his fingers gently applied the cream. For some reason, she found it highly strange…him touching her knee which gave her a feeling as if what he was doing was intimate for the tingly, electrical sensations that burst forth in her body, like mini-fireworks.

            He pulled back her gown to her ankles. Her chivalrous Van. How could she ever have thought that he was going to take advantage of her?

            "Show me your left arm." He did the same for her arm, applying the cream that burned her flesh. Having finished, he gently patted it and pulled down her sleeves.

            "Aren't you cold?" she asked more out of curiosity, and then realized what she was indirectly referring to his exposed chest, and blushed.

            He grinned lopsidedly at her and teased. "Burning." There was some truth to his statement; he wasn't cold. How could he have been cold when with her elbow along his chest and her hand on his stomach? The heat of being so intimately close to her had melted the coldness he had initially felt.

            A yawn escaped her mouth before she could suppress it. "You, sleepy?" he asked.

            "Yeah," she admitted truthfully. "Not sure why."

            He sighed, "You should sleep; you need to rest. Tomorrow's going to be a busy day, anyway."

             "Where are you going to sleep?"

            "I am going to go back to my tent; Mrs. Archer wanted me to stay until you woke up and I applied the cream on your wounds." He smiled regretfully.

            She looked at her well manicured fingernails. "It's awfully cold outside…and your bed must be cold."

            "Yes, I'll manage though." He gave her a small smile.

            Softly, quietly, and hesitantly, she spoke. "You don't have to leave, you know." His eyes widened at her blushing cheeks as her flashing eyes met his.

            "Hitomi…"

            Oh God, she wanted more time with him! The month was coming to an end and in two days she would be going. Leaving him. If the night was the only way she could get more time, she would accept that stolen time willingly. Even sleeping beside him was spending time with him.

            "There's space for you." She smiled cheerfully, "We'll sleep close and stay warm." Her statement reminded him of the first time the first night they had slept beside each other at the baker's house to keep warm.

            His melting eyes met hers once again and a smile spread on both faces.

            It was such a close feeling, straightening out the make shift mattress and spreading out the covers properly. Hitomi could only have a permanent smile on her face; she felt as if she was married to him.

            Both looked at their finished product and the silent question of who was to go slip in first came.

            "Ladies first." He grinned broadly. "Go on ahead, Hitomi." She looked at him shyly and nodded.

            Once under the covers, she questioned. "Aren't you going to wear a top?"

            "Did you want me to? The spare's in my tent."

            "No, no, no! It's too cold outside. It's fine."

            He frowned as he parted the covers. "I don't mean to make you uncomfortable…"

            "You're not making me uncomfortable, Van. Just hurry up and get in!"

            He chuckled as he smoothly settled himself beside her. "A little anxious aren't you to cuddle up to me?"

            "You wish," she quipped.

            Under the covers, his hand found hers and he clasped it. Softly, he whispered into her ear. "I do wish."

            "What?"

            He laughed at the expression on her face. "Joking! You scare too easily, it's so tempting!" She was tempting…her lips beckoned to be kissed again as she pouted adorably.

            She positioned her body to face him, never letting go of his hand, while her other hand crept up on his chest.

            "Don't!" he hissed.

            "Don't what?" she asked, batting her eyelashes innocently. She rubbed her palm on his chest.

            "Do. That." He said through gritted teeth.

            "Did you say you wanted me to do that, again?" She grinned cheekily as he gave her a mock-glare, "You get mad so easily, it's just so tempting."

            He had to grin back at her. He wasn't mad at her; there wasn't really a time when he was truly ever mad at her. Mad at her for scaring him nearly to death today, but there was no pure anger. An act on her part that was so innocent…he didn't want himself to act in a way that would later shame him or her. He wanted to be stuff of her dreams. Not kiss her madly until she was senseless when she offered so very sweetly to sleep beside her. He was sick! He had to stop! He turned the lantern off and switched off a nearby flashlight until they lay in darkness.

            It was so cozy here, lying beside him, his chest being a constant source of warmth. She buried her head in his torso. "Mmm…Hitomi? Is everything alright?"

            "Yes," she whispered. "Do you mind if I stay this way for a while?"

            "N-no." There was a certain childish catch in her voice, a sense of loneliness. The dark heightened so many senses that usually one ignored. She brought her arm around his neck and gently caressed it softly.

            "What are you thinking of, Hitomi?"

            "Hmm…I am thinking of how this feels like we're almost married."

            His eyes widened. "Really?"

            "Mmhmm…"

            "And you know what it feels like being married?"

            She grinned. "I've known it since the night I slept near you."

            His throat tightened and he found himself brushing his lips over her soft hair. "You must also know the process of consummating the marriage?" he grinned impishly.

            She giggled softly. "Pervert!" On a more serious note she added quietly. "I'll wait for you, Van. Even if it has to be till Eternity," she vowed.

            "Hitomi…" a burst of possessiveness gripped him and he pulled her even closer to him, "will you promise me something?"

            "What is it?"

            "Promise me that you'll never give yourself away to some other man," he spoke gravely. The thought of someone kissing her made his blood boil, much less being in bed with her. No! Definitely not the latter! He would probably strangle the man! "Promise me that you'll always wait for me, even if we separate. I'll look for you until I find you, I promise."

            "You didn't have to make me promise this." She pulled apart and met his eyes. "I would've done the same."

            "Me too."

            Saying that, both drifted off to sleep, their bodies looking as if one, so close they were. It wasn't until three in the morning he awoke again to find moisture on his chest and a suspicious sniffle.

            "Hitomi? You're crying."

            "I-I am just happy. Go back to sleep." She turned away from him, the keen loss of her cutting through him like a knife.

            He pinned her to the mattress as he loomed over her. "Don't cry…please, don't cry, Hitomi." Her throat tightened. Oh God, he reminded her of the time when he had said something similar to her when she had wept for the loss of his mother and her's.

            Bending down, he kissed away each tear delicately. It was something she had heard in songs, in novels, in longings of the orphaned girls who hoped to have a man to kiss away their tears. And never thought it would happen to her.

            She pulled him down next to her and wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her body to his. She had been crying of the beauty of last night, of what she was going to lose.

            "Let's just go back to sleep."

            He pulled her as close as it was possible and closed his eyes. "I love you, Hitomi." Her eyes turned round and subsided as she thought of their future. She surrendered into the moment, into this awesome moment when their heart beat as one.

            This moment was the only earthly heaven that ever existed in their lives.

~When love beckons to you, follow him,

Though his ways are hard and steep.

And when his wings enfold you, yield to him,

Though the sword hidden among his pinions

may wound you.~

Replies:

Spirit0: *grins* Yeah, wish I could murder them or something. Loads of turmoil ahead for Hitomi-chan. Van's parents will be really nice though. ^_^;; Atleast the poor boy is getting a good home. Thankies for reviewing!!! :D :D

Cherry Dragon: XD! Another murderer! O_o;; Man, I feel guilty now…converting honest, and good people into murderess' with my ficcie. *laughs evilly* Aaah, Hana needs to be killed though… Well, if you thought that chapter was cute, what do you think of this?? :D Hope you like it. Keep reviewing!

Onigiri Momoko: Yes, they are evil. -_-;; But! ^_^;; How was the fluff in this chapter? Fluffly enough, eh?

Sakura Onto Hitomi: *hands over Hana* Yes, beat her up as much as you want. Enough fluff in this chapter for you? :D

Wink57CS: *bows* So honored you review my stories!! :D:D *hugs* Thanks for the encouragement! Hope the length (and content!) of this chapter pleased you. When are you updating your story, missy?? Totally hooked on it! *shoves you away to write*

snow blossoms: Aaaah, such is life, I suppose. She had to have the evil family, poor Van needed some family to accept him wholly. Doona worry, 'Tomi-chan will survive. She has Allen. *laughs wickedly* XDD I am going to try to make Allen somewhat likable in this story and I think he makes his entry in the chapter after this one. Thanks for your review! Always there! You make me really happy! :D :D

Dreamboat Annie: Poor guy has no idea on both sides. Whether Hitomi will get adopted or when he'll get adopted. -_-;; But! I love him! :D *cowers* I am going to try something horribly tricky…and in the process earn your hatred…but only for a while. -_-;; Lots and lots of turmoil until it ends happily ever after. And yes…it does have a happy ending! :D I've already planned it out…*grins impishly* Eh, wasn't this chapter quite fluffy? Thanks for your wonderful review!            

Inda: Arrigato! You liked the chapter ending? Well, whaddaya think of this one? And the chapter? Thanks a lot for reviewing!!! Keep on!

Ryuu Angel: *hugs bearishly* Hey, chica!!! *puffs chest* Aren't ye proud o' me? I finally updated! *grins madly* I tell you, they made up Luke! -_-;; O_o;; This is quite strange…I am listening to "Here" by Sakamoto and for some reason I was thinking that  you were singing that song, like she sounded sort of like you. *sweatdrops* Don't blame me, I just woke up half an hour ago. -_-;;;Good God, girl, your reviews are as long as my chapter! ^_~ But, I looove them and they are my most treasured possessions!!XD! Yes, yes, many have talked of the evilness of Hana and the I-don't-really-care-type attitude of Hisaki. *shrugs* They were actually inspired by two characters from a V.C. Andrews book called "Brooke." (*cough cough* Does that name sound familiar? There's a wench in our school named that—I loathe her!) Hehehe, yep yep, when Van gets adopted, he will become as we know of Van Slanzar de Fanel. ^_________________^;; What did you think of this fluff filled chapter? :D I was debating…kiss or not…but I thought they deserved it…I mean she'd have to wait ten years to see him again…didn't want to be so cruel. But, I am quite curious to think of what you think of this chapter! :D Oh yes, hope you excelled at that Chem test! *waves Ryuu Angel banners* You can do it!!! XD Here, AP Chem test is the hardest test, so yeah, hoping it isn't the same for you. Oohhh, I am so sorry about the da. -_-;; I think I told you that earlier. It's just so strange…you know that cancer ficcie I was writing? Well, it turned out, a month ago, my aunt was diagnosed with second stage cancer. T.T This is just too coincidental! I feel so horrible now! Ugh! Such is life! Anyway, talk to you later!!

Avelyn Lauren: Yes, it is very sad…the old lady…but doona hate the old lady soo much…she'll play a part in getting them together, you'll see. *grins widely* Thankiez for reviewing!!!

monkey_no_c: O_O *cowers* Did I mention that you scared me? Doona worry, angst is coming up. You should consider that we writers have a life other than writing, and promises to uphold and unfortunately, writing falls back in my priorities. I must concentrate on school work and etc. -_-;; But, I hope you liked this chapter and I am planning on continuing all my stories, so don't worry!

HeavensTear: Aaah, another murderess! Don't kill her yet!! XD Thanks for your review. How did you like this chapter? Loads and loads of fluff, I must say. I spent a good few hours on this last night and then finally wrote up replies this morning.

Dariel: Hey Dee!!! *hugs Dee madly* No, no, girl, don't bang your head. I am always late for my reviews as well. *mumbles* The point is that you reviewed! *throws confetti* *shakes head* You liked Claire? *grins* That's good; she's meant to be likable. ^__________^;; Yes, yes, the whole blood circulation. Her clinging manner will create a certain green eyed monster later on. ^_~ I am debating her coupling…I think she'd be good with Gaddess, perhaps…Hehe, our dear Merle will get Van to his senses later on, so we should all appreciate her appearance. LOL, Dryden…yep, strange, hehe, but I  loved his quotation!*grins madly* What did you think of this chapter? It's overflowing with soo much fluff it's quite choking, actually. I was just shaking my head last night and I was like, "WHOA! I can't believe I am writing so much fluff into one chapter!" And, this chapter was longer than any of my others, so all the V/H fan girls can eat their hearts out. Ohh, it was absolutely wonderful talking to you the day before yesterday even though it was such a short period of time. n_n;; Both of you (Aina and you) have such cool accents…!!! -_-;; I am accent less and have been told when I give little presentations in front of class, I sound like a TV commercial. -_-;; Anyway, talk to you later, girl. Tcheuss!!

Avaris Sky: You can imagine that if that makes you happy. 'Tain't going to happen like that. *sighs despairingly* They are going to suffer a lot before things end happily ever after. But, the main point is that it will end happily! ^_^;; Thanks for reading and reviewing! :D Haha, you lucky thing…what did you think of the chapter that was dedicated to you? I must admit…this is one of my fav chapters. (My fav is the first chapter.)

YNG: *bows* So glad you like my other stories too!!! Haha!!! Weell, I have three levels...this one's ending is the happiest ending, Beautiful will be semi-happy (but overall happy) and Yours and Mine going to be terribly sad. -_-;;; Thankiez for reviewing though!! Keep on! *cowers* Sorry for the late posting!
Chan Yoruyamatiha: This chapter was longer, ne? So, happy? We all don't want her to get adopted but feh, how will the story move on then? XD *grins madly* Doona worry too much...it will have a wonderfully, happy, ending! Keep on reviewing!
Hoshi-chan2: Yes, yes, adoption thing again. -_-;; It's quite sad, I know, but don't hyperventilate yet! You can hyperventilate in this chapter...the kiss scene...*winks impishly* Keep on reviewing!!
A/N: Ugh, I am really sorry for the lateness of this chapter! I got a bit depressed once my report card came...~_~ My GPA is a 4.527 and I was unhappy. I had to get stable with my grades and then move on with writing. Oh yes, I wrote this listening to "Ave Maria" from the Korean drama Steps to Heaven (wonderful drama, if you get a chance, watch it!!!!), "Here" by Maaya Sakamoto, and also the "Affections that Trandescend Time II" from Inuyasha (listened to this while writing kiss scene! XD) Anybody think that the last quotation seemed a bit dark, and foreboding/ominous? It was supposed to be that way. ^__________^;; But I loved the wing part of the quote..hehe…so fitting! And the thigh scene…XD…it was supposed to be semi-funny. ^_^;;  Anywhoo, please drop me a line and review! Next chapter, it's goodbye to both as they go their seperate way. Very sad though. *sniffs* Hope I made up for all the fluff in this one because you won't be seeing V/H fluff anytime soon. Ja ne!!