Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction ❯ Mystic Wings ❯ The Road Back ( Chapter 5 )

Chapter Five

The Road Back

 

The morning Hitomi and Van prepared to go back to the city was an ordinary one, except that they were leaving. The four weeks they got to spend together had gone by so quickly. It was the end of their honeymoon now and it was so very sad. Van put his cast back on his leg like he was still hurt and got into the passenger side of the car. Hitomi got in beside him and sparked the engine.

 

They had a few quick errands to do before they got on the highway back home.

 

“How is it going to be?” Hitomi asked suddenly, realizing that this might be one of the last times they would really get to talk to each other alone. “When we're staying at your aunt's house? Are you going to ignore me, or are we going to be friendly with each other, or what?”

 

Van sighed and looked out the car window with the air of a man on death row. He didn't answer her.

 

“You said you thought up something to tell everyone to take suspicion off of us. What was it?” Hitomi prompted.

 

“I wasn't going to say anything tonight,” he finally admitted. “I have some errands to run in the city this afternoon. I called Gaddes last night and asked him to meet me at the farm. He's going to take me around and I need to have a meeting with him about how we're going to handle things at The Voltage Room tomorrow.”

 

“You're still not going to tell me anything about that?”

 

“No.”

 

“Why not? I am your wife,” she told him saucily.

 

“And as wonderful as you are, I'm still not going to tell you. It might be dangerous and I don't want you to worry. Besides, I want you to wrap your head around solving a problem.”

 

“What's that?”

 

“When, my dear, are you going to finish high school? I think it's really important for you to at least finish that much, don't you?” he said, sounding depressed.

 

“I don't know,” Hitomi said, thinking about it carefully. “I can see why I need the diploma, but I just really don't want to do it anymore. I feel too grown up to go back to the old classrooms and all that. Couldn't I do distance learning, or something like that?”

 

“If you want to,” he said, still directing his gaze out the window and looking truly despondent.

 

“Lighten up, Van,” Hitomi said encouragingly. “What's got you so depressed? I'm sure we'll find time to be together at your aunt's.”

 

“I'll make sure if it,” he said, finally turning to look at her. “You're beautiful, Hitomi. This is going to be much harder than I thought it was going to be, but do you mind if I try to sleep a bit? I didn't sleep much last night.”

 

“Were you up worrying?” Hitomi asked, with real concern for him.

 

“… Perhaps,” he said dully, and he closed his eyes.

 

It was a four-hour drive from Rose Hill to Van's aunt's house, and Hitomi had barely covered half an hour's worth of road before Van zonked out beside her. He tilted his seat back and was totally oblivious to everything. Hitomi turned off the stereo and reflected on the time they got to spend together at the cabin.

 

After their wedding day, Van had given her lots of chances to improve her ability. They took the little stereo system that had played at their wedding and set it up outside. He played dance music for her to get her heart beating quickly. She got so good that when she listened to her favourite songs, she could practically make ice sculptures in the yard, but when the melody was a low beat she couldn't call forth a snowflake. Van would set fire to branches and she would put them out before he even made a burn mark on the bark. Van was impressed, and so was she. He was right that the ability came easily to her once she realized that she could do it. It was like whistling or riding a bicycle.

 

Probably the most memorable day was the one where he took her on a bit of a nature hike by a bubbling stream. It was there that he told her about his brother - Folken. Hitomi hadn't been able to get what Van told her out of her mind. It had been boiling like a dangerous brew in her head since she heard.

 

“Folken,” Van started saying, “is almost ten years older than me. He was fifteen when he got himself involved with drug dealers at school. The situation was different though, compared to what normally happens when kids get involved with dealers. He wasn't interested in drugs. He was interested in selling drugs, and oddly enough he was really good at it. He was kicked out of school when he was in grade ten and at the same time left home to go live and work in the city for the drug lords. Needless to say, my parents weren't thrilled about this, so they packed their bags and prepared to go after him. They left me with Aunt Flo and Uncle Balgus.”

 

Hitomi could see where this was going, and the tone and measure of Van's voice told her that this wasn't a story he told to just anybody. In fact, this was a story he told to absolutely no one. He had been skipping rocks across the water, but once he started talking about Folken, none of the rocks he threw skipped even once. She was terrified as to what he was going to say next.

 

“They didn't come back?” she asked quietly.

 

“No, they didn't come back. Folken lived and both my parents were killed,” was all Van said about it.

 

Hitomi did not want to press him for details. The story seemed too cruel. It seemed an awful burden Van had to carry. She ached to heal his wounds, but how could she when they were so deep?

 

“You know how I said that you and I were the only people who could use the elemental abilities?”

 

Hitomi nodded.

 

“I lied. I do know of one other person, and that's Folken. He managed to get the ability from my uncle, as well. I saw a flash of his symbol before I woke up when I received my abilities. When I explained what had happened to Auntie, she told me what she thought had happened. Well, I saw him at the Dragon Slayers' hideout, and it's definitely true. I'd always sort of hoped that she was wrong.”

 

“What's his symbol?” Hitomi asked seriously.

 

“A crow,” Van answered.

 

“Are you worried about going to meet him?”

 

“Not really,” Van said, shrugging his shoulders and slamming his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “What has me worried was what Dilandau said. He said that Folken wanted to meet you. That has me terrified.”

 

“I didn't understand that at the time. What would Folken want with me?” Hitomi asked.

 

“It's obvious. He wants your talents. He wants mine, too. At least, that's what he said when I talked to him. He made his offer to me and I was so angry I smoked the room. It was hard putting out the fire I started that time, but I had to. Then Folken took off and you came and had your argument with Dilandau. He's a coward.”

 

“Dilandau?”

 

“I don't think Dilandau's a coward,” Van said patiently. “I'm sorry, I was talking about Folken. Dilandau may be cruel beyond my wildest dreams. I can't believe what he did to Celena, but at least he's honest about it. He doesn't sneak around like Folken and use subtleties and innuendo. Besides, Dilandau isn't who I'm after.”

 

“What was the offer Folken made you?”

 

Van crouched down by the water and dipped his fingers in the ripples. “I'd rather not talk about it. It wasn't something I would consider, but he's definitely not happy with me now, and I can't say how things will go when I meet with him. He's taking revenge on me by keeping Allen and the others.” Van paused before saying very slowly, “I'll probably have to do what he asks when I go there.”

 

“Isn't there another way?” Hitomi asked, now feeling wretched that she had been the one to promise that he would go.

 

Van stuck his tongue in his cheek like he was thinking hard. “I don't know. I won't know until I get there and see what sort of setup he's got going on. The worst thing about all this is that The Voltage Room is not a club I've ever gone to. No one has ever been there. It's a Dragon Slayer club and its grand opening is scheduled for the day after I go to meet Folken. I got the address but there's no way I can do enough recon to not walk straight into the trap.”

 

Van looked positively venomous while he spoke. Hitomi realized that she had stumbled on a darker side of his nature with this conversation. This was the part of him that should have warned her not to marry him, but she wanted to help purge him of these feelings. It was just that at this moment, Hitomi was helpless to help him. He had to go to The Voltage Room to get those four guys back. She didn't even approve of leaving them for dead.

 

Now she saw the road stretch ahead of her and she was wondering what would happen when he went. She was absolutely confident that he would find a way out. Folken wouldn't be able to get the better of Van. That just seemed impossible.

 

***

 

When they arrived at last at Aunt Flo's house, Aunt Flo, Eries and Gaddes were there to greet them. Apparently, Chid had been sent to go live with a relative on the coast, so there were only the three of them. As soon as Van got out of the convertible, he called Gaddes over and they left to go to the city.

 

Hitomi was then left with Eries and Aunt Flo. Eries helped her carry the bags in, and invited Hitomi to sit down with them for lunch.

 

“How was the trip?” Eries asked, looking suspicious and very interested in Hitomi's answer.

 

“Oh, it was fun,” Hitomi said noncommittally.

 

“So, what did you guys find to do all by yourselves in the middle of nowhere?” Aunt Flo asked, not looking suspicious, but looking like she thought Hitomi and Van were both incredibly stupid.

 

“We hiked, and drove around and saw the country. You know, that sort of thing,” Hitomi answered.

 

“So,” Eries started, being less than her usual dignified self, “did anything happen?”

 

Hitomi nearly choked on her food. “What do you mean?” she asked, unintentionally blushing.

 

“Something did happen. What? Spill,” Eries said coaxingly. “Did Van decide to forget all about his moon girl and go for you instead?”

 

“That isn't what happened,” Hitomi said honestly. “We're just friends, and we had a nice time together,” Hitomi proceeded, dishonestly.

 

“Like I'm gonna believe that,” Eries said. “A guy and a girl can't hang out for so long in such closed quarters like that without something going on. I mean when Allen and I …” she abruptly stopped talking, and turned away herself, looking very red.

 

“So, what happened, Eries?” Hitomi laughed. “Did something happen between you and Allen? And you always act like you hate him so much.”

 

“Fine, fine, fine, so nothing happened between you and Van,” Eries conceded.

 

Hitomi had considered letting Van come up with whatever excuse tickled his fancy, but just now an idea came into her head as to what she could tell Eries and Aunt Flo. It was a believable lie, and she didn't want to miss the opportunity.

 

“Actually,” Hitomi started. “He took me to go see her - his moon girl. She was vacationing at the lake and we spent most of the time stalking her. He just didn't want to go alone so, he took me along with him, so he wouldn't be a loner.”

 

Aunt Flo was the one who looked shocked now and she immediately started quizzing Hitomi. “You saw her? The girl my Van is in love with? What does she look like?”

 

“She wasn't as pretty as I thought she'd be from his description,” Hitomi said. “I guess he likes her for her personality. I guess I should be impressed that he's not shallow. I was expecting a real stunner, but she was just ordinary.”

 

“Did she seem like a nice girl?” Aunt Flo persisted.

 

“Sure,” Hitomi said, shrugging her shoulders. “But, now I understand why Van is so hesitant to approach her. She sort of has a boyfriend, and he was … wow! He was really attractive. I wanted to go hit on him myself and see if I could cause some trouble, but Van wouldn't let me. He's waiting for them to break up on their own. That's why he's progressing so slowly with her. I hope they don't get married or anything. Van would be an absolute mess. I'm sorry though. Most of the trip was actually really boring and he talked about her non-stop. I was so relieved when he left just now with Gaddes. If he said one more word about her, I was gonna go postal.”

 

After that conversation, Eries and Aunt Flo seemed unconcerned with the state of things between Hitomi and Van. Hitomi phoned him on her cell when she had a moment alone and told him what she'd done.

 

“Great,” he said. “Now I seem like lovesick idiot.”

 

“I thought it was a great way to brush them off. Plus, you didn't give me any ideas before you left and I was alone with them and had to defend myself.”

 

He sighed. “I'm sorry Hitomi. It doesn't matter at all what you told them. As long as they bought it, I wouldn't have cared if you'd told them I'd taken you to the North Pole and was secretly Santa Claus.”

 

“You sound unusually bitter,” she commented.

 

“Do I? I'm sorry. Today has been unusually frustrating, and it's only going to get worse. I probably won't be back there until around ten. I have to go now. Thanks for letting me know what you told them, now I can play along. Bye.”

 

“Bye,” Hitomi said, turning off the phone.

 

They were back to reality and Hitomi sure felt it. This was the same way it had been when she lived in the attic of his house. She only got to see him briefly each day and then he was off. It wasn't that she had to have him by her side every minute of every day; she was just left feeling unsatisfied.

 

When they had been on their honeymoon they had spent hours together. Walking through the woods and mountain trails holding hands. They had fed each other fruit and messed up perfectly made beds. On the whole it had been the best time of her life and now they were really back to the real world. She couldn't even confess that he was her husband.

 

This was going to be much harder than she thought.

 

***

 

 

It was after ten that night when Van and Gaddes finally rolled into the farm driveway. Van came in and collapsed in a chair like a sack of potatoes while Gaddes came in to wish everyone a good night - especially Eries - and then headed out again.

 

What had happened between those two while they were away?

 

“Is your leg still bothering you, Van?” Aunt Flo asked.

 

“Nah,” he said, forcing himself to his feet. “I've got to go make one more phone call. Mind if I use your phone Auntie?”

 

“No, but have you had anything to eat? You look bushed.”

 

“I am, but who cares? I've been slacking off for weeks and now I've got to get back to work, in a really big way.” He picked up the cordless phone and headed for the doorway. “Don't follow me, Auntie,” he said when Aunt Flo rose. “I've really got to make this call in private.”

 

Van seldom made a big deal about who he was phoning or about the reason he was calling. He gave Hitomi a look before he staggered out of the room. It was a look unlike anything Hitomi had ever seen. What was the problem? He looked like he was about to do something drastic, something dangerous, and totally uncalled for. Hitomi rushed to her feet to follow him, but Aunt Flo grabbed Hitomi's wrist and stopped her.

 

“Just give the boy some space to do what he's got to do,” she said.

 

“I'm gonna go to bed,” Hitomi said, shaking off Aunt Flo's hands.

 

Aunt Flo hung onto her tightly, and whispered into her ear. “Even though you said all that this afternoon, it still looks to me like you like Van a great deal. You're going to have to let it go. He may have let you live at his house and taken you on this little trip, but those things don't mean that he's going to give up on his moon girl. He shouldn't give up on her. It's the only way he has a chance to live happily. Try to understand, and let him go.”

 

“I really am going to go to bed,” Hitomi said, her feelings hurt and her blood boiling. “I won't bother Van. I need some sleep.”

 

Aunt Flo let her go and Hitomi left the room angry. She could tell that the woman meant well. She was only trying to do Hitomi a favour, and stop her from getting her feelings hurt, but that didn't change what the truth was. It was stupid, but because of his aunt's words, she felt like she wasn't accepted by his family - and that made a huge difference to her.

 

Hitomi looked down at her right ring finger, where Van's ring sat. This was only going to get worse from here.

 

But even though the problem with their secret wedding was something weighing down on Hitomi's mind, her conscious was much heavier laden. She had promised that Van would to go to The Voltage Room, and the knowledge that she had done that was messing her up far more than anything.

 

She had to be alone.

 

This was all her fault. If she hadn't promised then Van wouldn't have to go to The Voltage Room the next day. She felt terrible as she stalked back and forth in the little bedroom Aunt Flo had given her in the basement. Van looked terrible. Hitomi was certain that he knew something about his meeting with Folken the next day that he simply wasn't telling her.

 

She also kept rehearsing her conversation with Dilandau to see where she'd gone wrong. There had to have been a way to get those guys back without making that promise, Hitomi just didn't know what her options were. At the time, when Dilandau was yelling at her, she felt like she had no choice. He made her feel that way so he could have what he wanted. Watch, they had probably killed all of them before she even made that promise.

 

When Hitomi thought that, she felt even sicker.

 

She began unpacking her clothes and hanging them up in the little closet that was only a rack hung up on the wall with no doors. She pulled out her wedding dress and examined it. The staples had held up better than she thought it would. Then she sat down on her bed and cried.

 

This was all her fault.

 

Hitomi hung up the dress and mindlessly cleaned the bedroom to perfection. It wasn't dirty when she came in, but she had made a mess taking out all the things to remind her of the time she and Van had spent together. She got into bed and read the letter he wrote her over and over until she looked at the clock and saw that it was after midnight. Then she switched the light off and rolled onto her side.

 

This was the first night she had not slept with Van in weeks. She had never felt that a single bed was depressing before, but she did now. Her huddled form filled the bed quite adequately, and Van was not even on the same floor as her. He had lived here when he was a boy and still occupied his old bedroom - directly above her. She wanted to get up and bang on the ceiling to let him know she was thinking about him or something … It was tempting to sneak out of bed and join him in his room, but his room was adjacent to Aunt Flo's and Hitomi didn't want to risk discovery.

 

Hitomi couldn't sleep. She just lay awake and thought about Van and how depressing their married life was going to be when they had to spend each night away from each other.

 

But then her door creaked open.

 

“Hitomi,” Van drawled quietly. “Are you awake?”

 

“Yes,” Hitomi said excitedly.

 

“Don't make any noise,” he said, coming over to the side of the bed.

 

“What about your aunt?” Hitomi asked, breathlessly, so excited that he had come.

 

“That's why I said you shouldn't make any noise. If we wake her, I'll take the consequences, but I can't not be with you tonight.”