I don't know what possessed me but I wrote this. Might as well give it a shot. Will be updating my another story soon.

This will be my first and last to declare this in this fic. I DO NOT OWN GA :) *bows

leave a review :) might change the title

Chapter 1

All I see is red; burning everything that touches it. Faint screams and muffled voices can clearly be heard even from the torching sound that occurs above human will. No one wanted it to happen; I never wanted it to happen. Why? Why? If only I haven't been a rebel and followed what they say even just for tonight, everything will be fine. The thing is it's not.

There was a party that night, the party of the year as they all say. Loud booming welcomed everyone. I, the ever so sweet and bubbly lass of the class, was not frequently invited to this kind of occasion especially when alcohol is involved. They say I'm innocent, I wish I still was because after that night, my life was ruined. I drank, with a lot of persuasion from everyone who knew me, till I'm senseless. I regretted why I wore a dress that showed a lot of skin. Without me knowing, thanks to my dear friend name Tequila, I was groped here and there. I know what those jocks were doing to me yet I didn't show any sign that I don't want them to do what they want. I did the opposite like my body acted on its own.

I don't have a straight head that night. I knew I don't, but everything and everyone around me is contradicting. I took drugs but I don't know why. Everybody was cheering and I liked the attention that I got. The host of this party is a spoiled rich dude whose parents' are out of town. Nobody tried to stop us. We went wild; I went wild. The last thing I remember was letting some guy touch different parts of my body, moaning as he did so, before someone yanked me out of his grasp and I blacked out.

The next thing that happened when I opened my eyes, I saw my parents' talking, screaming at me for being an idiot. I forgot to tell that I snuck out that night which I usually don't do. I wanted to ask their permission to go to the said party but I knew they wouldn't agree. They must be sane if they allowed me to. I usually just suck it up if they won't allow me but like I said, I'm not always invited in parties. Desperately, I wanted to attend so I did the worst possible thing, snuck out.

Luck isn't on my side and my parents' caught me in a worse possible position. The car stopped abruptly in front of our 3 storey house. Without ado, I limply and hurriedly walked to the porch. As I waited for my parents' to open the door, I saw their eyes full of disbelief.

"You're drunk." I knew it was not a question because if it was a question, it'll be a rhetorical one. The door was opened and I tried to push myself towards my room which was on the third floor.

"We are so not done with you, missy! Get your ass back here this instant, damn it." My dad never cursed, it was his first in front of me.

"No!" I grumpily said as I made my way to the second flight of stairs I have yet to cross.

"You slut! How can you disgrace your mother and me? I thought I'd raised you better! We raised you better."

"Dear, don't call Mikan that way! She has her faults and she's not perfect." I immediately took this chance to run to my room even though my vision's blurry. They heard my heavy footsteps as they tried to catch up to me.

"Open this goddamn door, Mikan!" My dad pounded heavily on my door as mum tried to calm him down. Being a stubborn fool as I am, I didn't open it. A loud crackle of lightning was heard and thunder soon followed.

"Why? So you could rub it on my face that I'm a slut? Get real, I am so not gonna open that door." I sounded like a bitch, I hate it yet I said those mean things to my dad. My dad.

"Fine! Be that way! Like the hell I care." He left.

"Mikan. Sweetie? Open the door please?" Mum. She's really so sweet. Too bad I'm acting like a spoiled brat.

"Not gonna happen." She paused then left like dad did.

I passed out, I suppose. I remembered that everything was blurred; my head aches til I can't take it anymore. Off I went to a dream that triggered me to do a thing that I regretted.

It was 2 years ago. My parents, they're the best. A picnic in the meadows is what we call family time. My best friend was with us today, Hotaru. She's like a sister I never had. Everything was perfect but I wish my brother was with me. He's in America you see, studying Chemical Engineering. Haven't seen him since I was four, apparently he also went Middle School there.

"Baka."

"Mou Hotaru. I am not an idiot. Come on, let's play on those fields."

Perfection. It was the happiest days of my life. My best friend was there and so is mum and dad. They laughed at us with amusement as I tripped and Hotaru helping me out. I knew everything won't last long.

Everything blurred and scenery came to view. This time, I'm watching as my other self came hugging Hotaru. Last year, at the airport. She was leaving and my parents' didn't even care. Without her, my life changed. I'm still watching as my past self was moping around. Hotaru keeps sending letters for 2 months until it all stopped.

That time was when I became more irritated and became a rebel. Asking why my parents' didn't do anything? Simple, they're not here when their daughter was on the verge of breaking apart.

I abruptly woke up, cold sweat. I tried to sit up but the banging in my head is preventing me to. It was dark, very dark for my liking. Another thunder was heard and then it dawned to me that this must be a black out. I groggily tried to get to the bathroom and get an extra candle under the sink. There's always a match there in case of emergencies so I lit the said candle and stuck to a candle holder. Before I got out, I opened the faucet on my tub to relax my muscles.

I walked towards my bed but something wet was felt under my cold bare feet then a gush if wind passed through. My window was open. I put the candle at the edge of the window sill and closed the window. I stared at our garden for awhile before I heard my tub oozing with water. The water was lukewarm, enough for me to fell asleep.

I woke up when there's something bright that pulled me out of my reverie. I though the lights was back, how I wished that was it. I opened my brown orbs and was surprised to see fire trying to make their way through my bathroom door. On instinct I panicked and put a robe around me.

My parents' muffled screams was what I fear the most. "Mikan!" Even after what I did, they cared for me. I cried, screamed and wept. There was no way I'm gonna survive this. It's my fault, if I haven't carelessly left that candle, we'll be fine. If I didn't disobey my parents, we'll be fine. Everything would be fine.

I don't know what then happened to me but the next thing I know, I saw crimson eyes staring at me with alarm or was it just my imagination?

Natsume's POV

I hold the hose with all my strength to the window with most damage. I think this is where the fire starts. I finally manage to disperse all the fire on the said room but my dad is still on the other side of the house, diminishing the fire. I heard a scream and I knew there was still someone alive.

This is my first to come with dad on a mission. He taught me the basics much to mum's dismay. I twisted the knob on what my instincts told me as the bathroom but to no avail. It was locked from the inside. I listened intently and I heard a sob escape. I'm guessing it's a girl.

"Damn."

Leaving me with no choice, I broke the door. Inside, I saw her wearing only a robe. She's unconscious as I carry her towards her window where the ladder is appointed.

"I got a survivor here!" I woke her up, I saw her eyes. Somehow, they're the most beautiful thing I've ever saw. I may sound mushy right now but it's true. I glanced at her again and saw that her cleavage is in view. Seeing that most firefighters are guys, I removed my Fire Proof jacket that all fire fighters are required to wear and wrapped it around her petite body. She passed out the moment our eyes met.

"Natsume! The ladder is ready. Get down now!" I did as I was told and balanced her on my right arm as I use my left to support our weight as I move downwards. "Take her to the rescue team." I made my way to where they were parked as an explosion occurred behind my back. No way someone's gonna survive that huge of an explosion.

"Let me take her." A rescuer said to me but he's a guy and the girl in my arms is almost naked, no way I'm gonna give her to him.

"I think I'll handle this." I know her, she's Serina Yamada; my school's doctor. Without any hesitation, I hand the brunette to her. She led her to a corner where there's a division for some privacy.

I waited for almost half an hour, all my wounds and burnt are now treated and bandaged. Serina went out, removed her surgical gloves and looked at me. "She's fine now. I just put some ointments and painkillers though please redo them after an hour to avoid infection. I haven't washed her body, just dab some wet towel so I advice you to let her take a bath and change the bandages on her open wounds. You can now go see her."

Inside, she's now dressed in those hospital gowns with bruises around her body though most are not very visible. I sat at the chair beside her bed and just stared at her until someone knocked me out of my thoughts.

"Natsume. I think you should go home. I'll take care of the rest." Dad said with beads of sweat all over his face.

"What about her?" I pointed my thumb towards the sleeping brunette with dad's gaze finally settling on her.

"I don't know son. She'll be an orphan for now, no survivors apart from her were found though we're still looking for the bodies of her parents. The police did a background check when you found her and she has no living relative left. Her name is Mikan Sakura."

I pondered on something, on what to do then finally asked him. "Dad, can we not take her in?"

"It's not that easy."

"But I know that mum will love her and Aoi too. Come on dad." I wanted to say please but hey, I have my pride.

"Agh. Just bring her home, for now. Then I'll ask the authorities if they'll allow us to take custody of her. Of course, in the process we'll ask your mum and they'll ask her."

"Sure. Thanks dad."

-time skip-

I drove my sleek red Ferrari I got from granddad last month as an early birthday gift for my 18th birthday towards my home. She's riding shotgun and I let her wore my varsity jacket I found at the back seat.

The drive was silent though many citizens evacuated as I rode further away from the area where the accident happened. It was 2 in the morning, most roads were deserted. My stomach grumbled; I forgot I hadn't finished my dinner when the siren made a noise indicating a fire has started.

After almost an hour of leisure driving, we arrived at our mansion.

Hey, my dad might be a fire fighter but mum's family is rich. Mum, Kaoru Takahashi-Hyuuga, was supposed to be the only heiress of their company but she loved dad so much she declined, leaving me, their oldest son, to be the heir. That's why I got a Ferrari for my stinkin' birthday.

I parked my car at the underground garage and promptly went to the brunette's side of the door to hoist her up.

"Hey, wake up." I shook her gently but she showed no signs of waking up. Leaving me with no choice, I buttoned my jacket securely so her body would be covered and again, I carried her. As expected, what greeted me was darkness. I know my way around my house so darkness won't stop me.

As I stepped in the first step of the grand staircase, a lamp flickered open. Mum. She worries too much.

"Natsume? Are you alright? Where's your dad?" I was facing my back at her so she didn't notice the sleeping woman in my arms.

"Still investigating what caused the fire mum. He'll be home in one piece so chill." I heard her sigh. Women, they're paranoid.

"Fine. Hey dear, what's that in your arms?" I knew I can't hide this for her and surely enough; he'll bombard me with questions later on. I turned to her hesitantly and she was shocked. Duh. "Who's that?"

"According to dad, she's Mikan Sakura. It's her family's house that caught the fire; I saved her just in time. She has no living relatives left so I took her in. Can't leave this harmless girl alone, right?" Mum knew she has no choice since I am as stubborn as I can be. She neared her and I let her see the brunette's features.

"Oh dear. She has burns and cuts all over. I'll go get some medicine. In the meantime, prepare some water and don't dare undress her." She's paranoid, I tell you she is. I carried her towards my room, I don't know why though. She's gotta be grateful since she's the first woman, except my sister and mum, to enter my room.

I laid her in my bed and immediately made the hot water run in my tub. I noticed mum entered with a first aid kit, towel and clothes. "Help me Natsume; I have to wash her wounds." I carried Mikan again, and gently dump her in my tub with her hair tied in a bun that I did myself. Outside, I waited until mum was done.

"Help me again dear. God, she's a heavy sleeper." No duh. And yes, you guessed it. I carried her again in my bed but now, she's wearing a night gown mum lend her. After a few minutes, her wounds are now treated and mum left us be.

She shivered even though she's under the covers so again, I made her wear my varsity jacket gently as to not to wake her up. When she was settled, she slept peacefully. It was about around five in the morning when I fell asleep with me kneeling beside the bed.

The next thing I remember was when mum shook me awake and advised me to sleep in the couch in my room instead. I sleep walked I suppose since when I woke up, a blanky covered me to warm me in the cold October wind.

I knew, deep inside, that Mikan's arrival will change our, my, lives forever. And it was not pure coincidence, it was fate that brought her here. Or so I thought.

*Mikan not a popular girl in school so being invited in a party, she thought she might get her chance to get noticed. Yeah, she's OOC here but she's drunk. She not herself thanks to alcohol.
*Natsume's the only heir to the empire of the Takahashi so even though his dad was a fire fighter, they're filthy rich. I'll be explaining it further next chap.

So? anything that confuses you? Ask me. :)

9:01am 5/25/12