RayeBBG: So, this is MY version of what would happen after chapter 42 of Shugo Chara. I wrote it for Futari wa Pretty Anon's Shugo Chara Days fanfiction contest (#1). Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Shugo Chara, or any other characters in this story. I simply wove the plot together. Shugo Chara is owned by Peach-Pit.

"Amu, listen up."

Amu suddenly felt the cool air against her hand as Ikuto's own hand slipped from her grasp. Surprised, she looked up into his deep blue eyes. Her own amber orbs widened at the intensity.

"I won't ever see you again."

Silence. The amusement park lights and sounds died behind them as they stared at each other. Ikuto sighed, closing his eyes, and he turned to walk away from Amu.

"W-Wait!" Amu stuttered, running to block his path. She barely noticed the tears stinging her eyes, threatening to spill down her cheeks, which were red with humiliation. "What do you mean; you won't ever see me again?"

Ikuto glared into the darkness to his left. He remained silent for a moment before glancing back at her. "I'm leaving."

"Leaving?!" It was getting harder to breathe, Amu decided. And colder, it was definitely getting colder outside. She rubbed her arms through her school uniform, trying to get rid of her goose bumps.

"Yes, leaving." Ikuto started forward and walked up so he was standing directly in front of her.

"But… but where are you going?" Amu whispered. She felt like her heart was going to be ripped clean from her chest.

"I'm going to England with my mother," he replied. "I'm going to live there."

"Yeah, but," Amu shook her head, trying to will the tears to re-enter her eyes, but they were already falling. "But… you'll come back, right? I mean, you can't just leave! This is… this is your home! This is—" She couldn't stop the words from spilling out. This was his home! He had friends here! He went to school here! Utau was here! He couldn't leave them! He couldn't leave her! "Don't leave me here…" she shut her eyes tightly, trying to hold back her anger and also something else…

"Amu…"

"Don't… don't leave m-me… Ikuto, I…" Amu looked up at him, her vision blurred by her tears. "I… I… Ikuto, I—"

She didn't even have time to register that his lips were pressed against her own before it was over. She could feel his breath against her face and she heard him murmur something before suddenly he was gone into the night. She felt herself collapse to the ground, but she didn't feel the pain of her knees being scrapped, or hear the voices of ran, Miki and Suu as they flew towards her. All she could see were Ikuto's eyes—his sad, beautiful, blue eyes—and all she could hear was his voice, whispering, "I'm sorry."

She didn't remember walking home that night, or getting ready for bed, or falling asleep. It was a long, dreamless night, and by the time the sun rose, she had woken up, showered and gotten dressed for school.

"Good morning, Amu-chan!" Ran greeted her as she re-entered her room from the bathroom.

"You're up so early, Amu-chan!" Miki smiled at her. Suu was yawning and rubbing her eyes.

Amu managed a small smile and nodded. "Yeah, I guess the sun woke me up. I forgot to shut the curtains," she looked towards her balcony, and hesitating, she stepped out onto it.

The air smelled like dew and she could hear birds chirping. She took a deep breath, and smiled. Opening her eyes, she turned on her heel, and then she froze in her tracks. Her face paled as the memories came flooding back into her mind. Ikuto… the snacks, he biting her ear, him sharing her room, her bed, secrets, the amusement park, last night… Ikuto. Tears broke from her eyes as she crumpled to the ground.

Ran, Miki and Suu were at her side all at once. "Amu-chan! Are you ok?" Suu looked up at her with worried green eyes. Miki and Ran were each patting one of her shoulders, both looking at her with similar faces to Suu.

"Ran… Miki… Suu… minna…" Amu sniffled. "Ikuto… Ikuto is gone!"

"What?!" Nagihiko, Rima, Yaya and Tadase all stared at Amu as she told them the story of how she ran into Ikuto yesterday and how they had talked and he had told her that he was leaving. Secretly, she left out the intimate details—the kiss, holding hands, the embrace… She shook her head to rid herself of the thoughts.

"He's moving to England?" Yaya asked, interested as always. Amu had managed to pull herself together, but her heart ached like it never had before. She hadn't realized it would hurt this much to lose Ikuto… she didn't realize just how much he really meant to her.

"Yes, he's moving to England with his mother," Amu replied.

"Why?" Rima asked, instantly worried about her best friend.

"Yes, Amu, did he tell you why?" Tadase had a hand on her shoulder.

Amu shook her head. "No… he didn't tell me why. I don't think I asked him why… all he said was that he was going to live there and that he wasn't going to come back."

"That doesn't mean that you won't ever see him again," Nagihiko was suddenly at her side.

Amu jumped, slightly surprised. "Nagi!"

"I know this may not be the best time, but I have something I've been meaning to tell you," Nagihiko began fishing around in his pocket before producing Temari's egg.

Amu looked at it in wonder. "Temari… Nagi-kun, why do you have Temari's egg? Shouldn't she be with Nadeshiko-san?"

Nagihiko smiled at her. "She is."

Amu raised an eyebrow. The small group was silent before Yaya suddenly yelled, "HUH?!"

"What he means is that Temari is with Nadeshiko because Nadeshiko and Nagihiko are the same person," a new voice appeared. Everyone turned to look at Kukai. "Yo," he added, winking at them.

"Nagihiko… and Nadeshiko… are the same person?" Amu turned back to look at Nagihiko. He smiled, nodding. Amu's eyes got wider. Why… why was this all happening now? She had thought that she wouldn't ever see Nadeshiko again! Or at least not for a long time… but she had been here the whole time!

She saw Yaya jump up and down, grabbing Nagi's hands and running in circles. Rima was just staring at them, with Kusukusu laughing over her shoulder. Rima didn't look particularly surprised, as if she'd known already. Tadase and Kukai were sort of standing off to the side, seeming to have a somewhat serious discussion. 'He's probably telling Kukai about Ikuto…' Amu decided. Ikuto… unlike Nadeshiko, Ikuto was leaving for good. He wouldn't return as a twin sister, nor would he promise to come back someday. Suddenly the thought of Ikuto was overwhelming, and Amu ran from the garden.

Amu walked through the trees aimlessly. It seemed as though nobody had decided to follow her. Or nobody had noticed that she'd left. So many tears had poured from her eyes between last night and this morning that she could no longer produce them and only the sound of her sniffling and her red, puffy eyes were signs of her sadness. Why did this have to happen? How could he leave her like this? He did so much… he saved her, he gave her leads and hints, he boosted her confidence when she needed it… he protected her, and she protected him in turn! And now he went and pulled this? "Why…?"

Suddenly, a little glow appeared before her and then she was looking into the tiny, golden-amber eyes that almost mirrored her own. "Dia!"

"Amu-chan. What is your heart saying right now?" Dia smiled at Amu with those all-knowing orbs of hers.

"My… heart?" Amu subconsciously placed a hand over her heart.

"Yes. Can you hear what it is saying?"

Amu closed her eyes. It hurt to keep them open and she was glad to relax them. Concentrating, she tried to hear the words of her heart. "What are you thinking, Amu-chan?" Dia's voice floated through her subconscious.

Amu's brow furrowed and she sighed in frustration. "It's no use, Dia! I can only think of Ikuto! All I see is him… no matter what. Even though Nagi told us his secret, no matter how annoying Ikuto always is, he's all I can think about! My chest hurts and I feel like my heart is being pulled straight out from my chest! It's… it's painful, Dia!" Amu cried, collapsing once again to her knees. "It hurts!"

"Amu-chan! That is what your heart is saying!" Amu looked up, confused, at Dia. "It is saying that it hurts. It hurts because it does not want Ikuto-san to leave."

Amu stared at Dia for a long time. "I… yes, I don't want Ikuto to leave!" She stood.

"Why?" Dia asked, ever-smiling at Amu.

"Because… because I…" Amu's cheeks began to redden. "Ikuto… because… because I love… I love him!" Amu cried out.

"Yes, Amu-chan!" Dia's smile grew on her small face.

The two began glowing, and barely realizing that she was doing it, Amu held out her arms to her small guardian. "Dia!"

"Amu," the golden chara held out her own tiny arms.

"My own heart, UNLOCK!"

In a blinding flash of light, Amu and Dia character-transformed into Amulet Diamond. She set off running, not knowing exactly where she was going, but she was going anyways!

"Amu-chan!" Ran, Miki, and Suu were suddenly flying along-side her.

"Minna…" Amu managed a watery smile before jumping a wall and running down the street.

"Amu-chan, where are we going?" Miki asked.

"To Ikuto," Amu replied, turning a corner.

"But, Amu-chan! How do you know where he is?!" Ran cried.

Amu didn't stop running as she darted past her own house towards the park. "I am listening to my heart," Amu placed her hand to her chest again. "My heart… my heart will definitely lead me to Ikuto!"

Ikuto sat on the steps, staring at the Dumpty Key in his hand. Yoru sat silently next to him. Was this really the right thing to do? Leave this place to be with his mother? His step-father? Go to England in search of his real father?

"Ikuto, what's wrong-nya?" Yoru scratched behind his ear and looked up at Ikuto.

Ikuto glanced down at Yoru and suddenly, his eyes widened. He had never noticed how Yoru's eyes matched Amu's eyes… that amber color that captured him, pulled him in and warmed his heart.

"Ikuto…?" Yoru's eyes became more worried as he stared into Ikuto's blue orbs. "Ikuto, stop staring-nya!"

Ikuto blinked before turning away. Amu… he had made her cry last night. That sight would haunt him forever, he was convinced. That image was so plainly clear in his mind, as he replayed the scene over and over and it pained his heart.

"Don't…don't leave m-me… Ikuto…"

He shut his eyes tightly, clutching the key in one hand and covering his face with the other. "Damn it!" he growled under his breath.

He had to go. He had to find his father. It was the most important thing to him, to find his father. He stood. "Yoru, let's go."

Sighing, Yoru nodded and turned to follow Ikuto down the steps.

Ikuto's foot reached the ground just before he saw her, running towards him, arms out-stretched, eyes shining, a smile on her face. Surprise flitted across his face, and he only just had time to catch her before falling back to the stairs. Yoru, Ran, Miki and Suu all watched, and then Dia joined them.

"Amu!" Ikuto looked up at her in surprise. "What are you do—"

This kiss was unlike the one from last night. For one thing, she had started it this time. It was also longer, and more passionate. He'd never felt like this before, never felt this good, this happy.

Amu broke away from Ikuto and looked down at him, trying not to look so upset, but she couldn't help it. The blue-eyed boy just looked up at her, completely stunned. "Ikuto… if you have to leave, I can't stop you," Amu started, not looking away. "But, I wanted to tell you that… that I love you."

Once again, silence surrounded them, but it was different this time. The wind blew lightly, and Ikuto's eyes softened and he reached up to cup her cheek with his hand. She smiled, leaning into it and she placed her own hands over his. He couldn't help the smile that grew across his face and he pulled her into his embrace, holding her tightly.

The most important thing to him…

"Amu," Ikuto leaned against her shoulder.

"Ikuto?" Amu pulled back to look at him.

He looked back at her. "Amu… I thought that finding my father was the most important thing to me. After being freed from Easter, I always imagined going to find him so that I could learn why he left, what he's been doing, and maybe to show him how I play the violin," his hand came up again to play with her hair and he brought her closer again into a lighter, warmer embrace. "That was so important to me for the longest time." He felt her nodding against his chest. He sighed. "But, now the most important thing to me… is you."

She looked up at him, surprise in her eyes. She couldn't hide her happiness as he smiled back at her, brushing a lock of her light, sakura-pink hair behind her ear. "Now, I want to learn more about you and what you're going to do next and I want you to listen to my violin."

For the first time, Amu saw Ikuto's face redden slightly, and he turned his gaze away. He looked so adorable; she couldn't help a small giggle that escaped. He looked back at her in surprise. "I want to tell you about me and I want to hear about you too. And I want to listen to your violin," Amu smiled at him.

Another moment of silence passed and Amu looked to the ground. She silently hoped that this next question she had would have a positive answer.

"So…" she started. "Does this mean you're… staying?"

He blinked at her before smirking in that lazy-cat way that he always had before, and he gently took her cheeks in his hands and turned it to the side. "Come closer."

"I-Ikuto!" Amu blushed. Then, like that first time on her balcony, she felt his teeth lightly bight her ear. "IKUTO!" she pushed at him and he chuckled.

Bright red, Amu stood up, her arms crossed and she looked away from him. "Just for that, I won't let you leave."

"Really?" Ikuto smirked at her. "What a pity, I guess I'll have to stay with you, then." He stood up in turn, stretching and rubbing his back from where he'd fallen.

Amu looked up at him, smiling brightly. He smiled back at her. "Let's go. Your friends will be looking for you," he held out his hand.

"Ikuto…" she took his hand. "Ikuto, you're my most important thing too."

He grinned and squeezed her hand. "I'm glad."

Yoru, Dia, Ran, Miki and Suu, all quite pleased, flew to catch up with Amu and Ikuto as the seven headed into the open future in front of them. Amu didn't know what was going to happen or who she was going to turn out to be, but as long as Ikuto stood by her side, she knew she'd be alright.

Fin.

RayeBBG: Well, I hope you enjoyed that! Please leave a review!