Hey guys! This is my first upload. I've got this entirely written, but I'm still typing it out. I'm a purist. I write everything with pencil and paper first. I'm also editing as I go along. So if you catch mistakes, I apologize. Please keep in mind that I don't appreciate flames, but I would love to have reviews. Thanks!

Enjoy! ~Behindhiscrimsoneyes

Chapter One: MEMORIES

I was raised with Mikan. When I was 7 years old, my mother brought her to me…"Natume, this is Mikan-chan. She will serve you, and do everything you need of sure to give her good instruction, and be her friend. "We played together every day, she always cleaned the mess, but she never complained. I remember asking her once, "Oi, Mikan. Why do you always play with me don't you have other friends?", "Natsume-sama, you are my master, I want to make you happy.", "I'm not a master, we're friends, ok?", "Whatever you would like master." The fight that ensued was horrid, I ignored her for two days, she came to my room every room, and cleaned the messes I made, she would sit there, but I wouldn't say a word to her. When I did talk to her, she smiled so brightly that I promised that I would do everything in my power to keep her smiling like that. Including never ignore again.

My mother died when I was 9. Seeing as her and I were very close, I took it harder than anyone else in the house, or so I thought. I threw a fit and a half just about daily when Mikan tried to get me out of bed. One day she didn't try, she just got in with me and cried. "I miss her too, Natsume-sama. She was very nice to me, when she found me, she gave me a name, and she healed me and loved me like I was welcomed. Please know you aren't alone in your suffering, master." Her big brown eyes were so sad that I couldn't help but hug her. I vowed to myself to not give Mikan any more reason to be upset, she was not to see me cry again, I didn't want her to have to comfort me when there was no one that she could turn to for comfort. I didn't cry again for months after that, until I heard of the of the maids around the house speaking of how I should be growing out of her soon enough, then she would be gone for good. She found me by the Sakura tree, "what are you crying about now, Natsume?" She was looking at him worriedly. "Someday you're going to leave, Mikan! Just like mom, you're going to leave me behind.", "Natsume, I will never leave you forever. We're friends; we will always find a way to each other. You shouldn't cry, you're much cuter when you smile. Crying doesn't suit you."

When I turned 10 my friend Ruka and I began to notice girls, he was head over heels in 'love' with a girl from our class named Imai. "Who do you like, Natsume?", "I don't like anyone, Ruka.", "I don't believe you, what about Mikan-chan?", "She's my servant, Ruka. Father would be furious if I thought of her like that…", "if you don't like her then why are you blushing?", "Ruka! It doesn't matter if I like her. Father would punish her if I acted on any emotion I could ever feel for her.", "You're right. Your dad is scary…your mom would have understood, though…", "my mom would have been ecstatic, she loved Mikan like she was her own…"After that day I noticed Mikan more, and more. She was maturing beautifully, she grew curves, her hair was down instead of in pigtails, and she was beautiful.

On my 12th birthday she gave me a locket with my mother's picture on one side. "Mikan! How did you get this locket?", "do you like it, Natsume-sama?", "It's the best! Thank you!" late I overheard that Mikan had saved her earnings all year and given up all free time to work more in order to be able to get me a present. "She really is hopeless, that girl... Falling for the young master like that. She has no chance, though I'm sure she knows that. The poor girl is clumsy, a slob, and she really isn't all that pretty, and someone like her could never be good enough for the young master." Hearing their words, I angrily left my hiding spot to confront them, "Don't you talk about Mikan like that! She is the only person in this prison that is there for me! She is the most beautiful girl in this house!" I ran off angrily, stomping around for hours until I found Mikan by a tree in the garden. Her eyes were swollen like she had been crying. "Mikan! What's happened? What's wrong?", "Ma-Master! I'm sorry; please forgive my current emotional state. Is there something I can do for you?", "did you really use all of your earnings to give me a birthday gift?"; "I have to go, master. It's time to begin preparing dinner." When she stood up there was blood soaking through the back of her blue gown. "What happened to you, Mikan?" instead of answering, she ran towards the kitchen. A week later I found out from the cook that Mikan was whipped for buying me a birthday gift. Father felt she had overstepped her boundary as a servant.

When I first kissed her I had just turned 13 and she freaked out. "Natsume! Your father would not be pleased if you do that!", "Mikan, I don't care what my father thinks. Do you care for me? Because I care about you, I love you, Mikan; I love you more than anyone else. Do you love me, Mikan?", "Natsume-sama, I cannot. Master deserves so much more.", "Stop, drop the sama and the master. Father isn't even in the house at the moment, not to mention we are on the roof, there isn't anyone around, please tell me, do you love me, Mikan?", "Natsume…I do love you..I love you more than anyone else, but you-"she never did get to finish that sentence. I kissed her quite a bit that night, and every other time that I had her alone. We were great together.

Two weeks before my 15th birthday she came to my room in tears. She wrapped her arms around me, "I don't want to go, Natsume! Please, don't send me away! Are you upset with me?", "Mikan! What are you talking about?", "You don't know?" I sat her down, holding her hands and told her to explain what she was going on about. "I got a notice today informing me that I have been passed to another family, and that it is the wishes of my master-I thought that meant you- to be packed within two day", "Mikan, I never want you to leave. I love you the same today as I did two years ago. I'll talk to father, ok? I never want to be apart from you, you are the other half of me."

Father, as coldly as ever explained what was happening. "You are too old for a playmate, which is all that she was supposed to be for you. I'm getting a very good price for her, seeing as she is a lousy cook and incredibly clumsy. She has served her purpose to this house, you have ground out of Sakura Mikan.", "Father, and I love her! Please don't send her away!", "you love her? She is a servant. You are stepping over lines that should not be crossed. She will never be anything but a servant, she is below you.", "Mother would have understood. Mother would never give Mikan away!", "Natsume! Your mother is gone. Sakura Mikan has been paid for; she will be gone in two day. End of subject!" I kept her in my room for her last two nights, on her last night we talked about running away together. I fell asleep with her in my arms, but right before I fell asleep I whispered to her, "You will always be the one I love. I will never love another girl. Mikan, only you have my heart. Someday…I'll find you again.", "please do, Natsume…I never want to love anyone else"

I watched her carry her suitcase to the car of her new family from the roof. The same roof on which I kissed her for the first time. "I'll find you again, Mikan! I promise!" the tears streaming down her cheeks hit me like a wrecking ball. She looked up to me, and mouthed I love you silently as she climbed into the car. That night I found an envelope under my pillow. Inside was a note and my locket.

Natsume,

I know you've done all you can to keep me in the Hyuuga house. Thank you. Please know that the time that I've spent with you has been the best memories I will ever have. My heart belongs to you, Natsume. Someday I hope to meet you again. If I cannot meet you again, please know that you have filled my heart with all the love I will ever need again. I hope you don't mind, but I added a picture to your locket.

I love you,

Mikan

Inside my locket was the picture I took of her on my 14th birthday.