Author's Note: For madrox23

With the Innocence of a Child

Gumi's hands were on her knees, their perfectly-glossed green nails the only thing her eyes saw, or that they thought they saw. Honestly, she wasn't certain if she was really seeing them. Were they just a figment of her imagination? Were they even there at all?

She definitely needed to get some sleep. But, no, she wouldn't sleep. Not until she got the news. Not until someone came out and got her. She'd sit here, in this chair, all night, all the next day, until someone told her how things were.

"Miku, may I speak to you for a moment?"

"What's with all the formality, silly? You don't have to ask to talk to me."

Just fourteen hours ago, they'd exchanged those words. Now, they were here, and no more words hung in the air between them.

"Miku, I have to tell you something."

She shouldn't have said anything. They'd been friends since they were kids, and everything had always been fine. She could've been happy if they'd just stayed like that couldn't she?

"It's just that, well, I . . . ."

Miku had been brought up prim and proper, perfectly suiting what her parents had wanted and, in the end, being almost clone. Gumi had been brought up as an individual, with traits from both of her parents and some of her own.

"Look, Miku, I'm in love with you!"

Miku had been brought up being told that those who love those of their own gender were headed straight to hell. She'd been brought up believing that her best friend wasn't one of those people. She hadn't been told how to react in such a situation.

So she'd ran.

When Gumi had been told that Miku had been in an accident, she'd run straight to the hospital. There, she was met by Miku's parents. The first thing they'd done was slap her, straight across the face, questioning how she could be so sick and do something so terrible to Miku. They wouldn't let Gumi into Miku's room as the hospital staff worked with the girl. And, now, thirteen hours after she'd gotten here, Gumi still waited outside Miku's hospital room, waiting for someone, anyone, to give her news on her friend.

Gumi's eyes were red and sore from crying, and her sleeve had been serving as a tissue all this time. She was tired, so tired. It was past two in the morning. She'd cried the entire day after confessing to Miku, both from the rejection and the incident, and it had truly worn her out, but she swore to stay awake.

But the exhaustion took its toll, and she fell asleep.

. . .

"Psst, Gum-Gum!"

Gumi awoke to someone nudging her. Gumi jerked up, fully awake, in this hard plastic chair. She stared at the smiling face before her in shock.

"M-Miku?" she stuttered, her eyes widening in shock. "What are you doing out here?"

"Mama and Papa fell asleep," Miku replied, her eyes glittering mischievously. Gumi's eyes ran along her friend, noting the bandages on the girl's arms and head. She didn't look too badly hurt, but Gumi was sure that she needed to be in bed. "They wouldn't let me come see you, so I snuck out. What did you do to annoy them this time, Gum-Gum?"

Gumi stared at her, wondering if she was serious. Was she mocking her? No, she was certain that Miku wasn't that mean. But then why would she ask something like that? Then, Gumi realized something. "What did you call me?" she questioned.

Miku giggled. "Gum-Gum. That's your name. I told you I'd be calling you that from now on."

Gumi stared at her, unable to believe her ears. Her heart began to race, a million thoughts racing through her head, fighting to be the one on which she focussed. Miku grew concerned and questioned, "Are you alright, Gum-Gum?"

That was a nickname that Miku had used to use on her, one Gumi had insisted she stop using when they entered middle school. Miku had always respected that. She hadn't slipped up, not even once. She never used it anymore.

"Quick: what grade are we in?" Gumi questioned.

"Third grade," Miku replied promptly, smiling curiously at her friend. "What's wrong, Gum-Gum? You look like you just saw a ghost."

Wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong. They were sixteen. It didn't take long for Gumi to grasp onto the situation. "Miku, let's go back to your room," Gumi requested, struggling to keep her cool.

Miku smiled at her and shook her head. "No way, Gum-Gum! It's so boring! Let's go play!"

"Miku, you have to go back to your room," Gumi insisted, putting more force behind her voice this time. Miku thought she was in third grade. She had amnesia. And it was all Gumi's fault. Gumi had made her run, made her get into that accident.

The tealette pouted, ascertaining Gumi's theory. Miku was too much of a lady now to act so childishly. "Why are you such a party-pooper today, Gum-Gum?"

"You're in the hospital for a reason, Miku," Gumi informed her, taking the girl's hand and pulling her down the hallway where her parents had disappeared before. "You can't just go running amok because you're bored."

"You sound like an old lady," Miku retorted, allowing herself to be brought down the hallway all the same. "I'm not telling you which room is mine."

Gumi peered down the hallway, noting that most of the doors were closed. "I'm going for the one with the open door."

"Boo," Miku pouted, seeing that Gumi had locked her gaze on the only open door. She tugged her hand away, glaring at Gumi as Gumi stopped and looked back at her. "You meanie."

Gumi grabbed Miku's hand again, certain that she was doing the right thing. Miku couldn't understand that in her state, and Gumi was responsible for her. She loved Miku, and she'd care for her the best she could, even if it meant missing what might be her last chance to spend time with her. She tugged on her friend, but Miku frowned and stared back stubbornly, refusing to move.

"I want to spend time with you, Gum-Gum," she argued. "You're my best friend."

Gumi closed her eyes, her stomach knotting. The temptation was definitely there, but she had to do what was best for Miku. She knew Miku wouldn't actually want to be with her if her memories were still with her, and she would respect that.

"Miku!"

Gumi and Miku spun toward the voice as Miku's parents ran out of the room, into the hallway, deeply panicked. They must had just woken up and seen that their daughter was gone. They looked around wildly, their gazes eventually landing on Gumi. Anger flashed in their eyes. Gumi's face went bright red in indignation, and, before they could speak, she interrupted.

"Wait a second," she insisted, knowing she needed them to know what was wrong with Miku before she gave her back. "There's something you have to see first." She turned to the tealette, whose grip on her hand had tightened, and questioned, "Miku, once more, what grade are we in?"

"Third grade," Miku replied promptly, looking kind of annoyed as she stared back at her friend. "What's wrong with you today, Gum-Gum? You're not very smart."

Gumi ignored her friend and stared instead at her horrified parents. Miku's mother grabbed Miku violently by the shoulders. Miku squealed in shock at the sharp movement and gripped on tightly to the greenette's hand.

"Miku, how old is your father?" she questioned fervently, in a complete state of panic.

"He'll be forty in a couple weeks," Miku replied easily, looking back at Gumi instead of at her mother as she replied. "Mama, what's wrong?"

Gumi was caught off guard this time when Miku's father slapped her. Heat rose to her cheek, and she could feel a sharper pain than before. She lifted her hand to her cheek, feeling something wet on her fingers. She gently drew that hand back, staring at the blood on her face. His ring had torn the skin on her face, leaving a long scratch along her cheek. Miku cried out in horror, but Gumi felt too numb to react. Tears floated in her vision. Why? What had she done to deserve this? She had brought Miku back to them, hadn't she? Wasn't she doing what was right?

"You monster!" he shouted. "You've done this to her! You and your sick, perverted obsession with my daughter! It's your fault she's here, in this hospital! It's your fault that she can't remember half of her life! Never come near her again! Never!"

Gumi stared at the floor. She refused to cry, no matter how much it hurt. She wouldn't let Miku see her like that. She hadn't planned on coming near Miku again, anyway. When Miku had run away, her choice had been clear. She wanted nothing to do with Gumi anymore. The greenette's bangs hid her tears as she replied, "I understand. I'll stay away from her from now on. I'm sorry for all the trouble I've caused."

"Gum-Gum?" Miku whispered, heartbroken.

Gumi couldn't look at her. Instead, she pulled her hand away from Miku's and turned tail, fleeing down the hallway as slowly as she could manage. She walked through the darkened midnight streets, not giving a damn how unsafe it was. Then, finally, when she arrived at home, she fell onto her bed. She didn't bother with her bloodied cheek. She simply cried until the exhaustion dropped her once again into slumber.

She'd never see Miku again, would she?

. . .

"Psst, Gum-Gum."

That was what woke Gumi again only hours later. She groggily opened her eyes to see Miku looking down at her, a broad grin on her face. So much for never seeing her again.

"What the hell?" Gumi exclaimed, jerking up in bed and gazing wide-eyed at the tealette. "Miku? How the hell are you here?"

"I snuck out," Miku said cheerily, placing a finger against her lips. "Shh, it's a secret."

"Miku, you can't be here,"Gumi hissed, glaring at the girl.

Miku pouted. "But I couldn't sleep, Gum-Gum. Mama and Papa scared me, and I was worried about you, and the hospital's all creepy. Please don't send me back there again, Gum-Gum." Gumi froze as Miku's eyes locked on the scratch across the greenette's cheek, gently lifting her hand and placing her fingertips against it. She looked so sad, so guilty. The feel of those gentle fingers on Gumi's cheeks made her shiver. If she had her memories, Miku would never do this. Only now, with the mentality of a third-grader, would she dare. Cyan eyes met green ones. "Please."

Gumi hated how this made her heart stutter, but, staring at the girl she loved, she couldn't say no. So, despite her resolution, after releasing a breath, she agreed, "Fine, I won't bring you back."

"Yay Gumi!" the tealette exclaimed, wrapping her arms around her friend. Gumi felt that guilt rising in her soul, the forbidden feelings within her mingling with it. Miku then released her friend and scooted under the blankets, cuddling against her and smiling while she closed her eyes. "Time for bed. Good night."

"Miku, you can't—" Gumi started, but, like she always did, Miku fell asleep the moment her head hit the pillow.

How am I supposed to stay away when she keeps coming back to me? Gumi thought morosely.

Gumi stared at her sleeping face. She was so beautiful. Gumi, unable to help herself, gently placed kiss on her friend's forehead, running her fingers through those long teal locks. She smiled gently at the sleeping girl, wishing they could've stayed like this forever. But as soon as Miku's memories returned, she'd want nothing to do with her. So, Gumi prayed, "Please stay like this, Miku. Just a little longer. Indulge me for a moment, and then I'll let you go." She smiled at the tealette even though she hadn't answered. "I really do love you, Miku. I'm sorry."

Then, watching the other girl, Gumi's eyes slowly closed, and, with Miku's warmth and her gentle breathing beside her, she fell asleep.

. . .

Gumi was torn abruptly out of her bed, thrown onto the ground by strong hands. Miku awoke immediately and cried her name as she hit the carpet. Gumi flinched and stared up at her attacker. Miku's parents. How had they gotten into her house? Karma, right? This was Gumi's price for so easily breaking her promise not to see Miku again. And then, as Gumi got to her feet, both parents began yelling at her. She stood there and took it.

"Mama, Papa, stop!" Miku screeched. Gumi wished she wouldn't. Gumi knew the verbal assault being throw against her was earned. But Miku couldn't see that. She loved her friend too much, and she was still 'young' enough to defy her parents openly. "Please stop it!"

"You're a monster, you know that?" the father shouted at Gumi, who stood there with her head down. She would accept whatever they would accuse her of. She was guilty, and she knew it. In this space of less than twenty-four hours, she kept making one mistake after another, and she was just hurting Miku. "You took advantage of our injured daughter, whose injury is your own fault, if I may add, and you pushed your horrible sickness onto her."

"I didn't do anything to her," Gumi couldn't resist stating. "She came in, and we slept. We used to all the time, you know."

"We told you to stay away from her!" the mother shouted.

She came to me, is what Gumi didn't say. I tried to send her away. What do you want from me?

Miku's voice rang through. "Papa, Mama, please! Gumi's my best friend! You can't tell her not to see me anymore! I love her!"

Her mother flinched as spun viciously on her daughter. Her eyes flashing violently, she hissed, "Never speak those words again, Miku!"

"Why not? What's wrong with them?" Miku was crying, but she looked so passionate, so angry. Of course. A child couldn't understand why she wasn't allowed to see her friend anymore.

"Do you really want to lead her on, Miku?" her father reasoned.

"What do you mean?" Miku asked, not understanding as she looked to him.

Gumi remained silent, staring mournfully at her love. She closed her eyes, wishing she could block out their voices. She didn't want to hear them telling Miku that she wasn't allowed to be friends with Gumi anymore because Gumi was in love with her. It wasn't fair. Why did such people have to exist? She was human, too. It wasn't fair for her to have to stop seeing Miku just because she'd fallen for her.

"Forget it," the father hissed. Miku squealed in shock. Gumi assumed that her father had gripped onto her arm to tug her away. "We're leaving, and you'll never see Gumi again for as long as you live. Do you understand, you sick girl?"

Gumi knew she was being spoken to, so she opened her eyes just in time to see Miku tear away from her father and, glaring at him, exclaim, "Don't you ever call her that! Where the hell do you get off saying things like that? Gumi's my best friend, and nothing about that has changed. Look what you've done, both of you!" She looked between her horrified parents before locking her gaze to Gumi's, which was equally startled. "Because of all you've taught me, the only way I can show how I feel for Gumi is by being a child. Well, listen up, because your world's about to be screwed over."

Gumi stared at her friend, unsure if she was hearing properly. As those cyan eyes and green eyes held each other close, Miku spoke once more.

"My memory is fine, and it always has been. Do you understand now? Mama? Papa?"

Author's Note: I wrote this from for my virtual big brother :) I have another story for Gumi and Miku that I'll be starting once I finish one of the ongoing stories I have so look forward to it! Hope you liked this story, please review!