Chapter 1- Awake & Asleep

A/N- CHAPTER 1. ENJOY

Amu POV:

I was in the middle of a dream. One of those dreams where you know your dreaming, and I knew I was dreaming because Ikuto was there. I was in my room back home, and he was standing on my balcony telling me to come outside. He wanted to take me somewhere. He wouldn't say where but I was happy to go. I didn't want to stay in my room any longer. It was when I opened the sliding glass door to the balcony though that he disappeared.

I knew that's how it would end, because this wasn't the first time I'd had this dream and yet I still opened the door knowing that he would disappear but still hoping that this time he would stay.

It was then that I woke up, my alarm clock buzzing at me, trying to wake me up. I slammed my hand down on it, hard, and sighed. Wiping a few tears from my eyes and looking around the room. I was in my dorm at River Coast Academy, where I was now a sophomore in high school. I shook my head, trying not to think about the dream. I'd had it every once and awhile for the past four years, since the day I found out that Ikuto was dead. It always left me sad, and yet somehow happy at the same time because it gave me a glimpse of him and it also comforted me in knowing that I hadn't forgotten what he had looked like. After the incident I tried to continue to go to the Middle school with my friends but every time I saw them I'd remember our time as guardians. Of us fighting Easter, and that always brought me back to Ikuto. It was during this time that I realized that I'd loved him. Which only made my grief so much worse. About halfway through the year, my parents decided that it was best for me to get away for awhile. My Father knew the principal at River Coast, who had told him about an opening they'd had. The school was only a few towns away so that I could visit my family on the weekends.

I agreed to go to the boarding school, obviously, and it is here I have lived happily for three and a half years forgetting everything in the past. Though sometimes, like when my dreams remind me, I am forced to remember. I got up and went over to the closet and pulled out my uniform. If I didn't hurry I would be late. I pulled on my white shirt and black skirt and then slipped on a pair of black heels. I looked in the mirror; my face had changed over the past four years. My hair grew out long, so that now it flowed down my back and my face was skinnier and more angular from before having lost the baby fat in my cheeks. I looked down at my jewelry box sitting on my night stand and slipped on my silver charm bracelet. I had gotten it from my parents as a birthday present two years ago and since then my friends and family were always buying my charms for it. My friend Mimi got me a silver strawberry charm. Katie bought me a tiny microphone for singing with her on karaoke night. Kurogane got me a paintbrush charm. My boyfriend Cory got me a silver rose. Then my parents bought my 'x', spade, heart, diamond, and club (clover) charms. The charm I was starring at now though was the one that I had bought myself. A cat charm. I sighed, but just as I was about to trade the bracelet for a different one there was a knock on the door.

"Come in." I called. The door opened to reveal a girl with long blonde wavy hair, and ice blue eyes. All the guys in our class agreed that she was the most beautiful girl in the world. The only thing was her personality, which was about the same as what mine had been "Cool and Spicy", only hers was more like "Icy Cold.

"Amu." She said in an annoyed tone, leaning against the door. "Your boyfriend wanted me to tell you to hurry up."

"Okay okay, Mimi. I'm coming." I said brushing my hair and grabbing my shoulder bag and following her out the door.

Downstairs I saw Kurogane, Cory, and Katie waiting. Kurogane had dark hair that came down past his eyes, but when you could see his eyes they were dark brown. Katie was his sister, who had large brown eyes, freckles, and auburn hair that was cut short. Mimi walked over to Kurogane and slipped her hand in his. Like Cory and I they were dating. Then Cory. I smiled at him as he walked over and wrapped his arms around me.

"Hi Amu." He said pecking me on the cheek. I studied his face. He had sandy colored hair, and tan skin. Originally he was from America, having been born in California, so he also had a bit of an accent. We'd been together for the past year, and so far everything was going great.

"Hey." I whispered and slide my hand into his as we walked toward the cafeteria.

Ikuto POV:

It was dark. That was my first thought. Then I heard something, like wind but not. My breathing? Yes, that must be it. It felt like my mind had been disconnected for a long time, and now it was suddenly reconnecting with my body. What's going on? Where am I? Who am I? There were so many thoughts, and I just felt like my mind couldn't focus. Then like whispers in my head, I started to remember.

My name is Ikuto. My father has been killed. I was killed too. Or maybe I wasn't? I wasn't sure. The people behind it though were Easter and they were trying to build up the company again. They were going to use me for something. I needed to move. I needed to escape. Amu.

Suddenly I heard voices outside again.

"He's waking up." One of them said, and a bright light cut through me like a knife.

"Should we be worried that he might escape?"

"No, after four years in hibernation, he'll have a difficult time enough just trying to breathe. Now help me get him out."

I felt a shift, someone pulling me. I wanted to struggle, but I was limp and confused as to what was happening. The light was so bright too, I wanted to scream but my mouth just didn't seem to work.

Finally it seemed the voices got me out of wherever they had been keeping me, and I was unceremoniously dumped to the floor. Cold. I thought, feeling a tile floor beneath me. It seemed like I lay there forever before my eyes began to adjust to the lights and I was able to see the four people around me. Three men and a woman, with all harsh and serious faces. Even the woman looked as though she had not an ounce of pity for me. This was not the Easter I knew this was a far more deadly Easter than the one before it. I recognized none of their faces. Then one of them, the leader of the group came forward and stood looming above me.

"Hello Ikuto. My name is Chiiro, an employee of Easter. I understand that you would be confused, but I am going to explain everything. Then when the time comes it will be in your best interest to cooperate with us. Am I understood?" I gave him the best glare I could manage.

Chiiro turned to the other members of his team and started to issue orders.

"Get him into the room we have prepared. He will sleep there and regain his strength; no doubt the procedure has been harsh on him. Then tomorrow morning I will be in to explain everything to him. Whatever you do, do not let him out of your sight? Am I understood?"

"Yes, Sir!" They all chorused. I tried to move to stand, but when I tried to move my body just kept going limp. The two men reached for me, and one of them slung me over his shoulder. I was carried out of the room. Before we left the room however I got a good look at it. There were machines along every wall. Monitors, and screens and flashing buttons but what really disturbed me was what was in the middle of the room. A glass tank. The water was out of it now, and the wires hung uselessly inside but I had a horrible feeling that not that long ago that was where I was. Trapped inside.

I was taken to another room; one with bad fluorescent lighting, two cots on either side of the room, and a small bathroom connected to it. I was set down on one of the beds, were I was left, the lights having been clicked off. Only a short while later I was asleep.

Amu POV:

I was walking back from the cafeteria with Cory. We'd just finished dinner ,and as we always did, after dinner we went on a walk. Around the campus was a little park of sorts and the school had put in benches and picnic tables and pathways through the little park just for the students to use.

It was getting dark, we'd watched the sun set awhile ago and now the moon was rising high overhead. We both took a seat on one of the benches. It was a full moon tonight, and it was absolutely breath taking. It was cold though, and a chill crawled up my spine making me move closer to Cory. He noticed and put his arm over my shoulders.

"Cold.", he asked. I nodded.

"The moon's pretty tonight, isn't it?" I said glancing up at it through the tree branches.

"Yeah." He answered and I rested my head against his shoulder, closing my eyes.

"Are you getting tired?" I sat up and nodded.

"Maybe a little bit." I said with a yawn. "It's been a long day."

"Maybe we should go back then."

"Okay." We stood up, and taking my hand Cory led me to the dorms. The school was silent, and looming. Everyone was already asleep so Cory only walked me to the entrance of the dorms where we parted ways.

"Good night, Amu." He said kissing me good night.

"Night, Cory." I turned and went into the girl's wing of the dorms, walking along the long corridors to my room. Once I got to the hallway that my room was on, however, I noticed someone by my door. The lights were turned off by this time of night, so I couldn't see who it was. Immediately I was mentally kicking myself. Great it was a teacher, and now I was going to get detention for being out past curfew.

Shoulders slumped I walked toward the person, awaiting my punishment for being up. As soon as the figure saw me, however, the situation changed. This was no teacher I'd ever seen before standing at my door. It was a man I'd never seen before. His face was stern, his expression blank. My mind flashed, "Danger. Danger." My heart sped, and I felt myself turning to run but the man was quicker. His hand flashed out and caught me by the shoulder pulling me back.

"Hinamori, Amu." He spoke in a scratchy voice. "I need you to come with me." His hand came up to cover my mouth, so my screams were muffled.

Cory! Mimi! Kurogane! Katie!

Somebody help me!

To be Continued...