Fear ; It grips you like a vice until you choke , feel your lungs gasp for air , feel as if your eyes were pricked with thousands of pins , feel as though your mind would go crazy and even then when your heart beats its last , fear stabs its last through your heart . Then by some mercy , you die.

To Ringo , that fear of being trapped under flashing thunder booming in the sky had robbed her of her senses. The blankets didn't help . She didn't even hear the door open , all she heard was her fast breathing and choked sobs . Where is Rika Nee when she needed her the most?

Ikki moved slowly , and when he was right in front of her , she still didn't notice his presence. Then , in one effortless movement , he had her wrapped up in his arms . Ringo jolted from under her blankets "..Who're you?" She asked softly. Her voice wavered. She tried to struggle out of the stranger's grip , but it felt as if a white knight had came to strike down her worries and fears . Her muscles relaxed

Ikki rubbed her back gently and pulled the blanket over her face to reveal her shocked , wet and tired face . Her eyes were bloodshot and terrified and her brown hair stuck onto the arch of her brow down to the nape of her sweaty neck .

As if by reflex , his lips found themselves moving forward till it touched her sweaty forehead . The contact sent warm shivers down her spine , and her fear evaporated as if it had never been there in the first place . How did such a simple action take all that fear away? Ringo looked up into his eyes and saw his dark brown eyes looking warmly at her .

Her hand then lingered on her forehead . Ikki nodded and smiled warmly . Then , he got up and headed for the door. At that moment , Ringo's hand shot up so fast she almost dislocated her arm as her fingers grabbed at Ikki's sweatshirt tightly . "No! Don't.. don't go! Stay with me" Ringo half screamed .

Ikki turned back and gave a wide smile "Don't worry , I was just going to close the door ,silly" He said . Ringo let go , but never took her eyes off his back , afraid he was going to leave . Ikki ran for the door and closed it without a sound . The room was turned pitch dark in less than 3 seconds. Ringo sat up in her bed blinded without light for what seemed like an eternity . Just when she thought that Ikki had gone and left her all alone , Ikki launched himself like a bullet at the bed ; full blast.

"Ringooo!!!" He jumped excitedly onto her bed and made the bed creak dangerously . Ikki laughed obscenely when Ringo started to hit him " What if the bed broke into half just now?! You ape brain!" She had meant it to sound stern , but her voice broke in the end and she too started to laugh . The bed vibrated along with their laughter.

Somewhere in the middle of their merry-making , Ikki suddenly went quiet. He was right next to her , and she could hear his breathing . In , out , in , out. Ringo stopped laughing and sat next to him , waiting . He still didn't say a word . Inside , her insides started feeling weak and restless. Say something

"Ringo , are you angry?"

Ringo let out a soft exhale of relief.

"No.. just a little confused." She replied , folding her knee and hugging it to her chest . She laid her head onto her arm , waiting for his reply.

Ikki let out a somewhat relieved sigh too . "Ah. I am too" He replied . I've got to ask her

"Ringo , If there was anything wrong , you would tell me wouldn't you?" Ikki asked . He couldn't wait any longer , he wants , no , has to know. Would she deny him the right to know something so crucial ? Ringo who had been rocking herself silently suddenly stopped doing so .

She didn't utter a single word . "Ikki , what made you say that?" She asked , startled . "Well , I'm sure the Organization doesn't just go killing people for the heck of it . And I'm damn sure they don't go hunting for an average teenaged girl for no absolute reason . So whatever it is you did , tell me . I'm your best friend , Ringo. Tell me. I need to know" By now his voice grew forceful and a little disappointed. Ikki turned his head to the girl he knew was no longer looking at the wall.

Ringo gulped. When did he get so .. perceptive? "Ikki.. I..I'm" She stammered . "I.." Ringo couldn't find the words to continue . She'd rather bite her tongue than lie to him . She'd hidden so much from him , hurt him so much, what right does she have to hold this secret from him ?

She does , and she will continue doing so until the time comes . But not now.

Ringo closed her eyes and dragged in a slow breath . "Ikki, remember that picture in Rika-Nee's wallet , the one with everyone ? Do you know who I was pointing at ?" She asked . "No. Who?" Ikki replied , side-tracked for the slightest bit . "I was pointing at you. You know why?" Ringo asked again, her calm voice wavering a little . "No. Why?" Sensing the change in note , Ikki's voice rested on a softer tone .

"Because you're my best friend . You were there for everything" and all I did was lie to you, again and again . Ringo added silently in her head. " You know me well , too well. You know that?" Ringo laughed bitterly .If only you didn't. "But this , I can't let you know. I'm sorry , Ikki" she said , the words barely escaping her lips.

Ikki didn't scream , nor did he tried to protest. He simply sowed his mouth shut . That seemed even worse than him ripping his vocal chords yelling . This was torture . Another lightning flashed . Ringo flinched just the tiniest bit , what was lightning than losing a friend? She looked at him in the dark , knowing that he wasn't looking at her . He was trying to search for an answer

What is the answer to the books of lies he had been lead to believe all these years?

Unknowingly , her throat tightened , and a painful lump formed at the base of her throat . It began growing like the tears that had welled up like a dam behind her eyes. "Why won't you say anything?" A tear fell and rolled off her cheek.

"Why?"

Because I'll someday destroy your wings and you will plummet 100 feet onto the ground , and this time , I'm not there to catch you.

" I'm sorry. I'm really, very sorry. It's not that I don't trust you.. its just.." There was a steady stream of fresh salty tears on her face , but she ignored them. Selfish needs are not tolerated in the face of somebody putting his life on the line to save you , only to be repayed with nothing but more ingratitude . Ringo wiped her tears away.

" Fine , I understand. Though I really don't understand anything. I trust you" His voice was changed , determined . If she saw his face , she would've seen the man she was trying protect all these years had long outgrown the cage she set him in. She should have realised that fact a long , long time ago. But Ringo wasn't blind.

She smiled in the cold, dark room " Thank you"

That was the part where Ikki should've left and made a beeline for his bed , but he didn't. The moment the words parted her lips , he pushed himself into the bed more –making himself perfectly comfortable at home .

"Uhh , Ikki. Sorry to interrupt , but just what the hell are you doing?"

"Making my bed comfy. You should get some sleep , Ringo"

The boy was too dense. Too dense she simply had to give up and go along with his plan. "Fine , but if you do anything funny , I'll personally chop those brothers up myself and feed them to the dogs. Got it?"

Ikki chortled "Yes , ma'am"