Chap IV served hot and fresh!!!

Somebody need to congratulate me for still having time to write this chap days after I updated with chap III despite the scary schedule and things to do…

Guess that explains how bad I'm into fanfiction, still making time for it when there's supposed to be none… I remembered the old adage, "when there's a will, there's a way." This is where I got the idea about the title of the chap. Well, all I had was WILL in the first place…

DEDICATED TO: Venus "The Goddess" Igat. My most memorable, and most gorgeous seatmate ever.

This chap is also dedicated to my first reviewer, cute-azn-angel. I felt so happy and flattered when you had already reviewed my III chap just minutes after I updated with it, are you even sleeping? I updated my chap so early in the morning and your still wide awake, lol!!!. This chap is for the both of you!!! Hope ya like it…

Enjoy reading everyone!!!

-aiyensakura02

Disclaimer: Don't own Gakuen Alice even though Kami-sama knows how much I wanted to.

CHAPTER IV: Finding a Way

"Mikan…"

It was all Natsume can manage to say. Her name. There was a time when he could make her jaw fall in surprise by just saying her name. But now, there wasn't a single reaction. Only emptiness…

'Idiot', he said to himself.

She could still create and feel emotions alright. It's just that everytime she does, he knew that an unimaginable pain was hovering over her trembling body making her blot out in surrender whatever reaction she had. Though he couldn't see anything on her face, it was evident enough. She was suffering.

'Yes, there will be a day when she will suffer for and because of you, I wonder if that day is starting right now…' Persona's little speech reverberated again and again in Natsume's mind.

Yes, she will suffer, no- is suffering, because of him. Never in his life had he felt so much guilty. If he had only controlled his damn feelings for her, if he had only remembered how he'll put her life in danger by being close to him, if he just pushed her away forever, this would've never happened.

He looked back again into those eyes he had loved so much. Those eyes, always full of life and happiness, were of nothing but of cold emptiness. She looked back at him seemingly like a worn out puppet lucky to have a life. One moment he had a shivering thought that she will stare at him like that forever. The next moment came as a surprise as he saw little drops of tears fell down through her sullen face.

"Mikan…" He said almost whispering as he hugged her tightly. He swore it was the saddest thing he had seen in his life. To see her love, Mikan, crying created waves of pain in his heart, the heart that she helped him find again. To see her expressionless face while knowing how she felt intense pain inside her body was another.

"Will you ever forgive me Mikan for what I had done?"Natsume said, still hugging her tight.

"Natsume…" Mikan finally said while still being expressionless.

'She is fighting the device.' Natsume said in his thoughts.

"Don't fight with it. You'll only make things worse for you, and for me." He knew Mikan all too well. Stubborn as it is, she'll do anything just for the sake of others.

"Don't worry, I can manage. I'm still okay." Mikan said while trying to breathe deeply. At this point, Natsume lost all his temper.

"Will you stop acting like everything's okay!?! That's the worst lie I have ever heard!!!"

"Natsume…" Mikan said while trying to hide the pain she had been feeling every now and then. Natsume clearly saw through her acts easily.

"Mikan, will you just let the device take over you? Don't try to feel anything, much more attempt to display it. Please?"

Mikan understood it alright. He can't bare it, seeing her in pain. He'll only feel worse. Mikan nodded slowly as her eyes started to shut. Her energy seemed to be sapped out of her as she fought with the device. Natsume merely moved from hugging her. She remembered falling her head onto his shoulders before everything went completely blank.

"I'm sorry Mikan." Natsume said to the unconscious girl sleeping on his shoulders.

Class B felt didn't seem right today. It felt so much quiet. By just looking at the empty seat at the back, you'll surely know what's wrong. Mikan Sakura- absent. Well the infamous black cat- Natsume Hyuuga was no where to be seen too. Nothing new here, the class have been trained for five years not to expect Natsume with a good attendance. But with Mikan Sakura, there is really something going on.

Koko was definitely having a headache. Everyone seemed too completely engrossed with their thoughts as to the whereabouts of the brunette.

After Mr. Narumi went inside the class, they have been expecting the door to burst open any minute with a certain girl who would, like scripted, say sorry for being late again. But no, the lessons of Mr. Narumi was almost ending and the girl is still no where to be found.

'Maybe she's sick', Koko heard for the hundredth time.

'Maybe she's running after Natsume-sama.' Thought most of Natsume's fan girls.

'Maybe she's being chased by that damn Hyuuga.' Thought most of Mikan's fan boys.

And so many other thoughts like:

'Maybe it's true she's doing missions. Please make her safe'

'Probably she forgot to set her alarm clock. The girl's still a slacker.'

'Really not the same here without her.'

'Where is she?'

Koko's head felt like bursting any moment. Fortunately. Mr. Narumi seemed to notice it.

"Class, you might as well stop worrying about Mikan because you're definitely giving Koko some hard time. I'll check on her later to see if she's okay. Koko, you're excused from your classes today. Go back to your room and take a little rest. You had a bad start this morning." Mr. Narumi said while giving Koko a worrying look.

"I guess that's all for today. Class dis-."

Mr. Narumi was cut off when the door was suddenly banged open revealing a Natsume who had a very quivering yet somewhat broken aura.

"Hello there Natsume. You're late for class again." Mr. Narumi said.

Natsume didn't seem to hear. He was just there by the door standing still, his eyes covered by his raven bangs. The class tensed at the situation.

"Imai…" Natsume finally said.

Hotaru who was just reading a book slowly turned towards Natsume's direction.

"What now Hyuuga?" Hotaru said as expressionless as ever.

"Mikan. It's about her. Come with me." The black cat said while trying to remain calm.

At this, Natsume quickly, but not obviously, caught Hotaru's full attention. The whole class was now as worried as ever. Not just Natsume bursted from the door calling Hotaru's name and not Ruka's first, he had also mentioned Mikan's name and not just some usual name-calling. They all had a sickening feeling that whatever is happening is definitely not a good one. Hotaru knew that there's no point in questioning. She'll know everything in a matter of time. All she had to was to follow him.

Hotaru calmly collected her things and went out of the room following Natsume.

"She better be safe Hyuuga, or its goodbye to you." Hotaru said as she went by Natsume.

"I can't promise anything Imai." Natsume said with a faint tone of sadness.

Hotaru raise an eyebrow at Natsume.

Natsume quickly knew that the girl can't still understand the situation. Both of them just stood before the sleeping girl. Judging at the current look of Mikan, Natsume can't blame Hotaru if she just didn't get it. Mikan was sleeping peacefully, almost like nothing in the world mattered and happened. She was just laying there still like she was some kind of an angel, eyes shut with some hairs straying down her beautiful face. Natsume sighed.

He quickly motioned Hotaru to come near Mikan as he slowly adjusted Mikan's sleeping position sideways not even daring to wake her up. Natsume signaled Hotaru to look at the back of Mikan's neck.

"Controlling device." Hotaru said in her usual monotone.

'How did you know that?' Natsume almost asked. Then a sudden idea popped into his mind, 'Oh yeah, controlling DEVICE'. Hotaru may not even be familiar with anything that has to do with finishing bad guys but she definitely knows everything about her own stuff- inventing.

"It's Persona right?" Hotaru asked while looking closely at the device.

"Hn…" Was all he managed to say.

There was an awkward silence as Hotaru just starred blankly at her sleeping best friend. There was a time, when she will tuck Mikan's stray her behind her ears and at some point, feel the body of the device gently with her fingers. Natsume seemed to feel a deep sense of pain every second. Even though he knew Imai and her endless calm demeanor for years, he was at least expecting some kind of anger. It would be better for him for Imai to just shoot him mercilessly with her deadliest baka gun than this thick silence. It just made him feel like the guiltiest person in the world.

"This is my fault Imai. Everything's because of me." Natsume finally said.

"I know." Hotaru replied now looking directly at his eyes.

It was the last thing he expected as a reply. She knows it's his fault. Maybe because of all those countless cameras she had in the Academy. No information leaves her unknown.

"Take care of her." As he said this, he turned his back on readying to go out of the door.

"You know you don't need to say that."

Before Natsume could step out of Mikan's room, he stopped and glanced again at the girl who right now suffers because of him.

"I'll do anything for her Imai. I'll find a way."

Hotaru merely nodded. She understood what he meant. As she watched the disappearing figure of Natsume, she slowly touched Mikan's hand.

"Just rest now baka, he'll find a way."

So that's chap IV people! How did it go? This chap is still into a little bit of drama. It's kin of a follow up of chap III.

I really have a weird feeling that I'm uploading my chapters so fast…

Really fast… You see, I was checking on stories that I've been waiting for authors to update. It's been days or even weeks before the last chapter came in but it's still not updated. And I'm like updating my story every other day or so… I'll slow down on writing for a while to see your reviews for the latest chap and also about comments suggestions, and well even criticisms. Me not perfect anyway (who is?)…

Don't forget to click the lil' button down there!!!

-aiyensakura02