I owe you guys a really big apology for the long delay... I'm sorry. I've actually already written this some time back, but had just forgotten to put it up.

I think this chapter gives you guys a little more insight on the story. It's a rather complicated plot (to me, anyway).

This is dedicated to all my reviewers (You guys make me smile so much!) and an amazing author, xAmuIkuto.

Their Paid Girl

Chapter 4

I wonder if she still stays here, He thought as he hung dangling without any support but the branch he was holding on to. As expected, she wasn't in her room. He shut his eyes momentarily, as if defeated. Just as quickly as he had arrived, he swung himself upright onto the window sill lithely with obvious experience and familiarity.

He sighed as he leaned against the translucent window, insistent in at least seeing her face. He had just finished his song recording at the studio. He pulled his hood over his head so that no one would recognize him, if luck was on his side. He let out a bitter chuckle at the thought. Luck on his - the black cat's side? What a joke. However, it would be a disaster if he was caught, as he was directly disobeying orders from Easter. He pressed his thin frame against the cool glass, as if to minimize the chances of him being seen.

A shrill ringing sound awoke her from her sleep. Groggily, she grabbed her phone off her bedside table to answer it so that Rima wouldn't be disturbed. "Hello?" She swung her feet out to the side of the bed as she rubbed the side of her eyes sleepily. "Whoever it is, you really shouldn't be calling in the middle of the night-"

"Amu-chan," An urgent voice interrupted her rambling. "I need your help."

"Nagi?" Her eyes widened slightly as she recognized his voice. She scrambled off her bed. "How did you get my number? What's wrong?"

"I'm using Ikuto's phone. We went to a bar after his recording," He confessed, a little ashamed. "Ikuto got tipsy and went off somewhere by himself, and got himself into a little trouble." Amu could almost hear him scowling through the phone. "I need your help to bring him home. I'm sorry, I know it's a school night and all, but-"

"No, it's alright." She had already started to pull her jeans on hastily. "But how did you guys get in a bar? God, you're practically underage!"

"We sneaked in," He sounded extremely sheepish now. "It was Ikuto's idea. Thank god I didn't drink. He's going to have a massive hangover tomorrow."

Amu rolled her eyes, yanking a pale cardigan over her tank top. "I'll be there soon. Send me the address."

"Alright. Thanks for the help again, Amu-chan."

She flagged a taxi after leaving school grounds quickly. Seiyo High students weren't allowed off school property after curfew. She cursed. She had better not get caught, or Ikuto would have hell when he became sober. With that thought in mind, she sped off to rescue the two.

"Amu!" Nagihiko cried in relief when he spotted her stepping out of the taxi. "You're here! Thank goodness, this guy may be a stick, but he sure weighs a ton." Ikuto tumbled off his back in a heap for emphasis. He struggled to stand, and Amu quickly grabbed one of his arms over her shoulder and Nagihiko did the same. They tumbled unsteadily back into the same taxi. Amu wrinkled his nose at the smell of alcohol that stained both boys, but her eyes widened in immediate concern at the bruises that covered Ikuto's forearm. The side of his chapped lips were also bleeding slightly.

"What happened to him?" She sucked in a breath of air as she scrutinized the severity of Ikuto's injuries.

"Found him in an alleyway after losing him in the bar," Nagihiko rubbed his head. "A couple of girls told me that a group of guys were harassing them, and another teenage boy came to save them afterwards. It was definitely Ikuto."

Amu softened a little at his words. Mr. "I'm Carved From Ice" Ikuto did have a heart. But after he groaned again, she sighed. Perhaps he needed something to think with too. Was he just too drunk to notice he was up against a hoard of guys? Or was he too kind for his own good?

"Nagihiko, you guys stink," She complained, as she stepped out to the doorstep of Ikuto's house.

"Sorry, Amu-chan," He murmured apologetically. "Let's get him inside, shall we?"

Together, they dragged him carefully to the living room, where he landed in a heap on the couch.

"I'll heat up something for us and Ikuto to eat, Amu-chan." Nagihiko smiled at her. "Why don't you go get him cleaned up?"

Amu nodded reluctantly, heading in the direction of the medical cabinet Nagihiko had pointed to.

"They don't even have peroxide to clean cuts?" Amu muttered irritably as she shifted through boxes and tubes of medical equipment. "And it's a freaking hospital in here..."

After a couple of minutes, Amu gave up, instead wetting part of her handkerchief to gently dab on Ikuto's arm.

He flinched, the pain making him more focused on his surroundings. "Amu?"

She shushed him when he reopened the wound by his lip, making him wince. "Don't talk. You're an idiot, you know? Getting yourself into this kind of trouble in such places at this time of the night. You're really just like a stray alley cat..." She rambled, as she started to clean up his lip gently.

Honey.

His light violet eyes bored into her worried expression, as if he couldn't believe she cared for him this much.

"Ow." He backed up slightly as she dabbed at his lip again.

"I'm sorry!" Amu cried, her eyes wide with concern. "Are you okay?"

Her voice was dripping honey.

Ikuto's head was bowed and he was breathing heavily. As she leaned down towards him at neck level, he grabbed her arm roughly, dragging a tongue across the side of her ear. "Gotcha."

She squealed with shock at the sensuality of his actions and tried to move away, but his hand had an iron grip on her elbow. He pulled his face closer to hers until they were only an inch away from each other, and started to close the gap slowly, his dark hair tickling her cheek.

Her breath was like honey spiced with cloves.

His stare was mesmerizing her, as her struggles grew weaker and she let herself be pulled into his embrace. As he parted his lips to land on hers, Amu caught a whiff of alcohol and with that, she jumped back to her senses, stiffening and pushing him away quickly. It was so unexpected that Ikuto suddenly found himself sprawled on the couch.

"You're drunk," She stated, her voice wavering slightly. "Tell Nagi I went home early." Avoiding his eyes, she quickly turned his back on him and left the room, the resounding sound of her footsteps sounding much too loud in his head.

"You're not drunk." A furious voice contradicted. "Why did you do that to her?" Ikuto shifted to see a purple head. He was practically seeing red when Ikuto turned away from him just as quickly. "I may not know Amu-chan well, but I do know you well, and you're not one to do such a reckless thing. Ikuto!"

Ikuto's back was hunched over on the couch, unmoving. One of his hands were clamped over the lips that had almost grazed Amu's. What had he just done? The slight movement of his back heaving was the only thing indicating that he was a little unnerved. Nagihiko chewed his lip as he strode back into the kitchen. Now just wasn't the time.

Amu sighed. Rima wasn't in English class yet; she was still at the dentist's. Who else was she supposed to work with for a paired project?

"Amu-chan?"

Her eyes widened slightly as she turned. "Nagi!"

"Hello, Amu-chan." The boy smiled as he took a seat next to her.

"I've never noticed you in this class," Amu confessed, a little embarrassed.

"It's fine, it is a rather big class," Nagihiko waved it off. "Do you have a partner?"

"Ah, no, not yet." She felt a little odd with confessing her lack of friends in school.

"You're mine, then," Nagihiko winked, laughing as she flushed a deep red.

"I don't remember agreeing," She retorted, her cool exterior once again getting the best of her.

"That's alright, you know you want to." He grinned, as he leaned closer to her head and lowered his voice. "Ikuto says sorry."

She flushed an even deeper shade. "I don't care." She muttered as she tried her best to keep up a stoic appearance. Gritting her teeth tightly together to stop any curses from spilling out, she inwardly doubted she was doing a good job.

"He's taking you for a date after school to make it up to you." He whispered again, after being ignored.

This got a reaction out of her. "What?" She screeched.

He merely shrugged his shoulders, and said as a way of explanation. "He's Ikuto."

"What are you doing here?" Nikaidou grimaced after seeing the wrenched woman on his doorstep. Her wavy maroon colored hair bounced in front of her shoulders as she raised her nose in the air.

"Oh, nothing much," She flicked her hair back airily. He swore this woman could drive him to his grave. "Just here to give you a fair warning, you better watch your back. I will bring you and Kazuomi to your knees. Your biggest success, Ikuto, will be going down."

"He's under my direct control," He retorted. "Do you honestly think any of your paparazzi minions could bring Easter down?"

"Ikuto is Easter. One of my 'minions', as you call them, may be the key to your downfall. Don't you forget that. We will not only bring Easter down, but he wants Ikuto in pieces." She flung a piece of paper at his face, which he caught before it reached its mark.

It was a picture of Ikuto, and her, dated a year back.

His jaw tightened. He had knew it would come to this soon. "You won't find anything."

"That's what you think." She turned his back on him, sashaying down the street. "The moment Ikuto falls, Easter goes down with him. Easter is nothing without your biggest sensation. We'll watch him crumble."

He watched her silhouette get smaller and smaller in the distance until it disappeared altogether.

The thing was, she was right.

They had to get a better hold on their puppet.

A/N: Hello, thanks for reading once again! Reviews for feedback, or questions are very much welcomed and appreciated. Hope you liked this chapter!

- J