Bioangel: Oh my god, it's taken me so long to finish this chapter!

Ikuto: Tell me about it we're not getting any younger here…

Bioangel: Shut up Ikuto! You'll thank me after this chapter. *pouting*

Ikuto: This is probably bad for you Amu. *smirk*

Amu: *blushing* Help me!

Bioangel: Anyway, I was reading through previous chapters and I realized how many spelling and just plain errors there were. So, I've decided to commit to using the spell and grammar check on my computer! *cape blowing in wind moment of glory* I apologize for all of the mistakes, but I'm to lazy to correct them so bare with me.

Ikuto: Hurry I want to see what happens, you put a password on your computer and I can't read ahead anymore.

Bioangel: *pokes tongue out toward Ikuto*

Your: Bioangel doesn't own, Shugo Chara, Haunted Houses, or anything else ~nya!

Chapter Four: In The Midst Of Her Terror

Later That Evening

Ikuto came to an abrupt stop as they reached a corner and the "stop" signal flashed. He paused in what he was doing to glimpse Amu in her new clothes.

"T-thanks Ikuto," Amu managed to get out, already blushing, "for the clothes I mean." she finished, fidgeting nervously.

Ikuto grabbed Amu around her waist with his right hand and hugged her to his side.

"I like to buy you presents, it's rare that you actually let me." he teased. Amu smiled and started to giggle a little bit to herself. Ikuto began to smile at the sight of the small pink haired girl hugged against him.

Amu's P.O.V.

*When Ikuto actually smiles I get this happy feeling, but for some reason it feels like he's always holding back, hiding something.*

Normal P.O.V.

W-well it's not gonna last long. We can return them or something later." Amu declared.

"Amu," Ikuto paused, "do you really think they're going to want those clothes back after you've spent the evening with me?" Ikuto teased, a smirk developing on his lips.

"W-well even if something were to happen, I don't think the clothes would be involved." Amu tried to joke back, but her voice was shaky and unsure of herself. She blushed so fluorescently a passerby asked if she felt alright.

Ikuto just starred at her stunned. Then broke out into violent laughter. Amu crossed her arms, a frown reaching her face.

"What?" she questioned, not sure if she was actually angry or not.

"When you say things like that you just sound like a moron." Ikuto choked out through continuous laughter. "I don't think you could make it sound like you meant that if you were an actress." he finished using the back of his hands to wipe his eyes.

Amu's mouth fell open. "I could be bad if I wanted to." Amu argued.

"No you couldn't." Ikuto chuckled, the laughter still lingering.

"Could so." Amu continued.

"Ahhhhhh," Ikuto sighed, "don't." he asserted, last of the laughter leaving. His voice took on a more serious tone now. The "walk" signal flashed for them to cross.

"Let's go." Ikuto urged, taking Amu's hand gently as he stepped off the sidewalk.

Amu wasn't exactly sure what just happened, but she did know that Ikuto was being serious, and since that was rare he must have really meant it.

Later

The sun was just setting over the city lights, as the town began to grow dark.

Amu clutched to Ikuto's arm stumbling along side him in the fading light.

"Where are we going?" she asked nervously. Amu didn't recognize any of her surroundings and didn't like the idea of being lost at night without her charas.

"We're almost there, hold on." Ikuto consoled her, so reassuringly it was impossible for Amu to believe otherwise.

All of a sudden Ikuto's arm was yanked from Amu's grasp.

"Ikuto?" Amu yelled startled.

"I'm right here, calm down." Ikuto called back, laughing softly at Amu's jumpiness.

Amu heard a switch flip and a generator start just before dim light flooded the area. With everything now dully illuminated she could see Ikuto standing a couple feet away, back facing her, silhouetted against the yellow, glowing, round, bulb lights of a once cheerful carnival.

Ikuto turned around and extended his arm, palm up, towards Amu motioning for her to take his hand.

Amu's face instantly flushed red, her heart beat elevating as she nervously, yet still excitedly, placed her hand in his.

"I thought they shut this down a long time ago." Amu stared in awe.

"Yeah me too, it turns out Easter was the company that bought them out and wanted to tear it down." Ikuto replied with a hint of sadness creeping into his voice. "I couldn't let that happen though…" his voice trailed off.

"What did you do to keep it going?" Amu dared to ask.

Ikuto didn't respond. He just squeezed Amu's hand gently and pulled her up beside him as he walked toward the gates of the chain link fencing that surrounded the entire carnival.

Amu decided to let her question pass. For just a second Amu was almost sure she saw a tear roll down Ikuto's cheek, but just as soon as she thought she saw it, it was gone and she wasn't sure if it ever existed.

Ikuto dropped Amu's hand to climb the fence and hopped gracefully to the ground on the other side. Ikuto pulled out a key and shoved it into the rusty lock on his side of the fence. He pulled the chain from around the gates and tossed it aside, opening the gates and beckoning for Amu to step through.

Amu walked in, dazed. Even though the carnival was beautiful there seemed to be something sinister about it. There wasn't the usual harsh music belting from every ride, or the smell of a hundred different fried foods lingering in the air, in fact it was dead silent. Everything seemed like it was in slow motion, under the twinkle of hundreds of dazzling little lights.

Amu was determined to have a good time though. Ikuto looked like he needed cheering up. Amu bounced passed him, pink hair fluttering lightly in the cool night breeze, and caught his hand in hers as she went by.

"Come on, let's ride the teacups for old times sake." she started, smiling while pulling Ikuto along with her.

Ikuto stopped, jolting Amu to a halt. She turned, surprised.

"On one condition," Ikuto chimed, smirk spreading across his lips. He bent down and scooped Amu up in his arms. Amu squeaked in surprise, face already crimson. "you have to sit in my lap." Ikuto continued, obviously pleased with himself for thinking of this.

"Absolutely not!" yelped Amu, blushing deeper as Ikuto proudly waltzed to the teacups, Amu in his arms.

Ikuto just kept smirking and chuckling to himself as Amu continued her futile attempts to escape his arms.

Ikuto stepped into an elegant strawberry red-pink teacup and sat down, keeping Amu pinned helplessly in his lap by hugging her. Yoru threw the breaker for the teacups and they began to swirl around each other as sweet music began to play, the yellow bulb lights twinkling overhead.

As the ride continued it's monotonous, yet somehow soothing circles Amu began to relax and Ikuto's gripping hug grew more tender.

Amu sat in Ikuto's lap laying her head back against his shoulder to gaze up at the stars, while Ikuto twirled a piece of her hair between his fingers.

"You really love this place, don't you Ikuto?" Amu decide to pry a little.

"How could I not? It's the one place you actually have fun with me." Ikuto teased gently, but a sadness was hidden behind the soft laugh that was almost a sigh. Amu knew that wasn't truly it, but she also knew she wasn't going to get any more, no matter how hard she tried. So she decided to let it go.

And even though she knew it wasn't true, Ikuto's previous comment made her feel a tad bit guilty.

"I'm sorry…" Amu's voice came out softly, trailing off towards the end.

Ikuto hugged her tighter.

"I was only kidding." he murmured as he twisted to kiss her softly on the cheek. Ikuto felt Amu's face instantly heat up as his lips lingered on the spot he kissed. He laughed softly, his warm breath brushing against Amu's vulnerable neck, making her shiver. He continued kissing down to the hollow of her jaw, trailing down her neck, and onto the top of her collar bone, where he could feel her elevated pulse.

A low moan resonated in Amu's throat and escaped her lips just before the ride stopped.

Ikuto's lips contorted themselves into a smirk as Amu leapt from his lap, now thoroughly embarrassed and angry with herself.

Yoru stifled and laugh as he watched silently, knowing that if Ikuto caught him he'd be mad at him.

Amu stomped along through the carnival, arms crossed, not really looking where she was going.

Ikuto jogged a few paces until he caught up with her, then slowed to match he pace.

Even knowing how mad Amu was, Ikuto couldn't fight back his smirk.

As soon as Amu glimpsed his face, "D-don't look so pleased with yourself." she steamed. "Y-you just caught me off guard." she tried to justify the previous event to herself.

Ikuto shrugged, "I can't help it if you find me irresistibly seductive."

"W-well I h-hope you enjoyed yourself," Amu proceeded with her angry rant, "because it w-wont happen again!" she finished, breaking into an all out run.

Ikuto stopped, "We both know this isn't going to work Amu!"

Amu just kept running without glancing back.

"Okay we'll do this your way!" Ikuto called, smirk deepening as he turned a corner passing the bumper cars at a leisurely pace.

Amu's P.O.V.

Huhhhhhh, huhhhhhhhhh, Amu panted loudly bending over, to hold onto her knees. *I think I finally lost him. I can't think clearly when I'm with him, but when I'm not, all I think about is being with him.*

Amu walked around the outer edge of the carousel looking behind her to confirm Ikuto was completely out of sight. She turned around to be standing directly in front on the Haunted House. A gargoyle perched in a window peering menacingly over the carnival. *I-I've always been afraid of haunted houses, but it's the last place Ikuto will think to look.*

Amu stepped up to the control booth and pushed the button to open the doors. They opened with a WHOOSH, fog rolling out. *It's not real, it's not real, it's not real.* Amu tried to reassure herself, not fully believing it.

Several Minutes Later - Still Amu's P.O.V.

Amu jumped as something growled in the dark. Then she heard something padding toward her and the clicking of claws against the hard floor. "J-just keep walking.* Amu thought to herself.

Suddenly someone grabbed her from behind! Then…blackness.

Later That Night - Normal P.O.V.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhh!" Amu shrieked in the darkness. Tears rolled down her cheeks. Her bangs stuck to her forehead from sweat as she burst into sobs.

"What is it?" Ikuto cried, frightened that something might have happened to Amu.

Amu didn't even think about what she was doing or where she was, she threw her arms around Ikuto. Proceeding to soak his white men's tank top with tears. Ikuto sighed, relieved that she was unharmed, as she clung to him.

"I-I h-had a n-n-nightmare." she choked out between sobs.

"It's okay, it wasn't real." Ikuto hugged her and rubbed her back soothingly, attempting to calm her down. Not knowing what to do when she cried.

"W-where are we?" Amu questioned confused, as she loosened her grip a little.

For the first time she looked around, and recognized Ikuto's room. Then noticed she was wearing a t-shirt way to big for her, that would hang down to her knees if she stood up.

"My bedroom. You fainted in the haunted house. I came in to get you and you just fell over when I grabbed you." Ikuto still held his arms around her, honestly trying his best to be comforting.

"Oh crap! I need to call my parents, they're going to-"

Ikuto cut her off, "I already called them, they know you're here, they said it's fine if you stay the night."

Amu inhaled a deep breath and then sighed. She looked at herself appalled by what she saw.

"Sorry I'm so sweaty, I dreamt about the haunted house." she apologized, once again succeeding to embarrass herself.

"It's fine, I figured you'd wake up at some point so I put some of Utau's pajamas in the bathroom so you could take a shower." he offered, still sounding a little worried.

"T-thanks." Amu stuttered gratefully, the last of the fear ebbing away.

Amu threw the sweat drenched sheets and blankets off her legs and climbed out of bed to go take a shower.

"Amu," Ikuto called. Amu spun around almost automatically now when Ikuto said something to her. She knew it was a mistake though as soon as she saw the already prominent smirk, "if you're still scarred I could come with you." he ventured teasingly, yet almost realistically.

Amu frowned and slammed the bathroom door behind her, locking it to ensure that Ikuto wouldn't get in.

Ikuto laughed as he also got up to strip the sweaty sheets and blankets and replace them with clean ones.

In The Bathroom - Amu's P.O.V.

Amu walked into the bathroom and found fresh pajamas and a toothbrush.

She turned on the water and began to pull the t-shirt over her head when she realized a very intimate detail she had overlooked in the midst of her terror and confusion. If she had fainted, who had undressed and redressed her? *I'm going to kill him* Amu amused herself with the thought, before she admitted to herself that she really didn't mind.

After Amu's Shower - Normal P.O.V.

When Amu walked out of the bathroom Ikuto had finished replacing the bedding and was getting back from retrieving a pillow from Utau's room.

"Sorry" Amu apologized again.

"You look very sexy in those mini shorts." Ikuto made his was across the room to Amu, smirking. Wearing nothing, but his tank top and boxers.

Of course Ikuto had to have a sister that only wore sexy clothing, and Ikuto undoubtedly picked out the skimpiest thing he could find, mini shorts and a lacey spaghetti strap.

Ikuto wrapped his arms around Amu's waist hugging her tightly to his chest.

"How did I get dressed before?" Amu dared to ask, a little afraid of, but looking forward to the answer. Ikuto immediately laughed, pleased. Amu started to shove him away, preparing a weak attempt to yell at him, but he only hugged her tighter.

"I'm only kidding. I had Utau come by, and she was pretty pissed we interrupted her date with Kukai." he thought he was reassuring her. Amu felt almost disappointed and it briefly showed.

"Would you rather me have done it?" Ikuto asked, a little surprised, but still smirking, appeased.

"N-no!" Amu defended. "I-I just feel bad we had to interrupt her date." she lied.

"Sure…"Ikuto threw the argument, scooping her up and carrying her to the edge of the bed.

"I-I can sleep on the c-couch or something." Amu babbled on, face reddening with every word.

"Amu," Ikuto began to protest, "you were already in bed with me before and sleeping with me will be a lot more comfortable than the couch." he convinced her as he set her down.

"F-fine, but you stay on that side of the bed." Amu poked a finger towards the opposite side of the bed from her.

Ikuto held his hands above his head like he had been caught in the middle of committing a crime, "Whatever you say." he replied, obviously not meaning a word of it.

Ikuto clicked off the light and Amu rolled over onto her side, closing her eyes. Now genuinely exhausted. Not more than a few seconds later she felt Ikuto wrap his arms around her waist and pull her up against him.

"Y-you're on my side." Amu fought weakly.

"Technically you're on my side, and you suck at lying." Ikuto chuckled softly, nuzzling his face into Amu's damp hair.

She smiled and turned over to face Ikuto and rest her head on his shoulder while she fell asleep.

Bioangel: I'm so proud, and sleepy, it's so late *yawn* and I have school tomorrow.

Ikuto: Wow I think this was the longest one yet.

Bioangel: I know I'm so excited to see what people say!

Amu: I slept with Ikuto?

Ikuto: *smirk*

Bioangel: You're like the one person on earth who wouldn't like that, *cough*even though you secretly do*cough*.

Ugggggghhhh I'm going to sleep now.

Ikuto: R&R, we'll be waiting…

Amu: *still blushing*