Author's Note:

Another (late) update for my lovely readers. ;D

Suuz112 - Yes, I feel so bad for poor Amu-chan. T_T Ha ha ha, yes, they are. =P Exactly, lol. Taking sadistic pleasure out of it. xD

Crystal Penn - Hehe, I do as well. I can't stand that guy. I start growling while making him say these things. Aw, yeah. I could see Ikuto being protective like Edward. I'm glad, it's what I was hoping for. =D Yeah, and if I DID leave him dead, there'd be no plot. xD So as much as I hate him, I need him for the plot.

sierraphantom - Thank you!

KyoxSakiFan - LAWL. xD Thank you so much! Hehe, I will. It's only going to get darker, I promise that. ;D Aw, thank you. Yeah, I agree. I pretty much like it, but I'm picky about a few things and want to revise it. Change the plot? Definitely not! xD The plot's the one thing I really can't afford to get rid of hehe, so no worries. ^^

Hime Cullen Tsukiyomi - Thank you! Hehe, updated the soonest I could. ^^

.i' - lol, he totally isn't. Though even I have to admit, this plan is a good one. =O Yes, he did, partly. He wanted to torture Ikuto so he made him watch it, but he also wanted Amu in his control, so he would have done it anyway. It was just fitting that Ikuto was there and would see it.

Saya143 - Thank you! Yes, it was very graphic. Unfortunately, it's going to to get a bit more, but nothing TOO extreme. XD

Taeniaea - Arigatou. ^_^

Thank you to all who reviewed! And to those who just favorite the story or add to their story alerts, thank you so much. Even if no reviews are being given, it's still being read, and that's all I care about, ha ha ha. So thank you!

Author's Note #2:

Woo. DX Long chap, this one. Um, hopefully I kept Tadase in-character? He's actually one of my likeable characters now (never used to be), but even I wanted to smack him while writing this, ha ha ha. He's still blinded by his hate for Ikuto, but he'll come through eventually. Ikuto might seem slightly OOC, but I really think he would react this way if he was really in this situation. He would really never allow Amu to be hurt, and knowing she is would really affect him. So I really don't think I made him OOC, but if anyone thinks I did, please let me know so I can not do it again. Constructive criticism is always a plus.

Also, a slight warning: Rating is up for this chap for slightly more violence. Not too extreme like the last chap, but this one is a little violent too.

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"Chapter 6: Struggle"

When Amu awoke to the sound of distant voices surging through her ear drums, she figured Kazoumi had come back into her prison room with more guards to dismantle her. She kept her eyes shut, and tensed her body, not wanting to open her eyes and let them see she had awoken so they could damage her further. Her body was so sore, and against her will, she groaned as the pain increased, regretting it almost immediately when she heard footsteps.

"Amu?"

But the voice that called her name wasn't cold, or sneering, or anything like those of her captives; she opened her eyes to meet sapphire that was drowned in worry, and blinked twice as she registered slowly who it was she was looking at. "I-Ikuto...?"

Ikuto fixed his concerned expression into a smirk. "Finally awake, kid? I thought you were going to sleep forever."

Amu turned a tint of red and huffed. "I'm not a k-kid." She tried getting into a sitting position, but nearly fell back over until Ikuto caught her upper arm and steadied her.

The worried expression was back. "Careful, Amu, your body is weak right now.."

"W-what..." Amu cleared her throat. "What happened to me?"

Ikuto scowled and his eyes narrowed slightly, but said nothing. He wasn't sure how Amu would handle hearing that she had basically been raped by his step-father. She was already injured and weak, he didn't want to upset her.

"Ikuto." When he caught her eyes again, Amu's were narrowed slightly. "Tell me. What happened?"

He sighed, and was about to open his mouth when another voice cut him off with a delighted, "Amu! You're awake!" He turned and looked behind him to see Yukari approaching, who was smiling in relief. The exclamation probed Nikaidou and Utau to run into the room, their appearances stunning Amu somewhat.

"Why.. are you all here?" She inquired.

Utau folded her arms as she took a seat on the armchair next to the window. "Sanjou-san, Nikaidou and I were all staying here since I had a live coming up, but a good twelve hours or so ago, Ikuto called me on your phone and told me you were both being held captive at Easter. We managed to get Ikuto, but he didn't want to leave you." To Amu's surprise, when she looked over at the midnight-blue-haired boy, he had turned a small shade of pink on his cheeks. "Unfortunately, we had to leave right away because Easter had suspected we were up to something and we needed to designate a plan to bust you out first.." Utau was blushing slightly in embarrassment as she struggled with the next words. "S-sorry, Amu... we... we would've gotten you out sooner, but.."

Amu smiled. "It's okay. Thank you, Utau, everyone." She grinned up at all of them, and when she met Ikuto's eyes, he looked away quickly.

"So after we got back here... well... let's just say that we had to rush Ikuto-kun to the hospital because it seemed the director had injected him with x-egg energy --" Nikaidou was cut off as Amu gasped, looking at Ikuto yet again.

"X-egg energy?! But that's...."

"Life-threatening," Ikuto spat. "He knew that. But he wanted me alive so he could..." He stopped, choking on the words slightly. He didn't know if he could tell Amu this.. he couldn't just casually mention it to her like he did when he was teasing her. How did you tell the person you loved that they had been violated by another person? Not to mention, also planted with x-egg energy...?

"Ikuto.." He looked hesitantly into Amu's golden irises, that were sad and worried. He lowered his head again, clenching his fists, feeling everyone's stares on him.

"Amu... he..he wanted to break you. In front of me. He taunted me as I held my last breath and made me watch as he... hurt you..." He did not look up to meet Amu's eyes. "He... hurt you in a way I never wanted you to be hurt. Then he... got you with the x-egg energy too..."

All at once, as Amu's eyes widened, it all came back; the imprisonment, Ikuto coming to rescue her both times, the beatings, and the last act she remembered. His fingers penetrating her inner walls. Feeling dirty, she forced herself into a sitting position and wrapped her arms around her knees, lowering her head into them and allowed herself to cry, breaking down like she had never broke down before.

Yukari sat down next to her and pulled the girl into a hug. Being a woman, she could only imagine just what Amu was going through. Utau's expression was both sad and angry, having heard this for the first time. She, although she'd never admit it to the other girl, considered Amu a really close and important friend, and hated seeing a girl who was so normally upbeat and happy now become a broken shell. Nikaidou simply looked sad, his hands in his pockets as he watched Yukari console Amu. Ikuto, however, had stood up and walked without a word into the bathroom, shutting the door in a near-slam, anger and devastation overcoming him. He lowered his elbows to the sink and hovered over it, tears, rapidly and salty, running down his face. He couldn't allow himself to cry in front of the others. Hell, he hated crying period.

When he was younger, he had cried himself to sleep following the days of his father's disappearance, but soon after that, he felt as if he had cried all his tears out. He'd needed to be strong for his mother and sister, who were barely carrying themselves. He had to be the strong one, to support them, and it was no different this time. Amu needed him, and he had to be strong for her too. But this pain....

"You won," He choked out, his voice filled with venom and rage. "You fucking won. You've broken us both, and gotten what you wanted..."

There was no point in denying it. Even if he would be okay one day, Amu wouldn't. He had done something to her that Ikuto would never dream of doing to her. How would she react to having boyfriends, or even the simplest thing like kissing? Would she even allow anyone - like him - to even wrap their arms around her in a romantic gesture? That hurt him more than anything, the kind of reactions Amu would most likely give just because Kazoumi had to be a sadistic asshole and involve the girl who had nothing to do with anything.

He could still hear Amu's wails in the living room, and then he heard a knock on the door. "Ikuto?" Naturally, it was Utau. He didn't move. "Ikuto," She tried again. "Amu wants you."

"Why?" Ikuto asked bitterly. "It's practically my fault she was..."

He heard the lock pick and then there was Utau, looking furious. "You're not the one at fault, Ikuto. Stop blaming yourself. Now go out there to Amu."

"No," Ikuto said bluntly. "I can't face her..."

Utau advanced into the room. "I'll drag you in there, don't think I won't, Ikuto. Amu needs you and if you're going to stand there and feeling sorry for yourself then you have no right to say you love her."

Ikuto stared at his sister with wide eyes for a moment before glaring again. "I'm not a sturdy robot, Utau. Even I'm breakable."

Utau's expression softened. "I know, Ikuto. I'm not saying that you have to be so strong, but when you're denying seeing Amu just because you feel you can't handle it, seeing her in so much pain, you're not giving me a good impression. If you love her like you say you do, get in there and comfort her. Even if she rages and storms, says she hates you or refuses to talk to you, comfort her. She's scared and confused and upset, and she needs time to understand what has happened to her."

Ikuto said nothing. He knew she was right, and knew he had nothing left to lose with Amu hating him. But the truth was... he'd never wanted to hurt her, it pained him every time. But this was different. She'd been broken by someone else and he had been powerless to stop it. He felt disgusted with himself for not being able to stand up to his step father or the illness coursing through his body, and felt so damn guilty.

Utau had gotten impatient, however, and seized Ikuto by the arm, dragging him out with her. Ikuto glared. "Let go of me, Utau."

But the girl didn't respond, and instead dragged her brother into the living room and sat him down next to Amu. Ikuto 'tch'ed' slightly, but did not get up. Amu's cries had calmed down. Nikaidou, Yukari and Utau had given them the liberty of leaving the room allowing the two to be alone. After a few moments, he felt Amu's gaze on him, but again could not meet it. "Ikuto." She spoke softly, and when he did not respond, her hand found his arm, and at her soft touch, he forced himself to look over at her, and to his surprise, she was smiling slightly.

"Amu.." He whispered her name gently.

She scooted closer to him, gaze mesmerizing the boy sitting beside her. She could be dazzling when she wanted to be. "Thank you, Ikuto." She murmured. "You came for me twice, risking getting caught. And you..." She looked down. "You got hurt because of me."

"No," He told her gently. "None of this was your fault. You were drawn into this, just because..."

Her head found it's way to his uninjured shoulder and she sighed. "Easter is the only one to blame here. They wanted me out of the way." Then he felt warmness emanating from her face and knew she was blushing. "But.. Ikuto...?"

"Yeah?" He asked softly.

Amu lifted her head, her eyes beseeching his. "Is what Utau said true...? Do you..." She swallowed, blushing even harder. "L-love me? R-really?" She felt like an idiot immediately after finishing the question; she knew he would just start laughing, and say he didn't like her and not to get her hopes up. Her heart pounded nervously in her chest. She looked away, expecting it any second.

"Amu. Look at me."

She raised her head slowly and dared herself to meet his... sad eyes? But there was something in them now, glazed with an emotion so strongly it nearly took her breath away. Ikuto raised his hands, and cupped her face, tenderly brushing her skin. Her face felt hot as Ikuto inched closer, and as she realized what was going on, her heart nearly leapt out of her chest in excitement and his lips met hers. Ikuto's lips were warm, soft, and gentle against hers, and she closed her eyes. She could feel the nervousness that was emanating from this boy kissing her, she could sense the fear, but she wasn't afraid; If it was Ikuto, she wasn't afraid. She'd had time to think while she'd been held hostage by Easter, and she was surprised when she realized the one she'd wanted to see most of all besides her parents, or her friends, was Ikuto. She desired his presence, worried for him, missed him, and wanted to be held in his arms. She wanted to look into those blue sapphires, she wanted to blush when he teased her, to just feel something other than pain and loneliness.

She'd had time to recollect every last memory, analyzed the feelings she had when she was around them and separated them from those with Tadase. It shocked her, realizing that she loved Ikuto, not Tadase, but she didn't question it. Love was love, and she wasn't going to deny any longer that Ikuto was the one she wanted.

She opened her eyes as he pulled slowly away, his eyes boring into hers. She blushed again, but her fingers brushed against his muscular arm, soothingly, telling him that she wasn't afraid. He relaxed, and they simply sat there staring at each other for what felt like a long time.

"I love you more than anything," Ikuto whispered suddenly, and Amu's heart fluttered with happiness as she took him in, staring at him in ways she'd never thought of before, knowing he was hers, and only hers. Throwing her arms around his neck, she laid her head on his chest.

"I.. I love you, too, Ikuto." The three words she thought she'd give to Tadase, were now being directed at the one she thought she had no feelings for. She slightly was grateful that she'd been able to be in a situation to have plenty of time to think and discover her feelings. It lead her to the boy she was currently holding onto.

Ikuto seemed as if he was frozen stiff, at the words, having the love returned, having the one he desired most in his arms. Through all his anger and sadness, a new emotion was overtaking them, an emotion that was practically rare to him; love. The time for revenge would come. But right now, he wanted to savor this moment with Amu, this happiness he knew wouldn't last long. But he felt ready, ready to face whatever it was Easter would throw at them now. And he knew what he had to do.

"Amu." He pulled her away slowly, so he could peer into her golden eyes again. "I got to get the vaccine.."

She looked confused for a moment before her expression became slightly fearful. "But, Ikuto..."

He placed a finger to her lips, silencing her. "Please, let me do this for you. Let me go and get it, so you won't have to suffer like I did."

The girl simply stared at him, her gaze strong and made a pleasuring chill run down Ikuto's spine before she closed her eyes, smiled, and reopened them. "Okay. Just be careful, okay?"

"I promise, I'll be back with it." He assured. "He knows I'm coming back. I know it. But this time, I'll be ready for him."

He got to his feet, and Yoru was at his side instantly. The cat ears and tail popped out of him and he darted at lightening speed through the open window and jumped onto the next roof, swiftly and repeatedly until, some time later, he reached the building that was Easter. Jumping down from his previous rooftop, the teen hurried, though cautious, around the back where he'd gone to rescue Amu last time. His enhanced cat-like vision and sound told him no one was around and he tried the knob to check if it was locked; To his surprise, it wasn't, and he slowly opened it, preparing himself for an assault at any given moment. Nothing was impossible with Easter. He reached the stairwell with no problems, but this wasn't the difficult part; the main problem would be sneaking into the Director - his step father's - office undetected and successfully get the vaccine. He hadn't taken the time to plan this through properly, and while he wanted to scold himself for doing something so reckless and risky, he knew Amu could not wait. The longer she went with that X-egg energy in her small body, the worse effect it would have on the poor girl who'd already been dealt such torture.

As he reached the second-to-last landing, the floor on which Kazoumi's office was, Ikuto knew he would not be getting that vaccine without some consequences, and tensed his nearly-healed body for more pain that would surely come as he flung open the stairwell door and, unsympathetically, kicked his step-father's office door so hard it flung open and the wood splintered at the side. From the sudden sound of his door bursting open, Kazoumi had looked up from his place at the desk, to meet the hateful gaze of his teen step-son, without an ounce of fear. "So you've finally come."

A disturbing grin spread across his face. "I was wondering when you'd show up. But I was prepared to wait for you. As you can see, I have not heavily guarded my office, nor had anyone get in your way as you came in here." He upturned a smirk at the boy as he rose from his chair, coming around the desk to get closer to him. "But I can't say your exit will be nearly as easy." Ikuto said nothing, eying him with nothing but the deepest loathing. "So, tell me," Kazoumi spoke again, eyes dancing as if remembering something extremely pleasant, "How is the little brat? That girl... the energy should be affecting her about now..."

Ikuto stiffened, and for a moment, he contemplated just running out and going to Amu, who he knew definitely would be having some major symptoms now, though she'd been fine when he'd left, having only been half-an hour ago. But a lot could happen in thirty minutes. Pulling out the cellphone Yukari lent him, he quickly dialed Utau's number as his step father smirked at him smugly. He heard then the familiar click as Utau answered, her voice alerting him to danger immediately as she choked out a frantic, "I-Ikuto?"

"Is Amu all right?" He asked quickly. Then he heard it; Amu, screaming painfully, louder and more extreme than he'd ever heard her scream, throat-tearing and agonizing, as if she were being burned in the fires only Hell could provide, and not even when she'd been tortured by the sadistic man standing before Ikuto had she screamed like that. "AMU?!"

"She's... She's seizuring, Ikuto!" Utau sounded as if she were crying. "We're taking her to a hospital now. Her pulse is slowing down as we speak. She's dying, Ikuto! We need that vaccine! She's really pale, and her fever's well over a hundred and six...! I'll have to call you back!" The call ended before he could even open his mouth to say anything. The phone dropped from his seemingly frozen hands as the horror of knowing he was losing Amu washed over him.

Kazoumi chuckled. "She only has a short time, Tsukiyomi Ikuto." He pulled a small tube from his pocket, chuckling slowly, and waved it in front of Ikuto's face, as if mocking him. "So, are you going to try and take the vaccine, or are you going to let your little lover girl die?"

Ikuto, shaking with rage, seized the collar of his step father's shirt. "For your sake, you better hope she doesn't. Because if she does... I will be unrelenting. I will kill you, and I vow to you that. I will torture you in every sick way imaginable, before I allow you your end. And it won't be peaceful. Even in death, I will carve pain into you for what you've done to her." Before he could stop him, Ikuto had snatched the vaccine and released his step-father, who was laughing like a mad man, and Ikuto had to wonder for a moment whether the man had completely lost - what little he had ever had - his sanity.

"I'll look forward to that little threat of yours. Though, for little Amu's sake, you'd better hope that vaccine works."

"What?" Ikuto whirled back around to face him. "What are you talk --?"

Another chuckle. "That vaccine works on mild forms of x-egg energy, like yours. I specifically gave Amu an extra dose, that while taking longer to fully begin to affect the body, does double the damage, and kills faster. She has little left than hour to live. Assuming you get to her on time of course, which will now be entirely up to you since I have done my part of giving you the vaccine."

Suddenly, there were looking to be well over a hundred heavily armed security standing in the hall, entering the room, blocking the window, the vent; Ikuto cursed. Of course, why had he not anticipated this? His step father was never one to play fair, and after Ikuto had successfully attained the vaccine, delay his time to get to Amu? But Ikuto would. He would not let these guys stop him. Even if he had to kill.

"Yoru, chara transformation!"

But something hit him directly on his still-injured shoulder, knocking him to the floor. He looked up angrily, wincing in pain as he saw... a dart, sticking out of his upper arm. "What the fuck?" Automatically, he noted the room beginning to spin and his breathing quicken. "Wh-what the hell is this?!" He could not fight it as his knees gave out and he crumpled completely onto the carpet, the men snickering and Kazoumi smirking unpleasantly down at him.

"A little something I had my scientists cook up. No, it's not X-egg energy, but a simple drug to weaken your body. So tell me... will this slow you down? Son?" He sneered at the indigo-haired boy, who was now staring up at him as though with just his hateful eyes, could bring death upon him.

"I fucking hate you..." The teen seethed. "I FUCKING HATE YOU!"

Cold eyes soon met his as the man lowered himself to raise up Ikuto's chin with a strong, hard hand, squeezing with enough force to possibly break his jaw. Ikuto struggled against the blinding pain from the injection and his step father's grip. "I do hope that hatred will re-inforce that threat of yours. I would hate to have an empty promise. Though you won't be able to resist me for long, Ikuto. The darkness is slowly overtaking you, and you will be my puppet. You will cease to exist, become nothing but a mindless drone, a zombie, with no name or existence. Resigned to your fate as my stepping stone to Hinamori Amu." He released the boy, and waved a hand airily. "Get him out of here. Throw him on the street or something. Stray cats do not belong in a shelter of any kind." His smirk returned. "Only in the trash, where they belong."

Someone behind him seized his hair roughly, bringing him to his knees and turning him around. What came next was enough any other person would have passed out from, and in his weakened state, he was surprised when he didn't; a hard, sturdy knee came swiftly and menacingly, hard and painful, into his abdomen. His mouth opened as he gave a yelp of pain as the wind was knocked the hell out of him, and he tasted the blood as he coughed it up. It was dark and thick, and he knew something had been damaged internally, and if there wasn't, he was damned lucky. He was trembling at the feet of the men as more blood emerged from his mouth with the cough as he gasped greedily for air. More pain, then, as more of the men began dragging him away, onto the elevator, until they reached the landing that lead to the outside, and began kicking him repeatedly until he was pushed roughly out the door and onto the sidewalk, lying still as he firmly held the unbroken vaccine in his hand.

His vision blurred as he groaned and winced in some of the worst pain he'd ever felt in his life. He heard murmurs, and knew passerby had seen what had happened, and then - he couldn't quite believe it when he saw him - Tadase was standing over him, looking slightly appalled. "Tsukiyomi... Ikuto.." Ikuto resisted the urge to snap at the boy; The Kiddy King, that despised him so much, was now seeing him completely bloody, beat up and broken lying on the sidewalk in front of Easter. Before he could get a word out, like telling the Kiddy King to leave him alone, there were more voices.

"Tadase, where'd you go -- Oh... "

Ikuto's bleary eyes registered Kukai, who was looking just as appalled at Tadase. "Whoa... what the hell happened to him..?"

"I don't know," Tadase turned to the brunette, "I was walking by and a whole bunch of guys threw him out the door."

Kukai looked at the building. "But.. this is Easter! What, did they fire you or something?" He directed the question at Ikuto.

"It doesn't... matter.." Ikuto found his voice to be raspy, weak; Great, another thing for the Kiddy King and his servants to see? "I... I need... to... get to Amu... she's.. in trouble.."

"Hinamori-san?!" Tadadse asked sharply, and glared down at the beaten up teenager. "What are you talking about, you thieving cat?!" As Ikuto took in another few breaths, the blonde snapped, "WELL?!"

Kuaki placed a hand on Tadase's shoulder. "Chill, Tadase. The guy's obviously trying to just get a few breaths in, do you see the condition he's in?"

"I don't care about that right now, he said Hinamori-san's in trouble --"

"She.."

Both boys looked back at Ikuto as he tried to steady his breathing. "She was rushed to the hospital. I can't.. tell you the full story yet, but I need a lift there. She.. she needs this vaccine." He held it out in his palm, and Tadase's eyes widened.

"Vaccine...?" Then his eyes narrowed. "Why should we believe you? Or help you get to Amu? You just want an opportunity to snatch the Humpty Lock!"

"Uh," Kuaki looked from Tadase to Ikuto. "Sorry, King, but I don't think he can really steal anything in that state..."

Tadase turned around to face the other boy. "You don't know him! He's... he's playing the role of the beaten up black cat, but he's just waiting to lure us into his tra --"

"Idiot," Ikuto said angrily. "You... truly are an idiot. If.. you refuse to believe me... I'll just have to... get there myself..." He got painfully - too painfully - to his feet, staggering and swaying. "Before... she..." He nearly fell back over before Kukai caught him around the waist, and Ikuto winced in intense pain as the wound to his abdomen become more apparent.

"Dude, you can't walk like this!"

"No... I need... to get to Amu.. you don't know.... she's only has... minutes.."

Kukai blinked, eyes widening in shock. "You mean Hinamori's about to be killed?!"

"Don't listen to that thieving cat!" Tadase shouted at Kukai sourly. "He's tricking us like the prankster he is --!"

Already at the brink of his anger, Ikuto snapped at the younger boy, "Fine, don't listen to me! I don't care whether you believe me or not! I thought, as Amu's supposed close friends, you might care to help her, but apparently someone can't get over a past grudge to allow me to help you get to her! I am not going to let her die! If I don't get to her in twenty minutes - maybe even less - she'll be dead! She needs this vaccine, and I'm not going to sit here arguing with a little boy who thinks he's a king while Amu's in such danger!" He made an angry turn to leave, shoving Kukai off of him.

"Oi!" Kukai called after him as he limped quickly down the sidewalk, falling, and getting to his feet again. He'd managed to get down to the corner, when, much to Ikuto's annoyance, the blonde and brunette caught up to him fairly easily. "What are you talking about? What's this vaccine for? Who's hurting her?"

"Easter," He said roughly. "Look, I can't go into detail, but know that she's in extreme danger, and if I don't get to her, she'll be dead!" He waved down a taxi that stopped directly in front of him, and as his body and mind became more stressed, fell to his knees. The driver got out hurriedly and went to his side.

"Are you okay?" He asked worriedly.

Ikuto stiffly nodded. Kukai scoffed. "You're obviously not, man! I'm going with you. Hinamori may or may not be there, but I still want you checked out, you probably got all kinds of internal damage."

"But Soma-kun..." came Tadase's protest. As the taxi driver helped Ikuto into the back, Kukai faced Tadase.

"I don't know what happened between the two of you, but right now, he's not our enemy. We just saw Easter kick him out the door, beaten up, claiming to have a vaccine to save Hinamori. He wouldn't go to all that trouble for no reason, Tadase. Now, you can let your grudge get in the way of saving Hinamori or you can let it go if only for one day and trust Tsukiyomi."

Ikuto did not look at either of the two boys as Tadase reluctantly agreed to go with. Kukai climbed in first, followed by the blonde-haired boy. Once all three were in and their seat belts fastened, Ikuto practically ordered the bewildered driver to hurry to the hospital as fast as he could and not to worry about the speeding ticket he would be likely to receive. He held the vaccine tightly, but not with enough strength to break it, in his slender fingers. Kukai was staring at him. "Since we're on our way there, will you tell us what happened?"

Ikuto sighed. "We'll be there in about ten minutes, just barely making it, depending on how fast this guy can go, but I'll tell you what I can without drawing it out for too long." He averted his gave to the window beside him, which was blurred with the outside from the speed of the taxi. "I went in to work one day when my step father revealed he had captured Amu. I tried to get her out of there, but they were on to me and locked me up. I managed to get a hold of Utau on Amu's cell phone and she came and busted me out. We had to leave right away in case Easter caught us and prevented us from getting to Amu, but after planting me with x-egg energy, I still knew I had to go back and get her and --"

"Wait, hold up," Kukai caught him off. "X-egg energy? What the hell...?"

"It's a part of a plan of theirs, I don't know all what they're planning," Ikuto said hurriedly. "But yeah, they got me with it, and when I went back to get Amu, he... he got her with it too...."

"WHAT?!"

Ikuto glared at Tadase as he was interrupted, and the boy blushed slightly in embarrassment and jerked his head, motioning for Ikuto to continue. "My step father has a vaccine for it, that he gave me when he... tortured Amu... I managed to get in and steal it to take it to her, but they had caught me and knew it would slow me down if they beat the hell out of me first..."

"What'd they do to her..?" Kukai was shocked.

Ikuto's right hand formed into a fist. "He... my step father... he violated her. Sexually."

The two younger boys paled, and Tadase looked as if he was going to throw up. He quickly opened the window and breathed in gulps of fresh air and stayed there for a minute or two before turning back around, and even then, his face had a green tinge to it. "You mean he... raped... Hinamori-san...?"

He didn't want to answer it, so he just gave a stiff nod. "They held me down as they did it. I couldn't do anything and when I tried, they only knocked me down further. Every time I tried to get up, they were there, preventing me from getting to her, from helping her... I was on my last breath." He didn't know why he was justifying himself, explaining himself to them; perhaps it was to ease some of the intense guilt he felt on himself.

"You.."

Ikuto hesitantly looked over at Tadase and was surprised when he saw a look of supreme rage on the boy's thin face. "You... let them hurt her..."

He said nothing. Though 'let them' was blowing it a bit out of proportion.

"Tadase, they had him bound..." Kukai attempted to explain on Ikuto's behalf, but Tadase would hear none of it.

"You mean you WATCHED them hurt her...?! And did nothing?! A little pain stopped you from getting to the girl you claim to care so much about?!" His eyes sparked with hatred. "If it had been me... with every breath, even to the last, I would have gotten to her! No matter how much pain I was in! And you... you stood by as they tortured her..." Ikuto knew if they weren't in a car at the present, Tadase would have surely punched him by now. "You make me sick, Tsukiyomi Ikuto! I was considering letting my grudge over you go, but... now.. I will never forgive you for letting Easter hurt Hinamori-san like that!"

Ikuto looked away to stare back out the window. He hated to admit it, but Tadase was right. Even if it killed him, he should have gotten to Amu. Should have died to protect her. But he had... hadn't he...? Hadn't he been on the brink of death, holding his very last breaths, when the Director had plunged the lifeline to save him into his shoulder? And he'd gotten to Amu... albeit late, but he'd gotten to her. He'd not left her there to suffer anymore, and she held no grudge towards him, if anything, she was thankful. But that was Amu.

"And I... I will never forgive myself," He whispered, just loud enough for the two boys to hear, as he held the vaccine, the only salvation for Amu, in his upturned palm.

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