I hit my 20-review mark! Awesome! Thank you all, you awesome people with great taste who review regularly!

I've had a few people ask me if Amu's two daughters are going to show up again...great question! Wait and see!

This chapter's really short, but still essential. I'd like to think all my chapters are important to the story.

Disclaimer: Why must I repeat myself over and over? Don't you know by now?

Flashback-

Both girls turned to her and spoke to her in unison, the black-haired girl looking intense, the blond girl looking teary. "You can't have us both." the girls whispered together hauntingly. "You can only pick one. You can't have us both. You know what this means, don't you? Mom."

End Flashback

"I don't- I can't-"

Guys, we need to get out of here right now!

Amu fell with a large squish back onto her bed. Her charas all popped out of her at once and looked at her apologetically. "We're so, so sorry, Amu-chan. We didn't know that would happen."

Amu stared ahead, her eyes moist and looking very shaky. "I do love Ikuto." she said slowly, but steadily. "I think I do. I'm pretty sure. But I also love my family, and Tadase's family, and my friends. I still count Tadase to my friend, so I love him too. And that little blond girl- my girl with Tadase- she didn't want to fight Ikuto's child for me. She wasn't ready to fight. She didn't know she had to." A tear slipped down her cheek. "Neither did I."

"Ikuto's girl, she was ready to fight. She knew it was coming."

She hugged her knees to her chest. "And Tadase feeling guilty about Ikuto this entire time... I thought he had forgotten. I thought I was the only one."

Dia cautiously floated up to Amu. "Amu-chan, your sparkle is weakening. You're getting confused and lost. But don't give up, okay? Somehow everything will work out." Amu looked up, looking as if she was trying very hard to refrain from swearing bitterly at the innocent little faces of her charas. "Honestly? You think so?" Su nodded sincerely. "That's why we came back to you, Amu-chan! So we can help you."

Before Amu could respond, her phone started it's now-annoyingly-cheerful ringtone. She grit her teeth, breathed in deeply, regained some composure, and answered coolly. "Hello?"

"Amu, it's me. Do you know where the Dumpty Key is?"

Amu's composure completed deflated. "Ikuto? Uh, yes. I've got it right here with me. Utau gave it to me after wedding prep."

There was a pause. Amu waited. "Didn't you give it to Utau?"

"No, I didn't. She gave it to you?" "Uh, yeah, she did. I thought you'd given it to her. I'm sorry. Do you want it back?" She didn't want the Key in the same room as her Lock now.

"It doesn't matter. Did you do anything with it?" Amu twisted a lock of hair between her fingers. "Uhhhh..."

She thought she heard Ikuto sigh in exasperation on the line. "Amu. Did you use it with the Humpty Lock? Never mind, I know you did. What happened?"

Amu bit her lip. Ran floated up. "You shouldn't lie to him, Amu-chan. Tell him the truth."

Amu's hands tightened around the phone. She lost her nerve. "Bye, Ikuto!" she said brightly, then hung up quickly enough she couldn't hear him respond. She then threw the phone at her window and started banging her head repeatedly against the wall. All her charas sighed.

Amu lay sleeping, turning restlessly while she dreamt, one hand coiled into a fist. Miki and Dia were quietly floating in a corner, using chara communication to talk with Yoru.

Yoru? It's us. Listen, Amu-chan-

Your Amu-chan is breaking Ikuto's heart! You have some nerve, talking to me!

But we-

Let me handle this, Dia. Listen, Yoru. We can make this work for both of us. For Amu-chan and Ikuto. But we'll need to work together, all right? Get them together.

How do you suggest we do that, nya?

Miki smiled grimly. Just get Ikuto to the wedding, okay? We'll handle the rest.

Bella: This wasn't my favorite chapter... more coming soon.

Amu: What the hell are you doing to me? I have children, and emotional turmoil, and, and... *rambles on about what I'm putting her through*

Bella: *sighs* It'll work out in the end, Amu-chan. Maybe.

Amu: Maybe? MAYBE? YOU RAGING PYSCHOPATH OF A WRITER!

Tadase: I'm not having such a great feeling about this either...

Ikuto: And who knows what she's going to do with me...

Bella: *sighs in content* Ah, to be loved and hated. You know the drill. R & R! Tell your friends!