Amu was taken to the hospital in an ambulance and I was patched up at the scene against a police car. I wanted desperately to go with her, but I knew that I wouldn't be allowed and I had a lot of explaining to do with Chief.

"Tsukiyomi." Chief Iwagaki appeared with Kukai, "You are going to explain what the fuck happened here tonight and then maybe I'll reconsider your termination."

I sighed and started to explain the chain of events. With the Chief somewhat satisfied, but mostly disgruntled, he calmed down a bit to place his hand on my shoulder, "You're one lucky one of a bitch that this didn't go any worse than it did."

"I know Chief." I apologized again and bowed my head.

"Take the weekend off, and bright and early Monday morning see me in my office." He let go, "I need to… think things over."

Once he walked away, Kukai asked, "He's not really going to fire you, is he?"

I shook my head and laughed, "Nah, he's just pissed that this didn't go smoother."

"Dude," Kukai poked at my wound which caused me to flinch, "You got nick pretty badly."

I punched him, "That doesn't mean that you can fucking poke at it!"

"How was she?" Kukai immediately changed the subject to a more darker matter.

"As soon as she got the chance, she went ape-shit on the ringleader." I recalled the rather gruesome moment, "She started with his neck and then proceeded to stab whatever part of his body with those needles."

"Is she going to be okay?" He asked concerned for Amu, "Like mentally okay?"

I shook my head no, "No, she'll never be okay again, and no matter how hard she'll try to forget, those demons will come back to haunt her."

"Damn…" Kukai ran his hand through his hair with guilt.

"It's not your fault Kukai." I knew what he was thinking about, "It's none of our fault. We didn't know that they would track us."

"I know, but…" Kukai sighed, "I feel terrible for what happened to her."

I pushed myself off of the car and walked back towards my apartment, Kukai followed close beside me, "What's done is done. I know it sucks, but for her sake, we just have to move forward."

"Does she even have anywhere to go now that this is all over?"

"I don't know." I shrugged, "I do know that we'll reveal her identity so her parents can find her, but from there, I don't know what will happen."

"What about your apartment?" Kukai asked, "Are you going to stay there after they fix it up again?"

I shook my head no, "That place holds too many bad memories, for me and for her." I assumed she might stay with me, "And… ever since she called me a few days ago…" I shrugged again, "I don't know… things changed for me."

"Changed? How?" Kukai snorted but was intrigued enough to hear my response.

"To not take things for granted for one thing, and," I looked up to find only two stars in the whole night sky, "Even when it seems like all hope is lost, push forward and move on." I looked back at him and explained, "Because that's what she did. Even though she went through hell and back, she found her own little sanctuary of peace."

"Dude you're too philosophical right now.." Kukai laughed and slapped my shoulder.

"And I'm going to murder you." I said with an annoyed smile on my face. Kukai kept laughing, which eventually caused me to start, but everything I said was true. Amu really is an angel.


I visited the hospital the next morning and saw two older adults hover over Amu's bed in her room. They were crying and the woman was stroking Amu's hair. Just by looking at them, I could tell that they were Amu's parents. I let them visit in peace and I walked to the closest coffee dispenser. In my right hand I held the latest house advertisements and with my left I grabbed the tiny Styrofoam cup that filled with the hot brown liquid. After spewing out the rest of the coffee, I waited for a second before moving the cup to my lips. I sat down in the visitor's area and flipped through the ads. There was a small 1000 sq. ft. house that was kind of cozy looking. It had two rooms, one bathroom, and all of the amenities that one would need for purchasing a house. What was even better was that it was within my price range. I tabbed that one as an eligible candidate in my house hunt and flipped through the other ads.

"Ikuto Tsukiyomi?" A voice appeared in front of me and I looked up to see that it was a nurse. "Are you Ikuto Tsukiyomi?"

I nodded.

"Patient Amu Hinamori has requested your presence." The nurse pointed towards Amu's room.

"Are her parents still in there?" I asked, "I don't want to intrude."

She shook her head no, "They just left."

I stood up from my chair and chugged the remaining bit of my coffee. Before I entered Amu's room I tossed the cup in a trash can and folded the ads under my arms. I could she that she was hooked up to different machines that were all measuring her vitals and her eyes were closed. How'd she know I was here? I walked in quietly and sat down in the chair next to her bed.

"Ikuto?" She raspy called out my name.

I leaned on her bed and held her hand in mine, "I'm here." I gently rotated her wrist and kissed the top of her hand.

"Are the girls okay?" She asked and rotated her head towards me.

The way she looked killed me. Her cheeks were bruised, her scar on her neck was reopened and there were once butterfly bandages on the wounds, there was a cut above her eye, and her lips were purple and swollen from the abuse of events. Even though she looked like she was in so much pain she smiled and cried when I nodded my head yes.

"Thank god…" Tears streamed from her eyes and I brought my thumb up to her face and carefully wiped her face.

I kissed her hand once again and tried to hold in my own tears. I wanted to ask her so many things, but I had trouble forming words. So I stood up from my chair and leaned over her head. I softly kissed her forehead and returned to my chair.

"Ikuto…" Her tears slowed, "I'm sorry… you had to see all of that."

"Amu.." She cut me off.

"I tried to be strong." She cried harder, "I tried so hard…"

I felt a lump swelling in my throat and a pain welding in my chest. I struggled to say something, "Were your parents happy to see you?"

She nodded and sniffed, "Yeah… they didn't even believe it was me at first."

"What did you all talk about?" I propped my head on my free arm and with my other hand I tenderly rubbed her palm.

"The future. They still live close by and wondered if I wanted to come home." She laughed, "Home, Ikuto. Can you believe that?" I could see that even though she was trying so hard not to show any pain, her body shook with each laugh.

"What did you say?" I grew curious with her response.

"I couldn't," Amu responded, "I told them that I would visit, but I couldn't live there."

"How come?"

"Because I don't know them anymore." She shook her head and another tear rolled down, "I hardly remember the good times when I lived there and I don't want to burden them with my nightmares." She smirked and found some humor in what she said next, "They have another child now. Her name is Ami. Can you believe it? I'm a big sister."

I smiled, "That's great Amu."

"No it's not." It pained me to hear that, "What the hell am I supposed to tell her? How the fuck am I supposed to interact with her? I'm broken... destroyed..." More tears formed and these were more painful to witness.

"No you're not." I stopped her, "You are reborn, Amu." She looked at me in the eye, "You were declared dead and you're now alive. What happened can't hold you back from what will happen. Amu…" I stopped my train of thought and blushed, "Amu, you could live with me. We can be happy together. You can still visit your family and be an amazing big sister and a wonderful daughter and…" I paused, "Stay with me."

There was a moment of silence between us as she was processing her thoughts. "I don't want to be a burden to you."

"You never were a burden," I kissed her hand again and spoke into it, "And you never will be Amu."

It took her a long time before she told me, "Can I think about it and get back to you with an answer?"

"Of course." I got up and kissed her forehead again.

A nurse knocked on the door, "Pardon me, but visiting hours are soon over for her today. You will have to please leave and come back tomorrow."

I understood and cupped my hand around her cheek, trying not to cause any more pain, "I'll see you tomorrow, then?"

She nodded and leaned her cheek into my hand. "Thank you Ikuto."

I slowly removed my hand and then walked out of her room. Across from her room, out in the hallway, was a beautiful view of the skyline. I walked towards the window and saw a white dove flutter outside of the window before flying away into the morning sky.