Skyl3r-M0on: I couldn't really sleep tonight so I felt like giving you guys a little treat :D

Amu: I like treats!

Skyl3r-M0on: Uh...well this isn't really much of a treat for you, more the readers really, but it depends on how you look at it ;)

Amu: What? Why did you wink at me?

Skyl3r-M0on: Nothing, no reason, ENJOY!


A few days had passed and Ikuto and Amu were getting ready for another visit to the rehab. Ikuto was dreading it with everything in him, but he wasn't about to complain. Him and Amu were fine now and he didn't want to upset her.
When they had gotten there everything was going well and Amu's dad wasn't being cold towards Ikuto. Which Ikuto very much appreciated, but he was thoroughly confused because though the looks he was getting from Tsumugu weren't of hate, they were of something else. Something that he couldn't really pinpoint.

He was starting to feel really uneasy under the scrutinizing gaze of his girlfriends father and was starting to get frustrated. "Why the hell are you looking at me like that?"

"I need to talk to you," Tsumugu said, his voice was firm. He looked over at Amu before adding, "Alone please."

Amu looked between the two and wondered what was going on. Over the last few days she had felt so out of the loop with everything and it was driving her insane. She felt so unwanted and confused, and most of all, she felt like they were all hiding something from her and that pissed her off the most.

It was clear to them both that she wasn't pleased with this request but she rolled her eyes and got up anyways to give them some privacy and since visiting hours were almost over, she chose to just go back to the car.

This left the two males sitting alone. One was confused, and one was pissed beyond words.

"I finally realized who you are." Tsumugu said as he glare across the table at Ikuto.

"Sorry, what?" Was all Ikuto could say.

"I knew I recognized your last name from somewhere," Tsumugu explained. "and your face looks so familiar. This town isn't that big and we both know that, and I remember everyone I've ever met and the Tsukiyomi name is one name I'll always remember."

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Ikuto said calmly, almost too calm really.

"Ikuto you know exactly what I'm talking about," The tone in his voice was almost in a warning way. "and you should be happy that I haven't told Amu yet. Cause I wonder how she'd feel knowing that she's dating the son of an infamous dru-"

"I don't deal anymore." Ikuto said sharply.

"Does she know that?" Tsumugu looked at Ikuto as if challenging him to say something else, and when Ikuto chose to stay quiet, he grinned. "I thought so. Anyways, just know that I'm onto you and if I hear that you're dealing again, I'll have no choice but to-"

"What? Ask for a discount?" Ikuto interrupted. Hearing Amu's dad threaten him like that annoyed him down to the core. "First of all, with all do respect Mr. Hinamori, I hardly think you're in any position to be threatening me like that. You're not all that innocent either, and like you, I'm trying to put all of that in my past so that I can stay in your daughters life."

Tsumugu waited for him to continue since he assumed there was more, which there was. "Secondly, she doesn't know because I don't deal anymore, and I never will again. That business made my life a living hell and I don't want Amu getting dragged into it."

This time Tsumugu cut him off before he could make a third point. "But Ikuto, I'm having a hard time believing that you're completely out. From what I've heard about your father he's not that type that likes to be disobeyed and I highly doubt that he let you leave without putting up a fight." His eyebrow went up in question. "Is that right?"

Feeling a tad defeated, Ikuto looked away but nodded numbly. His head then shot back to the man in front of him as the next words slipped out of his mouth. They snaked around his neck like a noose and he suddenly felt suffocated.

"And that's why I want you to break up with Amu."

Ikuto gave him an appalled look. "What?"

"You heard what I said boy." Tsumugu rolled his eyes but went back to glaring at Ikuto. "You're not good for her. You'd only get her into danger. Ikuto I know what your father is capable of and it's no secret that he's going to go for her to get to her, and even if you agree to join again, he wouldn't let her go. I don't want my daughter living a life in crime." He gestured to his left shoulder to the now healed gun wound from a couple months prior. "As you can see, it's done me no good, and Amu is too kindhearted to be put through that."

"Mr. Hinamori, please." Ikuto' voice was pleading, as were his eyes as he stared into Tsumugu's cold blue ones. "I know I'm nowhere near good enough for your daughter-"

"You really aren't." Tsumugu interrupted again.

Ikuto chose to continue as if he never said a thing though. "But your daughter is the most important thing in my life. She is the second girl I've ever truly loved with everything in me. Please you have to understand that I'd never do anything to put her into harms way."

Tsumugu sighed and scratched his chin. "Ikuto, I may despise your very existence, but I know you wouldn't hurt my daughter. It's your father I'm worried about. He wouldn't think twice about shooting a bullet through her head if it meant you'd come back to him, and I don't want that to happen. I mean if you could do something to ensure that she'll be a hundred percent safe," He had his hand palm side up and moved them like a weigh. "then I might consider letting you two be together, but there's no way of assuring that."

Ikuto ran a hand through his hair in a frustrated manner as he thought of the possibilities. "I don't know how to keep her safe by myself. The most I could do would be to have her stay at her friends until I can get my father off my tail." He shook his head at the idea. "But what would I tell her? She'd wonder why I'm sending her away out of the bloom like that."

"Tell her the truth." Tsumugu suggested and Ikuto looked at him like he was insane.

"I don't mean to be rude, but are you nuts?"

It was a rhetorical question of course but Tsumugu couldn't help but laugh. "No, I'm being serious." He leaned back in his chair and shrugged. "If there was anything I learned from being married, it was that you should never lie to your girl. They will find out, and they will be even more pissed that you didn't tell them sooner, and trust me, if Amu is anything like her mother then you don't want that."

Tsumugu laughed again as he remembered a not so pleasant memory of his wife nearly breaking his arm when he had been sneaking around for a few months looking for the perfect anniversary present for her. Of course she apologized when she found out why he was spending more nights at work and going out so often, but that day was a day he would forever count as a near death experience.

Ikuto groaned. "I don't know. I mean I want her to be safe, but I don't want her to know what she'll be hiding from." His hands tugged at his hair before he laid the out on the table and looked up at Tsumugu. "Like right now my choices are to either lose her because you're making me break up with her, or I lose her because I told her the truth about everything. I mean she would look at me with disgust and I never want to see that look on her face directed to me."

"I'm not going to lie to you kid," Tsumugu said honestly. "but I doubt she'll judge you for it. I'm not very proud to admit it, but I've put her through hell growing up and if I could take it back, I would in a heartbeat. But she know better, and if she truly loves you, she'll see the good in you. Also, I'm sure she'll factor in that fact that you're not dealing anymore and see that you're not that bad."

"Visiting hours are now over." A loud voice said the intercoms that surrounded the room.

Ikuto started to get up and leave when Tsumugu grabbed his wrist. He looked back at the older man and couldn't help but think about how wise he must've been. Ikuto knew that this man had been through more things than he could ever imagine. Most of which he regretted of course, but he knew that he was suffering from them and was only thinking about what was best for him and Amu.

"Just think about what I've said kid." Was all that Tsumugu said before letting go of Ikuto' arm and walking away. Ikuto chose to do the same and walked out of the building and into the car where Amu was already sitting the passenger seat. He looked over at her and noticed that she was fast asleep with her head phone in and sighed.

If you love something, you have to let it go Was what was running through his mind as he started up the car and pulled out of the parking lot. He hated that saying so much it irritated him. Why would you let go of something you love. How is it suppose to believe you love it if you let it go. It didn't make sense to him.

He loved Amu too much to let her go, but he knew what he had to do. But he was going to do it his way. And by that, he meant that he was going to give her a chance to decide for herself since as the rest of the saying goes, if it returns, it's yours forever, if not It was never meant to be.

So Ikuto had to take the risk of having Amu decide if she wanted to be his forever and he didn't know if he could take it if she decided not to be. But he was going to have to do what he had to do to keep her out of harms way.

As he thought back to a few day earlier he remembered his father telling him that he was coming over to the apartment to see him, and recalled asking Amu to go out to dinner that night and how he refused to let her go back to the apartment for anything. Already she could tell something was up and he knew he couldn't keep that up. She'd have to find out eventually, but the problem was how would he tell her.

His hand tightened against the wheel and he groaned. This was all too much for him.

"Are you okay?" Amu's voice sounded as she woke up from her slumber. Glancing the passenger seat he saw her stretching and one ear bud out of her ear before looking back at the road.

"Uh yeah I'm fine," He found her hand and interlocked her fingers with hers. "just go back to sleep, I'll wake you up when we get home."

She yawned and nodded before leaning her head against the window once more, her hand never letting go of his.

Ikuto chose to treasure this moment in case this would be the last time he ever held her hand. He planned on telling her first thing tomorrow after they got back from school so that she didn't spend all day with all that information on her mind.

For Amu, tomorrow was expected to be just like any other day.

But for Ikuto it was to be the worst day of his life.


Skyl3r-M0on: If anyone ever tried telling me that Ikuto didn't love Amu, I would personally beat the snot out of them cause Amuto is perfect okay!

Ikuto: I second that.

Amu: So what is it you wanted to tell me Ikuto? What are you dealing exactly?

Ikuto: . Uhh, I already told you... . they're cookies I swear! .

Amu: Cookies my butt.

Ikuto: Have I told you how absolutely gorgeous you look today?

Amu: Can it cat! R&R!...Before I shave off the cats fur and make a coat out of it!

Ikuto: PLEASE REVIEW!