Well. Here's the second last chapter. I combined two chapters into this just to overcome my writers block. I think it worked too cause I know exactly what I'm going to write for the last one. You will be surprised.

Disclaimer – I don't own Shugo Chara. I own the plot.


Kami-sama, why did this have to happen? We've been locked in here for days on end with hardly any food, drink and only getting out when we needed to go to the bathroom or interviews. Only Aruto is allowed out for "special assignments." Oh course we all know he's really just doing more harm. I shouldn't have believed him, never should have listened to him...now I know where Ikuto gets it from; his Papa.

"Let us out!" Ikuto continuously pounds on the door, day in day out. I wish he would just give it a break.

"We're never getting out of here so would you just stop!?" I yelled. But he didn't. He's not even paying attention to me. Ever since I broke up with him, he's pretending that I don't even exist.

"Tsukiyomi Ikuto won't calm down until we're out Hinamori-san." Tadase and I have been talk a little bit, but not a whole lot. I'm not surprised though. I sit against the wall opposite the door...and as far away as possible from Ikuto...Tadase sat in the chair at the small desk, reading through the random articles about nothing interesting.

"Oi! Quit banging on the door! You'll leave a dent!" That was one of the guards that stands outside the door. It's really easy to get him angry and sometimes he rambles on about nothing with the other guard. It's funny sometimes I guess.

"Never!" Ikuto can be quite persistent when he wants to be. If only he'd paid more attention to me. I would be able to get through this torture if he would just look at me at least.

"I would advise you to stop. The director's coming." Ikuto didn't stop until the sound of a key being inserted and the lock opening to reveal the director and Aruto.

"Hinamori Amu. It's time for your special interview. Come this way." The director stepped out of the doorway as I stood up. I've learned that resisting their commands means no food and brutal punishment.

As I walked to the door, someone grabbed my arm. "Tadase?"

"Don't go Hinamori-san. This one's not like those other ones." Fear was in his eyes. The grip on my arm was painful. I wish I could have stayed in the room, being safe and sound...away from my troubles. But Ikuto was in the room, the one that I hate the most.

I pulled my arm away. "Thank you Tadase, but, I can't take another beating." I walked out of the room, following Aruto down the dark hallways. Yes, I've have quite a few beatings. That's the brutal punishment and it gets worse depending on the orders you don't follow.

No one said a word. You could hear a pin drop of you listened closely enough. We came to an unmarked door. All the other doors of the Easter building have things like "Interview room" "recording station" or "kitchen area", just random places like that.

When the door opened I was pushed inside, grabbed by the shoulders and forced to sit down. In front of me was a large table with sheets spread everywhere and piles of folders. "You want me to sort all this junk?" That earned me a smack upside the head from one of the attendants in the room. I guess they don't like the word 'junk' to describe their work.

"No!" Sitting on the opposite side of me was a lady wearing a black uniform with her hair tied up in a bun. I couldn't see her face for the only light coming form was a small light bulb hanging from the ceiling straight above me. "These are reports we've been gathering from watching you while in that filthy room through surveillance cameras. Now these papers in front of you, you need to fill out. Simple yes or no questions. Begin."

Oh great. A quiz. And here I thought I got out of school, just turned out I'm in school again. A pen lay beside the papers while I had a look over the questions.

'Are you sane?' What kind of question is that!? Of course I'm sane. I picked the pen and ticked the 'yes' box.

'Are you male or female?' OK. Something is going on here. What's that suppose to mean? I ticked the female box and continued on.

The whole questionnaire was a health report you would get when going to the hospital for a blood donation, a vaccination or even just a normal check-up. "May I ask why I'm taking a hospital check-up test?"

"Don't worry. You'll be fine." Someone came up behind me and wrapped their arms around my shoulders. "I promise I'll get you out of here." I froze. Some random is hugging me from behind, claiming they'll help me? I've had enough!

I jumped up from the chair and whipped around, knocking the arms away, only to be face to face with..."Ikuto? How did? How? You're? The room?" What on earth is going on around here? How can he be in two places at once?

"Listen Amu I..."

"No! You listen to me! What is with you!? How did you even get here? You were in that room when I left...Why am I even talking to you!?" I turned around again and eyed the lady who was looking over my answers, nodding or shaking her head every now and then.

"Amu? What's gotten into you? What room are you talking about?" He spun me around again, but I refused to meet his eyes. "What has Easter done to you? Tell me!" I didn't answer. He didn't deserve to know.

"She seems fine Ikuto-kun. Now we just need to know one more thing." I looked over to the lady and found out it was actually Sanjo-sensei.

"Sanjo-sensei?" I looked back between her and Ikuto. "What's going on?" I backed away from them, over towards the door. "I don't understand." I felt scared, more scared than I ever have in a very long time. Not even the fear of being kidnapped could match this.

"Please Amu. We just want to get you out of here. We just want to know where the lock is so..."

"I knew it! You're not really them. You just want the lock. I've already told the director himself, I don't have it. I dropped it somewhere and I can't remember. And besides, if I did know where it is, YOU'RE NOT GETTING IT!" I was glad of one thing, the door was unlocked and there were no guards around. I didn't know where I was going, but there was no one in site, not even the director.

"Amu please. Just listen to me." It was Ikuto again. I ran faster. I don't want to be around him anymore. I don't want to see that handsome face of his...his deep blue eyes...his midnight hair...the way he holds me...his voice...everything about him...I can't help but think about him.

I slowed down to a stop, and like I had expected, Ikuto embraced him from behind, resting his head on my shoulder. "Thank you for stopping. Will you listen?" I nodded. There was a lump in my throat that just won't go away. I felt wetness fall down my face, but I made no move to remove it. "I love you." My heart stopped. Did he just say what I think he did?

"Nani?" I have to hear it again.

"I love you. Don't forget that, never...I know I haven't said it before, and I've been meaning to for quite a while now. Do you still accept me as your boyfriend?" Those three words; small yet powerful like a mother bird protecting her chicks.

"Is that true? What you're saying? Or is this all just some sick joke Easter's playing?" I cried even more.

"Amu no. Don't cry." Ikuto turned me around and wiped the tears away. That touch. The same soft touch of his thumb. I'll never be able to forget it. But is what's in front of me real or am I having a dream where I'll wake up any moment and forget everything that just happened. In a way I want this whole thing to be a dream and I'll wake up back in my own bed...with Ikuto waiting on my balcony...with the hot chocolate that Mama made for us.

"OUCH!" I rubbed my check, feeling the pinch I just got from Ikuto. My God that hurt...pain. "I'm not...dreaming."

"No Amu. You're wide awake. Now lets go before those Easter goons come back for their night shift." Ikuto lifted my put bridal style and ran back in the other direction. I looked at the signs on the doors finding I was actually going back towards the room I was locked up in. But something was really out of place.

"Ikuto? How did you get out of the room we were kept in?" He looked at me confused.

"What room? I've been with your family the whole time trying to find you. Utau and Yoru gave me some information that you were somewhere inside Easter's building, though I should have expected it...I panicked when I saw you being thrown into that car. I even called out to you, and when the car drove off...I felt heartbroken." I listened to every word Ikuto said.

We turned around a corner only to go back around. "Be quiet. They came back quicker than I expected. Great. Now what do I do?" We looked around for a quick escape.

"Hey you two!" We looked behind us, only to find Easter's night patrol. And to make matters even more complicated, the ones we saw around the corner became curious. We had nowhere to hid or even run. In total there was about six to seven guards. I'm not bothered to count at this very moment in time.

"I'm scared Ikuto. I don't want to go back in that room" I whispered. Ikuto held me tighter...and then relaxed? "Ikuto, what are you doing?" I looked at the guards that had found us and saw they hadn't move an inch. Ikuto's one of them isn't he?

"Hurry up Ikuto and lets get Amu-chan out of here." That was Ran's voice. The guard lifted their hat and there, was pick hair tied with a pink love heart, the one I gave Ran for Christmas 2 years ago.

"Ran? Why are you...is everyone...?" All of the so called 'guards' lifted their hats; Ran, Miki, Suu, Dia and even Utau. "Utau? You're here?"

"I work here as a singer. I can get easy access to any information in the building. Now lets go. I'll be fired if I'm caught." Their hats were quickly put back on just as the other guards rounded the corner.

"Good. You found her-nya." Yoru's here too? Sly cat. Who's the other?

"Yay! Now we can go back home!" Kusukusu. I should have guessed. She may act like a clown just like her sister, but she does like to go on adventures.

"There's just one problem though. One way in means one way out." Miki took a puff from her inhaler then continued. "I've checked again and again for a back entrance and found nothing. And if I'm correct, the actual night patrol will be showing up and then we'll have a major problem."

"Then lets go-nya. The front door it is-nya." Yoru started walking back the way he and Kusukusu came from, only to be pulled back by Utau.

"That won't work. If we all go in a group we'll look suspicious."

"So what do you suggest Utau-chan?" Suu looked more worried than the rest of us, even more than me. I hopped out of Ikuto's grasp and gave Suu one of the biggest hugs I could without hurting myself. A giant gash was still on my back, but I didn't let it show I was in pain.

She returned the embrace. Ran, Miki and Dia joined in. It felt so good to be in the arms of my family again. I nearly forgot what it was like to be loved with all the pain, isolation and confusion I've been suffering through.

"We have to split up and go into small groups, two or three people max. Yoru, Suu and Kusukusu will go first, Ran, Miki and Dia will go next. I'll go with Ikuto and Amu."

"Why are you going with Ikuto and Amu, Utau?" asked Kusukusu. That was an interesting question.

"I can easily get both of them out. Ikuto came in just as himself saying he was looking for me. I'll have Amu dress up as a manager and if we get caught I'll explain she's a new manager who had a long interview with me. In all honesty, it's going to be hard. There has to be a 10 minute gap of each group leaving. Yoru, Suu, Kusukusu, you're first so leave when ready, the next will leave 10 minutes later as I've said before."

"But what about you guys? Won't Easter get suspicious when Amu leaves?" Dia held onto me tighter. Being the older sister must put a lot of responsibilities on you. Ran and I are the middle born children so we wouldn't know. But watching Ami can be quite annoying sometimes when she's in a bad mood.

"That's what I'm worried about. I had no listed interviews so, yes, in a way they will. But it will take a while before they realise. The night watch is different every night so we actually have a slight advantage...enough talking lets go."

Ran, Miki, Suu, Dia, Yoru and Kusukusu ran around the corner while Ikuto, Utau and I ran back the way we had come from. This whole plan didn't seem like a bad idea. Utau's a really quick thinker when it came to plotting. In comparison, it must be like a song, each having a beginning, a middle and eventually and ending. The beginning has already happened; getting me free from the room, next was finding me an outfit as a disguise while the others 'escaped' I guess you could call it, and the end is finally arriving back home. I just hope that is will be a happy ending and nothing like this will ever happen again.

We entered one of the changing rooms and Utau began looking for an outfit. The wardrobe was huge. A fully built-in, walk-in wardrobe. I couldn't believe how many different styles of clothing there are, which many of them are defiantly not in my fashion sense. I would die if I was caught wearing cargo trousers, which just so happen to be facing me right now. I glared at the evil article of clothing. Everyone says they look go on me, but no. Not to me. Miki bought me a pair as a joke and of course they ended up in the bin as soon as I saw them.

It felt like hours until Utau finally found a decent outfit that could fool the guards. "Try these." It was just like Sanjo-sensei's outfit; pitch black jacket and a short, plain skirt. I white shirt with the Easter emblem engraved on the small pocket. A small pair of white gloves and dark blue high heel shoes.

"Why the dark blue shoes?" I asked. It seems out of place with the rest of the clothing.

"There were no black ones that I could find. Ikuto's going to have one more look. Now lets get you changed before he comes back." I was pushed into a small changing room. Utau closed the curtains and I could hear her leaving. "Don't worry. I need to find you a bag for your clothes. Can't leave them here can we?"

I can't believe this is actually happening. I removed my t-shirt and put the shirt on, buttoning every single one, even the ones on my neck. The skirt next. My jeans were easy enough to remove. I haven't eaten that much so I've lost a lot of weight. The skirt just fit, but it slid down just a little. "Utau, could you find me a belt too?"

"Here."

"Whoa!" Just like that, Ikuto had thrown a belt, smacking me on the leg. "You better hope that doesn't bruise" I warned him. That would just ruin everything.

I finished putting on the new clothing and couldn't help but admire myself in the mirror opposite me. The outfit itself was a little big so I rolled up the sleeves and tucked in the shirt. The jacket's fine. I them long anyway. Ikuto had finally found a pair of black shoes and thankfully they were my size.

I emerged from the small changing room to be met with Ikuto's wolf whistling. I blushed. It's been so long since I blushed and I actually laughed for the first time in days because Utau just smacked Ikuto across the face. I would have done it but Utau beat me. I snooze I lose.

"Now lets get going. The others should be out by now waiting in the restaurant a couple of blocks away." A restaurant? When was that part of the plan? Oh big whoop. I just want to get out of here. Utau didn't find a bag so my clothes got thrown out the window and into the giant bin below. Talk about coincidence. With the high-heels on, I'm actually taller than Utau...yet Ikuto is a giant and towers over us both.

Every guard we walked by gave me strange looks, and some whispered to one another. One I overheard was about me being 'hot stuff' and God only knows what else. I walked just ahead of Utau and Ikuto, just 'to make me look important' from what Ikuto said.

They whispered which way to go whenever there was two ways to go. Eventually we came to the foyer, only to spot the director talking to one of the guards. We pasted by them quickly only to be stopped by another guard. "Excuse me! But I'm late for an important date!" For once I said something with confidence. Utau made me rehearse that line in case something like this happened.

"I'm sorry Miss, but I just have to ask you a couple of questions. Something has happened and I just need straight answers. Nothing hard. May I start?"

"Well there's one question down" snickered Ikuto. Utau punched his arm and told him to shut up.

"Ignore him. Continue."

"Very well. May I ask here you have been today Miss?"

"I've had an interview with Hoshina Utau for her upcoming concert. I manage the stage she'll be singing and I wanted to see her personally before the performance." I don't think that was quite right. Was I supposed to be her new singing manager? I great yes I was. God damn it I blew it!

"Oh I'm terribly sorry Miss." Did he actually buy it? Utau and Ikuto walked ahead. I was about to follow but the guard grabbed my shoulder. "I'm sorry, just one more question, this out of curiosity. Where is Miss Hoshina singing?" Oh great. I have no idea. What am I supposed to say? I could say she's playing at the arena, but I'll get it wrong and I'll be put back in that dark, cold, empty room for the rest of my life.

"She doesn't have to answer that question." Utau? "You said it was out of curiosity..."

"So technically she doesn't have to answer. Are we right?" The man released my shoulder and nodded. I owe my life to Utau and Ikuto. I can never thank them enough for this.

We continued walking out as the guard called out, giving me luck for my date tonight. I'm so over all this. I just want to go home, see my family, have one heck of a dinner and go to sleep.

We walked without any interruptions. Many people thought I was Utau's and Ikuto's mother. Though that does really freak me out, Utau did one heck of a job picking out the suit. No one can recognise me.

It took about 20 minutes before we came to a traditional Japanese restaurant, and inside sitting at one of the tables were the others. "Hey guys" called Utau as we stood at the doorway. Everyone looked up and ran towards me. Most of the questions had to do if I was scared, did we get caught and Miki was asking why on earth I would wear such an outfit.

"Can we just go home now? I want to see Mama, Papa and Ami." Utau called a limo, damn rich people. When the limo arrived, it was one of the biggest I've ever seen...to be honest I haven't seen that many. At first when we were all getting in, I thought we wouldn't fit, but there's three rows of seats; two long the sides of the car and one along the top near the driver. Utau, Ikuto and Yoru sat on the seat near the driver, Miki, Ran and I sat on one side while Suu, Dia and Kusukusu sat on the other.

It would take about half an hour before we'd get home, so they started asking questions, Ikuto's on scaring me the most.

"That room you mentioned, why would I even be in there? Why would Tadase be there?" How on earth am I supposed to answer that?

"I don't know...you were just there...thrown into the room by one of the guards..." This seriously doesn't make any sense. I'm still confused as to how Ikuto's not still in the room.

"What were my actions in there?" Ikuto looked serious about this.

"Um...you kept banging on the door, demanding to be released...never really talked...and..." To be honest I have no idea if I should say the last part, but by the look of things, everyone is waiting for me to finish. "You ignored me...like I didn't even exist." Everyone gasped apart from Ikuto. He just shook his head and gazed out the window.

"What about Tadase? What did he do?" What is with all these damn questions? Is it just me, or does Ikuto like asking these awkward types of questions?

"Well he wasn't trying to kill me if that's what you mean...actually he just sat there and watched you hit the door." I crossed my arms. I'm getting really annoyed at Ikuto. I think everyone is.

"That's enough of those questions Ikuto. Amu's been through enough." Dia was the one to speak up. I have to thank her though. I am getting sick of these questions...even when Ikuto...I remembered the question he asked me earlier. 'Do you still accept me as your boyfriend?' How am I going to answer that? I've only been free for half an hour and this question pops back into my head.

"I'm not stopping until I'm satisfied with her answers...Any names he called us by?" What's that supposed to mean?

"All he did was call you Tsukiyomi Ikuto and me Hinamori-san." The pin dropped. Tadase's never called me 'Hinamori-san' for years, even when we thought the long distance relationship wasn't going to work out. "That wasn't Tadase...was it?"

Ikuto shook his head. "They were hallucinations. You created him."

"How could Amu-chan create them? They didn't give her anything-nya." I think Yoru's a little confused.

"That's not exactly the point Yoru...she...the tissue..." Why is everything going funny? My head is spinning and I can't catch every word of Utau's and Yoru's little argument.

"Amu-chan, I have some bad news."

"What is it Tadase-kun?"

"My grandmother is feeling worse. There's no choice but to go overseas to get the right treatment."

"Then I guess this is goodbye."

"Not goodbye. Never goodbye. I'll come back and we can be together again."

"How long will that be?"

"I don't know. But I'll stay in touch with you, I promise."

I remember that day. It was the day just before Tadase left. I went to the airport to see him off as well.

"Oi Hinamori!"

"Kukai?"

"You better watch out for the new guy."

"Why's that?"

"He's got his eyes on you."

Kukai was right that day. Ikuto did have his eyes on me and he never took then off. Everywhere I went he seemed to be there, even when I didn't know him. Like the day of the fire. He was one of got his own father off of me, giving me that chance to run for it with Kukai.

"If you sleep you won't be able to wake back up unless the key and lock come together."

What did Aruto mean by that? Why is the key and lock so special that everyone wants it? Is this why I've been such a mess lately? All because I have the possession of something valuable?

"Here." Ikuto was kneeling in front of me with something in his hand. Oh dear god it looks like he's going to propose. He opened his hand to reveal my lock. "I found this just after you were taken away." I took the Humpty Lock and looked at it.

It was glowing again, and something in Ikuto's pocket was too. "I knew it...you did have the key!" SMACK! That has got to hurt, big time. That's the hardest I've hit anyone and Ikuto deserves it. I lied. Aruto was right along. Ikuto has the key, I have the lock...is something meant to happen?

"Ikuto-nissan!" Yoru fished an ice-pack from the mini-fridge and placed it on Ikuto's cheek. "What was that for-nya!?"

"Forget it Yoru. I deserve that." Ikuto stood back up and sat back down in his seat.

"No you didn't Ikuto." Dia and Utau switched places so she could get a better look at the giant red hand mark plastered to Ikuto. "Ouch. That must hurt like hell." Dia stroked the mark, finding the most sensitive places were. She switched with Suu who dabbed ointment in his cheek.

"I didn't hit him that hard" I lied.

Suu finished putting a bandage and turned to face me. She didn't look very happy. "The red on his face was also blood. You used your nails this time. Apologise." I looked at my hand, and indeed, my nails were long.

I didn't say anything. I don't think I needed to. Ikuto knows exactly why I'm frustrated and he accepts that. Why can't the others?

The drive home felt like hours. I remembered more things. When I lost my first tooth, my first crush, Ran going hyper because she finally became a cheerleader. I remember when Ami was born. Ran and I were happy that we were no longer the youngest siblings.

"We're home Amu-chan!" cheered Ran. I looked out the window and standing at the front door was Mama, Papa, Ami, Kukai and Daichi, Yaya and Pepe, Rima, Kairi and Mushashi, Nadeshiko, Nagihiko, even Rythem and Temari came. It looked like everyone was there...except Tadase and Kiseki.

The next few hours were filled with questions, games and a lot of food. It must have been past midnight by the time everyone had left. After seeing Utau and Yoru off, I had retired to my bedroom. I'm currently standing on my balcony, gazing up at the full moon. The whole night Ikuto avoided me; either talking to Yoru and Utau, or walking outside 'for fresh air.' I found out just before Utau left that I was actually in that room for a month. It didn't seem like it though.

"Amu-chan."

I didn't have to turn around to know who it was. It was the Sleeping Goddess inside the lock. "It's nice to see you again" I said.

"You mustn't be so hard on Ikuto. He only wanted to protect you."

"I don't like being lied to. You know that." I didn't want to sound angry but it just came out that way.

"Ikuto was the one who put forward the whole plan on rescuing you once he found the right information."

"And you know because the lock was in his pocket the whole time right?" I am sounding angry, well more like frustrated. Ikuto lied, cheated...but...he saved me...how does that work?

"Actually, the lock was round his neck the whole time. He didn't feel it was right to just stuff it in his pocket." I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Leave me alone. I want to think by myself."

"If that's what you wish." I know that deep voice.

"Ikuto? I thought you were avoiding me the entire night. You even left without saying goodbye." It's true. One minute I see him having a drink, the next I hear the front door close and spot Ikuto walking down that driveway.

"I know. I'm sorry...will you turn around?" I did and for the first time since I met him, all around his eyes were puffy and red from crying. "I know, I know. A tough guy like me shouldn't be crying...but all this...you being back in your own house...the party. Everything. It just seems like a dream."

His eyes shifted from side to side, like he was looking for something else. "You have the lock...around your neck?" Finally our eyes locked. Just like I thought; fear, sadness and confusion.

"How did you...?"

I shrugged. "A little cat told me."

"Yoru." I laughed, he smiled. "I'm happy to see that my kitten is laughing again. I'm so sorry." Ikuto pulled me into a tight embrace.

"Ikuto?"

"That day a month ago...I'll never forgive myself. I'm sorry I lied to you. I had to, to protect the key. I was being watched. I saw Easter's van across the road. If I said anything...which I should have...I would have been the one captured, not you." He rested his head on my shoulder, shaking slightly.

"But if you did, in the end, I would have been in the same situation anyway." He didn't reply. He's ashamed of what he did. "I still haven't given you my answer from earier."

"And what is it?"

"After all this...this commotion, lies, kidnappings and finally finding the truth...I'd say yes, but...something inside is making me say no. Do you want to change that answer?"

Ikuto lifted his head, just inched away from mine. "I'll do my best. Any question you want answered I'll give. I'll do anything to make you love me again." He kissed me. I didn't actually need to fall in love with him again. From when I met him, I was already lost with no hope of returning to my original place. I wanted to hear it straight from him, and now I'm happy.

I broke the kiss. "And if you don't, you're out on you backside."

"I won't have it any other way Amu. There's just one thing though."

I was afraid of this. In every relationship there's always something that goes wrong. "And what is that?"

"I know it's selfish, but I want to go and find my father. I've heard he's still in Japan and I want to go and look. Only for a couple of months though."

I thought about it for a minute. I've already met his Papa and he's here in the area, still working for Easter I think. But I haven't seen him lately though. Maybe he was caught and he ran for it. "I guess I could let you go, but you're not to be gone long."

"That's a promise."

The rest of the night is a blur. I think I might have passed out somewhere while talking to Ikuto, but the next thing I knew it was morning and a letter on my desk saying Ikuto had gone earlier and won't be back for longer than he expected. I stood on the balcony, my thoughts wandering everywhere. I think I just might understand who this 'Sleeping Goddess' really is.


Well there you have it. Somewhere along the way, writers block came into effect so I wrote down something random and just went with it. It works...I think -confused-

Ikuto – why didn't Amu just tell me where my father was instead of me leaving her? Seems pointless to me
Amu – get over it. At least I didn't reject you when you said that.
Ikuto – you love me
Amu – in your dreams

R&R please.