Band Aid

Oops, sorry guys, looks like I break one week one update rules lol. Hope that you forgive me ;) been a hectic one for me last week, hope you guys still in tune here :D

Please, enjoy! :D

-Sorry for bad grammar and tenses-

Disclamer : I do not own Gakuen Alice

Chapter 10 : Tranquil

"Baka. Deep breaths. You won't help at all with all of your panic attacks." Hotaru chided Mikan who is struggling to inhale some air.

Mikan gritted her teeth and grip the chair she is sitting on, forcing herself to focus and calm down.

Slowly, but steady, after a few minutes, Mikan's breath become more controlled, but still short and fast.

They are at hospital right now, waiting for Natsume and Ruka to come out from surgery since they both got gunshot wounds. Although Natsume's condition was better than Ruka who has two wounds, on his stomach, and his upper arm.

Mikan is not a fan of hospital. She doesn't remember why, maybe one of dark memory from her past, but for her, hospital is the same as death, and blood. Thus, that was the reason why she has another episode at the waiting room in the hospital, and added the fact that the one who is wounded is Natsume, her boyfriend.

"They will be fine, Mikan. I trust my big brother."

"I know." Mikan whispered, fiddling with her fingers.

Hotaru just sigh hearing Mikan's lie. She knows that Mikan is nowhere being calm. But at least she can breath quite normal now.

"How's the other guys?" Mikan ask in a small voice.

Hotaru stare at her, contemplating whether she told Mikan about the chaos or not.

"I want to know." Mikan added, her eyes begging.

Hotaru sigh again. "They are fine. Koko manage to get a light stab on his thigh though. But other than that, everyone is okay. Yuu has caught one of the preperator and interogating him right now with Tono."

Mikan gasped. "Koko was stabbed?"

"Tsubasa already take care of him hours ago. The wound wasn't deep enough to make him lost too much blood."

"That's great to hear."

"Stop worrying Mikan."

"Hotaru."

"What?"

"Why is this Persona person keep attacking Natsume?"

"You should ask Hyuuga about it. Its personal."

Mikan pouted. "Can't you at least tell me the red string?"

Hotaru sigh. "Its related with Hyuuga's little sister."

"The deceased one?" Mikan ask in surprise.

Hotaru arch her eyebrow. "He told you about it?"

Mikan shrugged. "He told me that I somehow resembled his deceased sister in some way the first time I met him."

"Well it looks like it."

"What? Did I really resembled her?"

"Now that he has point it out, I notice that the way you bring yourself is quite similiar with her." She paused for a moment, staring at Mikan. "And your angular face. Hyuuga's sister has this unique cheekbones that always make her beauty stood out. You have that."

Mikan can't help but let out a short chuckle. "Are you complimenting me, Hotaru?"

Hotaru just rolled her eyes. "In your dreams, baka."

Mikan smiled. "Thank you for telling the truth, Hotaru."

"Just stay away from Persona, Mikan. He is no good for you. Especially with your past, and your resemblance with Hyuuga's sister." Hotaru let out a tired sigh. "Truthfully, I'm still tracking down all of your father's past activities. I have strong suspicion that somehow he is related to Persona."

Mikan bit her lower lip. She can feel cold shudder traveling along her spine. "Why?"

"There are a lot of his contacts that have relation to Persona. I think its safe to assume that there are several transaction between your father and Persona. They are in the same part of underworld after all. Drugs and slavery."

Mikan nodded. She can't find her voice, her throat is as dry as the desert. The terror that she hasn't felt for so long start to resurface again.

"I told you about this not to scared you, baka." Came Hotaru cold but gentle voice, breaking Mikan's train of thought.

Mikan gulp and force a smile on her face. "I know." She answered in whisper. "Thank you for telling me Hotaru. It means a lot. You know that I am strong enough."

"You'll be fine."

"I know Hotaru. I trust you."

"Natsume?" Mikan called out in soft voice, sliding the door close.

"Hey there, love. How are you doing? Are you okay?" Natsume answered in hoarse voice. His eyes still look droopy since its only been one hour from the first time he opened his eyes after the operation.

Mikan can't stop the tears that already cascading down her cheeks seeing that the man she came to love is alive and conscious.

"Stupid Natsume!" Mikan scold him while hugging him tightly. "Why did you insist to let your gunshot wound not treated? You can die from the infection you know! Letting a bullet buried like that in your body."

Natsume chuckled and plant a kiss on Mikan's crown. "Calm down, love. I'm okay now, and my action was necessary. I know I will live to see you again. I won't dare to leave you, we still have so much to do." He said in light voice, grinning wickedly.

Mikan can't help but laugh, still with tears on her face. "Pervert! You are stupid you know?"

Natsume smiled. "Forgive me?"

Mikan nodded as she buried herself in Natsume's broad and warm chest, letting his presence calm her down.

"Is there something wrong?" Natsume gently ask after a few minutes rubbing Mikan's back to soothe her.

Mikan freeze for a moment before grumbling non coherently.

Natsume chuckled. "There is indeed something wrong."

Mikan look up to see Natsume's smoldering gaze upon her, making her slightly blush. She really doesn't deserve this man. He is too sweet.

"How can you know?" Mikan ask in small voice, pulling herself up and sit beside him.

"I'm a genius." Natsume answered offhandedly, with smug smirk plastered on his face.

Mikan rolled her eyes. "You are such a narcissistic, Natsume."

Natsume grinned cheekily as an answer, but his face quickly back into a serious one. "Tell me, love. What's been bothering you?"

Mikan bit her lower lip, contemplating for a moment, before finally brace herself. "I want to know about your sister's death."

Natsume arch his eyebrow. He didn't expect that. He doesn't even know that she still remember about what he said in the first night they met.

"Is it too offensive for you?" Mikan ask again, her eyes worried.

Natsume slightly smiled. "No, I'm just surprised. Why do you want to know?"

"Just because?"

Natsume chuckled again. "Reason not accepted."

"Well.. I just want to know about your sibling. Your only sibling." Mikan paused for a moment, thinking. "I don't even know anything about your family." She arch her eyebrow. "That's right, you never tell me anything about your family. Why?"

Natsume shrugged. "It's just never came to my mind to tell you love. If you want to know, I'll tell you right now."

"Its not mandatory though." Mikan answered in a rush, holding his hand. "You should just concentrated on your recovery."

"Its fine. I want to tell you. Do you want to listen?"

Mikan slowly nodded. "I want to."

"We are a family of four whom all work as spies. Including my late sister. We are trained by our parents to be spies from like, 4 or 5 years old, until 15, and start to work after that." Natsume paused and look at Mikan. "Do you believe it if I said that our family is the best at our field?"

Mikan laughed, feeling deja vu. "Of course. Seeing you like this, there is no doubt that your family would be like that. The best at everything."

Natsume grinned smugly. "Glad to have you finally accepted that I am great at everything."

Mikan rolled her eyes. "Whatever floats your boat."

Natsume chuckled. "Alright, so we are doing all the government secret works, from mission to mission, for a few years. We are all taking turns, making sure that someone can take proper rest before taking the next challenging mission."

"Shouldn't it be life-threatening?" Mikan mumbled quietly. She can imagine how he did his works judging from the way he killed people expertly. That kind of skill can't be retrieved only by training, it must be from experience. A lot of it.

"Stop worrying, baka." Natsume softly said, flicking her forehead.

"Ow!" Mikan hold her sore forehead, glaring at the wounded man in front of her. "Just continue with the story will you?"

Natsume smirk, but he continue his storytelling nonetheless. "There is this enemy of my parents who has been hunted down for years. When I was 18 years old, they found his secret base and attack. That was when everything happened." Suddenly, all traces of emotion on Natsume's face vanish, leaving only a cold and emotionless look.

"What happened?" Mikan quietly ask, feeling the chill.

"That night, the four of us go, thinking that we got perfect plan and confidence that everything will worked out. Our prediction come true though, but we didn't manage to kill the boss and a few of his men. That's one thing I regretted until now."

"Did your sister..." Mikan didn't have the heart to continue the sentence. She finally knows the reason behind his anxiousness that night when she ran away (refer to chapter 1).

Natsume nodded grimly. "You are right. They took revenge a week after that, and unluckily, my sister was the one they spotted that night right at the bus stop, waiting for a ride to go home. They didn't think or anything, they just kill her right there."

Mikan covered her mouth. Its really cruel. "I'm so sorry, Natsume."

Natsume shook his head. "Its okay. I've learnt to accept her death."

"Did you kill the boss?"

"My parents did. But what we don't know was that he has a son."

Mikan gasp. "Don't tell me.." She trailed off, connecting the dot.

Despite the situation, Natsume can't help but let out a short chuckle. "You are really smart today. Where is my usual baka Mikan?"

Mikan glare at him, hard. "You are unbelievable. We are in serious story telling right now!"

Natsume chuckled again before smoothing out his expression and fall back into narrating his past. "You are right. His son is Persona and that bastard killed my parents right in front of my eyes." His face didn't show anything, but he clench his fists until his knuckles turn white.

Mikan gently put her hand over his fists to calm him down. "I'm really sorry to hear that, Natsume."

Natsume slightly smiled at Mikan's gesture. "I manage to get away, that's the sole reason why we keep attacking each other from years ago until now."

"I see. I will support you to burn him into ashes then."

Natsume smirk. "How can you help if you are still afraid of weapons?"

Mikan pouted. "Well, I will try to overcome it!"

Natsume laughed at that. "Let's see how you will strive."

There was comfortable silence surrounding the couple, before Mikan gasp at the understanding which suddenly dawn on her. Natsume's parents were shot right in front of him too. "That's why you truly understand my condition. Your parents.." She trailed off, flabbergasted.

Natsume smiled a ghostly smile. "I don't understand you fully. You have much more trauma than I did, and I don't have my father and mother at each other's throat. But if you said about the shooting right in front of my eyes, then yes. I understand fully about your feeling." He paused and look deeply into Mikan's hazel orbs. "And also your longing for family."

Mikan was speechless. He is no different than her. She can't say that his condition was better than her just because he had a loving family once. He is alone, and lonely. Traumatic too. But look at him now, its as if he doesn't have any bad past. He is strong, he even can protect her, and care for her, despite his own bleeding 'wounds'.

"I want to learn how to use guns after you and Ruka healed completely." Mikan suddenly declared, clenching her fists.

Natsume arch his eyebrow. "What's with the sudden declaration?"

"You heard me. I want to overcome my trauma." She replied firmly, her eyes burning with unbreakable determination.

Natsume hide his smile. He knows that his little girl is a strong willed one. Nothing can stand in front of her in overcoming everything.

"Then be ready for the training."

"Is this the gift you prepare for me after being separated for so long?" Hotaru ask monotonously to Ruka who is currently lying on hospital bed wrapped in bandage.

Ruka chuckled. "I'm sorry Hotaru. I was reckless."

Hotaru thinned her lips. "Is there anything funny about this?"

Ruka smiled his prince charming's smile. "No, please stop being angry and come here, Hotaru."

"You are downright stupid."

"I know. I'm sorry."

"I will hit you with my gun."

"Please kindly wait for me to heal first, okay? Then you can hit me as many times as you want." Ruka said lightly, still smiling.

"You could die."

Ruka smiled again, and gently pull Hotaru to give her a side hug ( is this even a word? *chuckles*). "I know, I'm sorry for everything, Hotaru. But now I'm alive, and I won't leave you. That's my promise."

Hotaru look away, which Ruka clearly know, to hide her teary eyes. "How can you promise me that if you keep vanishing?"

"That was needed, Hotaru. My vanishing act for 4 years was needed to keep myself alive. You knew." Ruka replied, still in his gentle voice. "I don't even have contact with the outside world, Natsume doesn't even know my location."

"Then how come it was an assurance, baka."

"It is." Ruka answered, cupping Hotaru's face. "I promise you that after all Persona fiasco ended, I won't do anything life threatening anymore."

Hotaru just stared. There is no expression on her face, but her amethyst eyes says it all, and Ruka understand them perfectly.

"I'm going to search for other works." Ruka added.

Hotaru arch her eyebrow. "You can't work legally."

Ruka grinned. "Who says that? I keep a clean track record."

"I don't give second chances to those who break promise."

Ruka smiled brighter as a reply and lean forward, capturing her lips in a silent promise as an answer to her unspoken question.

"Concentrate, Mikan." Natsume instructed in deadpanned voice as he manage to knock out Mikan's dagger from her hand and swipe her legs which make her fall down flat on the mattress.

Its been two weeks since Natsume was being discharged from the hospital.

He recovered really fast that even his doctor surprised.

Right now, he is training Mikan in dagger combat since he is not allowed to work for a while for recovery. What's better than using it for Mikan advantage?

Mikan huffed in frustration as she push herself up, ignoring Natsume's hand who try to help her.

She is a black belt in many martial arts, so how come she lose badly in a short range combat like this? The dagger is just an additional for goodness sake! And she has been trained how to face an enemy who has weapon. So how come she can't win even just once?

"Your stamina is not good." Natsume commented, as if reading her mind and answering her question.

Mikan glare at Natsume while retrieving her dagger. "You said you are going to hold back."

Natsume smirk. "I am. Its just that you have a really bad stamina."

Mikan sighed and drop herself on the sofa nearby. "So what should I do?"

"I expect you to run 5k everyday starting from tomorrow."

Mikan groaned. "Not that please."

"You need it. Do it or I won't train you anymore."

Mikan pouted. "You are so mean. Where is my usual Natsume?" She whined childishly.

Natsume rolled his eyes. "Come on, stand up. We are going to continue this until dinner time."

"But its still two hours before 6 o'clock!"

"Do you want to come here or do I need to drag you?"

Mikan pouted further as she heavily lift herself up and walk slowly towards Natsume who has impassive look.

She is so wrong asking to be trained by the devil himself. He is downright merciless.

"I really understand now why your subordinates hate to train with you." Mikan grumbled as she take her position.

Natsume grinned. "Its not working love. You can't guilt trip me."

"I hope that would work though." Mikan replied with another big sigh.

"Hands up, little girl. Are you ready?"

"Yeah, sure."

Newroz : Yes it is, facing all of her trauma at once, i don't want to imagine it *shiver* Ruka is fine though, he is as strong as bull ;) thank you for reviewing as always XD xoxo

Wind of SilentBell : Yes that's right hahaha thank you! Thank you too for reviewing :DD can't wait to see you too!

Kathy : You'll find the answer in this chapter ;) thank you for reviewing!

I add some Rukaru moments! ;D hope you guys like it :D

Thank you for reviewing and reading!

Aquabluemarine