Amu woke confused as to why she was alone.

Of course you're alone, silly.

Although it was the norm, it still felt not quite right. Like something had always been missing, and she was just starting to realize that it wasn't there. She remembered going to bed and then crying and then…

Ikuto scaring her out of her skin.

And then more crying.

Why had she done that. It was stupid letting him see her cry. She never let anyone see that. Except him, twice now. And most of her was fighting the tiny voice that told her it was okay to let someone comfort her. Absently, she wiped her eyes—as though the tears hadn't been dry for hours, as though the tears hadn't been brushed away by the hands that had gently tucked her in after she fell asleep.

This had to stop. She was letting him too far into herself and it scared her. The idea of someone coming inside those walls and being able to truly see behind her outside characters scared her. That would mean change.

And Amu wasn't ready for change.

Nor was she ready for Ikuto to be waiting for her. But he was, just around the corner from her house, leaning against the wall with his typical cat-like grace. Amu turned her eyes to the ground, hoping he hadn't seen her yet and knowing that he would. Sure enough Ikuto fell into step beside her.

They made an odd couple as they walked down the street, Amy doing her best to ignore him and Ikuto waiting wordlessly for her to say something. As the school drew nearer, Amu's step quickened. There was some safety in that place. Ikuto and the strange feelings that had been following with him couldn't get to her when she was with her friends.

"Amu." He stopped and, as though her feet were subconsciously tied to his, she stopped too. "Is something wrong?" Concern. That was what kept bringing him back. He was checking on her. Again the greater voice rebelled. So she shut down.

"I'm fine," she replied, flashing him her biggest, fakest grin. His returning scowl did not shake her determination. She started towards the school again. He glared at her back for a moment, before catching up to pursue his real objective.

"Do you work late tonight?" he asked. He'd wanted to try a more casual approach, but the non-existence of conversation had shot that idea down.

"No," Amu said, shaking her head. Ikuto looked at her, penetrating dark eyes searching for the truth. "I'm off at seven," she said, hoping that that would get him off of her back.

"Ah."

"Amu-chan." The silent charas had caught sight of their friends a little ways down the road. Amu often met up with some of the others this close to school. With a jaunty wave, Amu ran up ahead to her friends, her cheeks turning red even as she refused to look at Ikuto.

*

"Welcome," the jovial man said as Ikuto came through the door. The bell clanged above his head as it closed. The restaurant was cozy, in a modern, Western sort of way. It seemed to be trying to bridge a gap between two cultures. Preserving the customs of the past as best it could while infusing them with the ideas of the new.

"I'm looking for Amu Hinamori," he said. "I'm an old family friend. She was supposed to be getting off soon." The man's face fell. Taking Ikuto by the arm, the older man ushered him off to the side a little. Ikuto could see emotions playing across the man's face as he determined whether or not Ikuto was telling the truth. "Did something happen with her father? Is that why she's not here." The fat man nodded.

"Her mother called right after Amu got here asking to speak to her. The girl was white as ghost after that. I couldn't keep her here after that, even if I had a heart of stone."

"Do you know what happened?"

"No," he said, shaking his head. "She tried to explain, but all I needed to know was that it was bad. And her face told me that." Ikuto nodded.

"Thanks." The bell jingled again as he headed out the door and to the hospital.

By the time he got there and found the Hinamori's, the storm appeared to be over. Ami had been redelivered to her friend's house and Mrs. Hinamori sat shakenly holding on to her older daughters hand. Every now and then she would murmur something to the girl and Amu would nod. Doctors still passed in and out of the hospital room, one stopped to give Mrs. Hinamori a reassuring smile and a pat on the shoulder. Broken out of her reverie, she smiled back. No longer feeling like he would be an intruder, Ikuto stepped forward. Both pairs of eyes turned to him. One happy, one cautious.

"Ikuto," Mrs. Hinamori called, waving him over. "I have to go back in with your father dear. Be safe getting home. Maybe Ikuto wouldn't mind walking with you?" Her eyes flashed to his, hoping her didn't mind the suggestion she put to her daughter. After what had happened last night, she seemed to regard him as little more of the family. It felt nice.

"No, ma'am I don't mind." That seemed to dissatisfy Amu to every end. He found it slightly confusing. What was with the fakeness and the walls all over again. Didn't she know that they'd never worked with him?

"It's okay," Amu said. "I've already called Tadase. He was already at Kukai's and he's coming by to walk home with me." Her mother nodded, Ikuto scoffed, Amu glared at him.

"What happened?" Ikuto asked when her mother had reentered the room.

"They had to rush him into surgery. I didn't ask why," she said sitting back down. Casually, Ikuto leaned against the wall across from her. "He's okay now. Doctor said that if he does well tonight, they might be able to take him out of the ICU."

"Ah." Ikuto said. Amu wouldn't look at him, which told him more than she meant to say.

"Hey, Amu!" The girl's face lit up like an incandescent light bulb at Tadase's voice. Too bright and too little if you compared it next to the sun.

"Hey, Tadase-kun," she said grabbing her bag. She was about to dismiss Ikuto, but the man beat her to the punch.

"See ya, Tadase." Ikuto said.

*

He didn't follow them. Her Ikuto-sense wasn't tingling. Not even a blip to tell her that he'd watched them leave the hospital

What was his problem. Couldn't he just leave her alone? Why did he have to poke and prod all the time. She wanted to be able to convince everyone else that things were alright. To convince herself that everything was alright. And he didn't even have the decency to see through her fake smile and realize that that was what she wanted, to be left alone. "I'm fine. I'm dealing. Just give me some alone time to recover." That's what everyone was seeing. That she needed her space, emotionally. Even Ikuto had finally gotten the hint.

So why was it upsetting her? That's what she wanted. To be left alone.

Amu was good at fooling everyone, even herself. There was that tiny voice that was crying that she didn't want to be alone. The voice that was disappointed that he wasn't following them. The voice she had drowned out.

"Night Amu." Tadase called with a jaunty wave. Any apprehension he might have felt over her father's health was gone thanks to the fake smile and the fake talk. He was blind, but she didn't want to think about that. Dropping her things at the door, Amu headed upstairs, ready to hit the sack.

Only her sack was occupied.

"You didn't think you'd gotten rid of me that easily?" Ikuto said, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed as she entered.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, trying to reclaim her bed by giving him a violent shove.

"I wanted to make sure you were okay," he said. Amu glared at him.

"I'm fine. My dad is fine. We're all fine, so would you please give me my bed back?" Ikuto stood, using every bit of his height to look down on her in a proper grown up fashion.

"Liar," he said, reaching out to take her hand. Amu snatched it away.

"What? My dad is fine, it looked bad for a little while this evening but he's gonna get better soon. So I'm fine, too."

"You might be able to fool everyone else with that attitude, Ms. Cool-and-Spicy, but not me," he said, leaning closer. "You are most decidedly not fine Amu. You are scared and worried and you're afraid of stopping long enough to think t what might happen and even though you're trying to chase me out of the room right now I know you don't want to be alone." Amu stared up at him, her golden eyes widening. "I can see you Amu, I see who you are under all of it and I know it's a mask. You can fool your friends but you can't fool me." Ikuto was bent over so far that their noses were almost able to touch. Her breath caught in her throat. "Amu…" I love you. She sat down on her bed, eyes on her shoes. With a sigh, Ikuto turned away. There wasn't much he could do if she was going to shut him out. He stopped. A hand was attached to the weathered hem of his jacket.

"I'm scared," she whispered.

"I know." Sitting down next to her, Ikuto placed his arm around her shoulder. Amu reached, paused, and finally slid her hand into his as the tears silently tracked down her face. "Shh. It's okay. I've got you." Amu nodded. Her cheek found a resting place against the rough denim of his jacket, soaking it thoroughly over the next several minutes.

With a sniff, Amu sat back up. Scrubbing at her face she thanked him.

"Anytime," he replied. I love you. "Better?"

"Yeah," she murmured. Her hand left his to smooth her hair, undoing all the careful dishevelment she'd out into that morning.

"Then I'd better go," he said. Standing, he looked about to head for the door, but turned back before taking a step. He placed a quick kiss on her forehead. "Call me if you need anything." Then he was gone.

For a few moments, all thoughts of her father and the hospital and all the bad that had happened to her in the last week were gone. All that occupied her mind was the last thirty seconds. What was with that? What had just happened?

Teehee...This is making me happy. Sorry it took me so long to put this up I had to recover my train of thought. It's still not all I thought it would be, but I know I'm never retrieving those ideas. Not for this story at least. Ah well, I'm happy with the result. And don't worry the final chapter is all written and typed up. I'm going to go post it now. Yes, I love you all that much--I won't delay the release just to stretch my ratings out into the week.

Please R&R though...or next time I'll make my lovely veiwers wait...Mwahahahahaha!!!!!