Third update today! Whoot!

But its the last one for today :)

Enjoy~

Utau was in Rome, she was supposed to leave for her next venue, but she couldn't. She had a feeling Ikuto was here in the area.

"Ah, there you are." Someone grabbed her arm. She turned and was surprised, but she smiled at him.

"I wasn't expecting you." She smiled.

"I wanted to see you again." He told her with a grin.

He took her hand and pulled her through the crowded streets of Rome. As he was pulling her along she couldn't help but remember how they met a week ago in Venice. He came back stage with his girlfriend at the time, but for what ever reason there was an instant connection.

"Kukai." Utau called, "Where are we going?"

"There's a little park I want to show you." He said over his shoulder.

This park didn't have much trees, or grass; in fact, it was more like a plaza. However, even at this dark hour the plaza was buzzing with life and flickering lamps. There were singers, dancers, magicians, and artists.

Kukai and Utau wandered around taking pictures with fountains, people, and getting their portrait painted. They listened to singers and people on instruments. It was incredibly beautiful.

Utau wasn't sure how long they had been out, but her phone started to vibrate. When she pulled it out and answered it, her manager's voice erupted from the earpiece, "Where are you?"

"In Rome." Utau said quickly as she looked around for Kukai who vanished suddenly.

"Well, you're supposed to be Florence. You have a concert in a couple days." Her manager reminded her.

"Yeah and I'll be there." Utau said as she saw Kukai being dragged away by some other guy. Utau hung up and ran after them.

Kukai wasn't struggling and simply noticing that made Utau fear more and run harder. She was about to catch up to them, but only enough to see that the man dragging Kukai looked an awful lot like her brother. The man picked Kukai up and ran faster, but as the man ran under a street light Utau saw that his hair glowed blue.

If it were possible she ran harder, "Ikuto." She called.

The man turned his head, but didn't stop. Until he thought he had lost Utau, but she was hiding behind the corner of a building that lined the alley way Ikuto and Kukai had gone into.

Ikuto dropped Kukai on the ground and then drilled his foot into Kukai's side. Horrified, Utau was stunned and froze in her place, but only momentarily as she watched Ikuto lift Kukai up and punch him in the gut.

She ran and pushed Ikuto back, not that he moved, as she desperately hugged Kukai. When she looked up, she realized that Ikuto wasn't himself. His eyes were clouded over and he reached for Kukai even though she was right there.

"Ikuto, Stop!" Utau screamed with panic.

She saw recognition come over his features. He stared at Kukai in horror and then with more horror when he saw Utau kneeling at his feet.

"Did I hurt you?" Ikuto mumbled, still fighting to control himself.

"No, but what were you doing to Kukai." Utau demanded as she hugged Kukai closer.

"He must have been in the way of my boss, who ordered me to . . ." Ikuto couldn't finish the sentence, but not because of the headache trying to beat down Ikuto's conscious so he could finish killing Kukai. He couldn't finish the sentence because this person was obviously important to his sister.

"To what? Kill him? Why do you have to listen?" Utau challenged. Ikuto looked at her hopelessly and turned around so she could the blood stained shirt. Ikuto lift the back up so she could see that there was a machine controlling him.

"Why?" Utau whispered.

Because the drug doesn't work anymore, Ikuto wanted to say, but that would open up more questions than there already were.

"That doesn't matter." Ikuto stated quickly as he felt himself slipping away. "Utau, you need to take him and leave this city."

Utau nodded and started to get up, "What about Amu?"

Ikuto started at Utau with shock. He had always thought that this would be best, but now suddenly having to say it made it seem to difficult. "Tell her to forget about me."

Ikuto leaped off and was about to run away along the roof tops when he heard Utau say, "She already has because of the fall."

Ikuto froze as he looked down at Utau struggling to walk away fast.

Amu had forgotten about him because of a fall. Within seconds Ikuto remembered the text message Utau sent about Tadase framing him. He wanted to hurt Tadase, but he knew it was for the best even if it killed him emotionally.

. . . Hmm. . .

I still think the book is going to be done before the cover :P

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