Thanks so much for waiting everyone! I know it's been a long, long, long, long time but I've had to make a lot of changes with this one. So, please forgive me, I'll try to do better and enjoy!

We all sat together, cozy on the cool plane that was shipping us to Florida. All of the girls had been psyched about going on tour with the band.

"So, let me get this straight," Kotori said. "We have to sit on this plane for another five hours. Then, as soon as we land, we have to rush to meet the owners of the parking lot we're playing in—"

"Then we'll have to split up: dancers practice choreography, singers plan out songs, and managers and such hire clothing designers, make-up artists, props, etc," Kaname finished, surprisingly seeming excited about the hectic schedule that awaited them.

Hotaru nodded. "That's the first day."

Yuu cleared his throat as he began to pass out printed schedules. "The next day, we'll split off again until lunch and then meet back up after to manage the stage, decide the lighting and everything else falling in that category. Now, as you all can see, we'll have only-"

"Yuu..." Tsubasa said, staring wide-eyed in horror at the page before him. "You do realize this says we'll have to wake up at 4:30 AM every morning for three days straight, right?" His haggard features paled even more as Yuu solemnly nodded.

"We have a tight schedule. There is never a moment to fool around," he pointedly stared at Tsubasa and Koko. "If any of you don't follow this schedule exactly...well..." Yuu trailed off and began to waver in his confidence.

"This will be an utter failure that taints every single one of your reputations and could cause serious financial problems which would lead to the end of all of our careers," Hotaru finished gravely. "So don't. Screw. Up."

Natsume 'tsk'd softly and returned to looking out the window.

"Well..." I clapped. Let's work our hardest, guys!"

Everyone nodded and sat down in their luxurious seats, scanning over their schedules to memorize every time, place, object and the possibilities within it.

As soon as the plane touched down, we gathered our belongings and dashed through the airport, maneuvering crowds of flabbergasted people and rushing to the limo that was parked on the curb. Once everyone was inside, the driver merrily made his way to their hotel, the Westin, which was only a block away from the planned area for their concert.

Yuu was already on the phone, calling car rentals, RV rentals, stage engineers, light specialists, make-up artists, publishers, and many other people that I had no clue as to why we needed them. Hotaru was listing things on her notebook and the band members were discussing possible plans for their appearance and concert. I tuned out all of the noise and buzzing and began to work on my agenda for the dancers' choreography.

I had been given a CD by Hotaru that had the band's new songs burned into it. Throughout the plane ride, I had listened to the songs myriads of times and pictured us dancing through them. The notebook in my hand had ideas of what to do and where to go, but I couldn't fully complete my job unless I knew of the props, stage size and several other factors that could damage the choreography.

Within what seemed like seconds, we were in the grand lobby of the Westin, gathering our room keys and making a quick stop to our rooms to drop off our luggage and change for our tasks at hand.

As I pulled on my shoe, I sent a text in the dancers' group message telling them to wrap it up so we could meet in the lobby in three minutes.

"Good luck, Mikan," Hotaru called as I opened the door.

I quickly flashed her a grin and replied, "I'd focus more on your task, Hotaru."

Without waiting for her response, I bolted out the door and ran down the steps. When I got in the lobby, nobody was there, but within a minute, every dancer had arrived.

"All right!" I called. "Let's get going; we have to be at the studio within ten minutes to be on schedule."

I looked around at the eager, determined faces and led them all out and into the taxi-van. We all squished into the car, some complaining about the limited space and others offering to double buckle or sit in the least appealing seat. Once everyone was settled I turned towards them from the front seat and began my orientation.

"All right, everyone listen up please," I called over the chaos.

Almost instantly the noise was stifled by a blanket of silence. I smiled, somewhat surprised by the authority I had.

"I have ideas – so many that my notebook couldn't hold them all – but I can have a very…liberal mind at times," I began, smiling and encouraging Kaname to pass out the papers I was extending to her with a nod. "So, I'd like your opinions but please hold any comments or questions until after I present and explain each routine. Ready?"

The team nodded, turning their intent gaze to the sheet in their hands.

Referencing the paper in my own hand I explained routine number one. "The stage is fairly generous with space so we have a lot of room for creativity and best of all stunts. Kaname," I called, gaining her attention, "you're experience with gymnastics is going to be a huge help so I hope you don't mind me exploiting it."

She merely chuckled in reply and nodded her head.

"I figured for their first song Sunset Blvd we'd start on the stage since the band is walking on from the side. Tallest would be in the back so that's Yurie, Kaname, and Ume. Then that leaves Kotori, Ishi, and Ito to be in the second tear and I'll be in the very front. You all should watch me to keep synch-"

"Why do you get all the attention?" Kotori scoffed, flipping her navy hair behind her shoulder while rolling her magenta eyes. "Selfish bitch…"

"Kotori, I believe I asked for comments and questions to be held until after I finished, correct?" I asked, my voice tight.

She shrunk deeper into the seat.

"Anyways, Kaname will stay in the center between Ume and Yurie since she'll be doing the most tricks. I also understand that Ishi and Ito can do some stunts too?"

Ito nodded. "We're flexible so we can learn a lot of tricks."

"We only know how to do stunts on trampolines as of now, thought," Ishi added.

I thought briefly of the stage and snapped my fingers together. "In the background we could have three trampolines, two that are vertical and one in between those two. The three of you could develop a trampoline routine for the band's song Alone Together since the beats quick. Does that sound okay?"

All three nodded.

I smiled. "Awesome. Then that leaves Flaws, See You In My Nightmares and Do It In The AM. Since See You In My Nightmares is slower the boys are going to be dancing to it themselves. For Do It In The AM I figured, because of the more spunky tone we could do a mix of lyrical and hip-hop versus Flaws, being more seriously care-free we'd do some jazz and slow hip-hop." My brow twitched as I remembered Natsume's words. "Apparently no one appreciates ballad or anything besides hip-hop now a days."

The girls laughed or called out in agreement.

"So, that's it," I concluded. "There are more specifics but I can show you better than tell. Any opinions?"

Kotori instantly leaned forward. "Why are you in the front?"

I rolled my eyes. "Because I'm not only the shortest but the leader of this team. My tempo becomes your tempo and my mistakes become your mistakes."

She sat back, crossing her arms and narrowing her eyes.

Ishi raised her hand.

I laughed and said, "Yes, Ishi?"

"How are we going to practice the trampoline?"

"We have a schedule that Yu's prepared for us. On there you'll see several times that say 'Band Choreography'. Those times will be when I'm teaching the band the moves for See You In My Nightmares. During that time, everyone will be trying to improve on certain areas or helping Yu manage the set up." I looked between the twins and Kaname, gaging their reaction. They didn't seem mad that I was technically giving them more work. "AKA, you three will be practicing trampoline. I'll collect videos or explain what I'd like you guys to do on the trampoline in a few days but for now we have no idea what you'll be doing."

Kaname sat back. "That's fine. We don't have a Band Choreography block until another three days anyways."

My brows pushed together at her remark. Yu had only given me the schedule so far, saying each leader should have one. I was planning on scanning my sheet to give a copy to the girls but they hadn't seen it yet. Did Yu randomly give one to Kaname?

"Yeah, it'll be okay," Ito added.

"Don't overwork yourself, Mikan." Ishi patted my hand from her spot and smiled.

I sighed. "Thanks guys. This leads to the next topic," I continued. "We need to stay fit and healthy if we're going to pull this off. Never skip a meal, get at least seven hours of sleep each night and relax your mind and body every chance you get. These next few days are going to be Hell and we're going to have to come out unscathed."

They nodded, and just like that, we were at the studio. We practiced my ideas, debating whether to do a spin or a flip here and a tuck or a pose there. Within our allotted time, I managed to get a basic idea of the dances with options to expand upon depending on our restrictions.

At the appointed time, we scurried out of the studio and met the band and our new members in a nearby café for lunch.

"How is the stage plan coming along?" Yuu asked, shoveling a BLT in his mouth without the least bit of self-consciousness.

Ruka pulled out a large piece of paper. "If we were to say that the lot was the size of this paper than we'd have the stage taking up this much space." He drew his fingers across a sketch of the stage that took up a sixth of the paper. "On the left side is the group of RVs where we'll get ready and on the right is the merchandise and food stands. The open space is the area where the crowd can be and the dotted lines around the entire set up is the fence that divides the crowd from the parking lot."

Hotaru shook her head. "The amount of space you made for the parking isn't enough. There'll be too many cars without a space."

Ruka nodded his head. "Yeah, we noticed that too. So, we took a drive by the place and found that there were three other parking lots within the area. We booked the space for the night of the concert so now we'll have more space for the fans plus three and a half parking lots."

"You have copies of this, correct?"

Yo pulled out three pieces of similar paper and handed them out to Yuu, Hotaru and I. Overall, the set up was perfect.

"How big is the stage?" I asked, wondering how much we would need to adjust our choreography.

Ruka answered, "One hundred by sixty feet."

I nodded. With this big of a stage, we could expand our dance more. My imagination began to work wonders as I thought of several new moves that we could add to make the entire dance and the band's performance better. A huge grin had broken across my face before I even realized it.

Hotaru whacked me across the back of my head, sending me back into the real world. When I looked over to yell at her, she was already on to a new assignment. I pouted in frustration.

Tsubasa and Koko chuckled softly from across the table, attempting to cover their mouths to conceal the sound. Apparently, they had seen the whole spectacle and found it funny. I looked around to see if anyone else had seen it as well; unfortunately, Natsume was staring blankly at me. I could tell he was amused since his scowl wasn't present.

I narrowed my eyes at him to tell him to look away, but he refused, instead smirking in the slightest, having found a new way to tease me. He continued to stare at me with unwavering eyes. I made several faces—goofy, blank, depressed—but he continued staring at me with a knowing grin.

As it seemed nothing would stop the sadist, I decided to ignore him. Glancing around, I noticed there was a few small groups and one male sitting alone in the corner. He wore a baseball cap with red hair poking out and had a shadow of hair across his upper lip. His face was buried in a book, but you could tell his mind was somewhere else as he bounced his leg restlessly beneath the table.

Above him was a clock that said the time was 2:13...2...13...What was so significant about that again? Maybe my order was about to be-

I jumped out of my seat and hysterically gathered the girls. "We have to go! We have two minutes to meet with our fashion designer! Oh my God, how could I have let the time slip by?"

They all collected their belongings and bolted out the door ahead of me and into the van. I saw a left over sub that Kaname had left in her stead and decided to grab it, forking it into my mouth. I yelled a muffled goodbye to everyone and ran into the van.

By the end of the day, I was beyond exhausted. We had agreed on a costume to wear for the concert however we hadn't decided on an outfit for the finale since the dance wasn't set yet. Because of this, we have to add another meeting to our already booked schedule.

I sighed and went into the shower to unwind. I took a Jacuzzi in the huge tub and added some bubbles with candles for a special touch. After soaking for a long time, I heard the door open and close. Figuring it was Hotaru, I got out of the bath and dried myself off, thinking of how I'd have to force her into the soothing water.

Wrapping a towel around my body, I opened the door and the steam spilt out, momentarily blinding me. "Hotaru," I called out. "You have to take a bath. The tub is huge and the warm water really relaxes you."

There was silence. I walked over to the bed and saw a lump in the covers. For a moment, I considered walking over to her and waking her to make sure she relaxed. But on second thought, I decided she needed sleep more than anything.

I leaned down and softly kissed the lump which I assumed was her head. Then, I softly whispered with a tender smile, "Sleep well, Hota."

She shifted slightly under the blankets before her breathing returned to normal. I turned and changed into my PJs then quickly fell asleep.

At 2:47 AM, I felt the rough shaking and urgent calling of Hotaru. Instantly, I sat up and looked around, trying to find the danger; but there was none.

"What?" I asked, groggily pulling the covers back over my head.

Hotaru tore the comforter off my entire body, introducing me to the cold. "Reo's here."

I sat up in alarm. "What? Why?"

"For you."

Shaking my head, I focused on my friend. Despite her rough day, her hair was still perfectly tamed and her clothes were unruffled. The only sign that she had been working all day was the small bags developing beneath her eyes. I turned to look out the window and mulled over the idea of Reo being here...for me. Then, everything seemed to register. Even though Hotaru was constantly trying to maintain her perfect appearance, she was always ruffled after having slept.

"Dear God," I cried. I jumped out of my bed and looked at the bed in which someone had been 'sleeping' when I went to bed. "Hotaru..." I slowly turned to look at her, my eyes wide in abhorrence and my hands quavering in trepidation. "Did you just get in?" I managed to whisper.

She nodded, her violet wells swimming with cautious worry and a sliver of fear.

I froze and whispered, "Don't move."

Again, she nodded. I looked around, closely inspecting the room. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. I slowly leaned over and felt the sheets where the unknown person had been hiding, pretending to be a sleeping Hotaru. The spot was cold.

I shook my head and began to talk to myself, saying, "Calm down, Mikan. Everything will be okay. She walked in and is fine. Gain control, Mikan. Control yourself."

Then, my unexplainable abilities kicked in and I became eerily calm, digesting every piece of evidence and information I had been handed.

Hotaru had walked into the room, most likely running straight to me after dropping her purse precariously atop the bench by the door. She hadn't been harmed meaning that nothing could hurt her so long as she retraced her steps perfectly back to the door and out.

However, there was the chance that if someone tried to open the door, they would be electrocuted or something. I thought about the options for a moment and shook my head. Reo had all the money in the world and would utilize his influence in every way possible, meaning he would make sure to get me and not Hotaru. Plus, he was smart enough to know that if Hotaru was hurt then he was dead.

"Okay, listen to me closely, Hotaru." I turned to her dilated, violet eyes and smiled softly in comfort. "See how your footprints are still slightly embedded into the carpet?" I asked, pointing to the darker marks that were quickly fading. "I need you to work as best as you can to place your feet in those exact spots all the way to the door."

She nodded, already beginning to retrace her steps.

"Then, when you get to the door, slowly open it and go get scissors from the corner store three blocks down. Don't use any of the cars; just walk, okay?"

Again, she nodded, intent on her task. I held my breath as she slowly retraced her steps. Her hands were outstretched to her sides in order to keep her balance; sweat gathered across her temples and her hair clung to her forehead. Despite these small facts that I knew she wouldn't normally display, Hotaru continued on, ignoring her perfectionist ways for the moment.

Finally, she reached the door and did as told, managing to slip through unscathed. I sighed in relief and smiled at her as she told me she'd be right back.

The truth of the matter was that I didn't need scissors, I needed Hotaru out of danger.

My mind began to refocus on its task of escaping. I glanced at my phone on the nightstand. Reo could have had it booby-trapped to not allow me to call for help.

Then, an idea popped into my head. Swiftly jumping from spot to spot across the carpet, I worked my way to the bench across from the door. When I had reached my destination, I opened Hotaru's purse and scavenged around for her phone. Since she had just entered, I could use her phone to call Rei without worrying about traps or the like.

I grinned in glee. "Outsmarted again, Reo."

I unlocked her phone and began to dial the number until suddenly, I heard several locks click. I froze in my action and looked around as the sound of the AC went on. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, so I turned to look at the number I had been dialing only to find that the screen had gone red.

Instantly aware of what I had done, I threw Hotaru's phone back into her purse and danced my way back to my original place between the beds. To my surprise, nothing happened. The air continued to blow out of the vents and my mind continued to over analyze every aspect.

I felt the chill of the AC, looked down at my legs and gasped. Coming from underneath the beds was a thick, white screen of smoke, curling into the open of the room. Without a second thought, I ran away from the threat - without retracing Hotaru's steps.

My foot caught on a rift in the rug and I collapsed onto the ground. I quickly pulled my shirt over my mouth and rolled to my feet as the vents that were high on the wall began to ooze the gas as well. Looking down at the rift, I found a trigger that had been pounded into the ground.

Cursing under my breath, I began regulating my breathing so that it was slow. I found that this method helped me in holding my breath for a longer period of time.

The gas began to creep towards me, encompassing the plush pink carpet. Then, for once, I began to feel panic and a sense of utter fear. I stumbled and slammed into the wall behind me. Questions ran through my mind: What does this gas do? Does it harm you if touched? Does it knock you out? Was Reo going to capture me once and for all? Would I die? Would anyone save me? What would happen to Raven5S?

The white cloud reached my feet and I focused on keeping my breath regular. Fortunately, my feet didn't dissolve or anything of the sort; they weren't harmed in any way, shape or form.

In fear of tripping over another trap now that the floor was completely obscured, I hopped onto the counter that held the TV, attempting to reach the sliding glass windows. I pushed the flat screen to the floor, not even flinching as the expensive object shattered.

Sitting myself on the ledge of the counter, I began to kick at the glass, only to find it impossible to break with such a weak force. After looking around, my eyes halted on the lamp near the bench across the door.

I crawled across the counter again and grabbed the lamp, holding it at its base and getting to my feet. Either this would break me free, or I would bounce back and collapse into the perilous fumes, possibly injuring myself and making my odds lower.

On the count of three, I charged the door. As I was about to make contact, I felt a blow dealt to my temple. I slammed against the wall and dropped the lamp, quickly regaining my senses and dodging a fist aimed for my face. Kicking out at my offender, I managed to make him drop to the floor.

He - or now that I looked more closely at the curves and slight lumps on the chest, she - wore all black with a gas mask across her face, concealing her features. I stomped on her face and she fell limp. I noticed that the mask split in half and was leaning against the bridge of her pale nose. I bent down to push the mask aside and see the culrpit, taking a deep breath as the gas rose higher.

My fingers were about to tear open the crack when I felt another kick dealt to my ribs. I slammed against the bureau, inhaling sharply at the pain, but not before seeing the familiar, heart wrenching glimpse of red hair disappearing into the fumes.

My vision quickly began to twist and swirl and my muscles began to spaz. I couldn't hold my breath as my lungs twitched and my limbs flung this way and that. For once, I had no control of my body and to my surprise, I began to cry and scream. This terrifying feeling had overpowered me and my willpower and I had completely given up.

Instead of seeing the bed before me, I saw blue and green swirls and dots as well as the lamp I was going to use charging towards me from the corner of my wet eyes. My leg made contact with the leg of the bed and the entire mattress shook and banged against the wall. A sudden urge to scratch my forearms overcame my arms and they began to tear the skin off.

My mind wouldn't focus on multiple things, but only one. I didn't think of how this was the end, of how I would never see any of my friends or the concert. But I thought of how horrifying it was to not be able to stop myself from screaming and crying, of how I couldn't stop the pain I was inflicting on myself.

I felt the thick liquid of blood run down my neck and realized that I had began pounding my head against the bureau behind me. Then, I finally felt all my pain stop. The urges continued, but something was restricting me.

"...Mi..."

I lashed out at the restraints, screaming in terror and continuing to sob uncontrollably. I bit at the air near my face, attempting to somehow save myself.

"Please!" I screamed. "Please, God, please..."

My hands fell limp and I smiled softly through my tears. I felt my head fall back but there was no support. For a moment, I was able to savor the feeling of tranquility; then, the effects of the gas repelled my emotions yet again. As I opened my lips to screech again, I felt a hand clamp itself over my mouth.

A familiar scent washed over me and the smooth, comforting strokes of a large hand caressed my matted hair. I smiled again, allowing myself to give into the paralysis and fall limply against the human support. My vision slowly began to come back in blotches; a patch of red here and a slice of yellow there. My mind also began to recapture its senses. As soon as I realized that I was being held, I rolled my head back and flung it forward, landing a hit on my pursuer.

Stumbling to my feet, I used the wall for support and slid into the nearby laundry room. After weakly locking the door, I collapsed to the floor and fell into the deep abyss that is sleep.

"...Mikan..."

I woke up to the banging of the door. With a start, I jumped and quickly grabbed the tub of cleaner to my right, feeling all of my adrenaline push my limbs.

"Mikan? Mikan Yukihara, let me in right now," Hotaru demanded with a thick voice.

Clutching my tub close to my chest, I creaked open the door to find my best friend's hair in an uproar and her eyes bouncing back and forth as they analyzed the small piece of my face that I revealed.

"You-" I began to hack violently as my voice glided over my torn throat. All of my screaming and crying had left me exhausted and sick.

Before I could protest, Hotaru kicked the door open, sending me into a heap on the floor and coughing softly without energy. She dove to my side and lifted my head up softly. Yo came in rushing behind her and Natsume leaned against the door after he closed it.

Hotaru handed me a bottle of water. I tried to lift my hand but to no success. She tipped my head back and slowly poured the refreshing liquid down my throat. I eagerly gulped the water, acting as if it were liquid gold. Within a minute, I had emptied an entire bottle, helplessly clapping my lips for more.

Yo stood and said, "I'll go get more."

I opened my mouth and worked my lips, trying to communicate to the best of my abilities. "Fine...nothing to...so soft..."

Hotaru shook her head. "You didn't need scissors, Mikan."

With guilty eyes, I looked up at her and nodded.

"You idiot!" She looked to the side and took a deep breath that was barely noticeable. Her eyes shook with concern and discomfort. "Idiot."

I nodded again. Then, I began to set myself up against the dryer nearby. Without speaking or looking at either of the two, I started to work my arms and legs, trying to regain control of them and wear the paralysis off. By the time Yo came back, I was able to drink my own water; although just as I was about to finish, my hand gave and the drink spilt across my blood splattered shirt.

With a swallow, I finally looked at Yo and Natsume. "A minute, please?"

Yo nodded and got up to leave but Natsume stayed put, never letting his eyes leave me. Upon closer inspection, I saw an angry red welt growing on his temple and I knew.

Once Yo left, I looked at Hotaru with a blank look and stated, "I'm fine," in a scratchy tone.

"You can barely move."

"I'm almost able to move-"

"You can barely speak."

I sucked on my bottom lip softly. "I lost control for a bit but I'm fine."

Hotaru grabbed my hair and pulled me close, causing me to flinch. She made me stare into her hectic eyes as they churned with irate. "You were almost killed, Mikan."

I meekly offered, "Almost..."

She let go of my hair and clapped her hand over the back of my head. I flinched and watched as she brought her hand into my vision, showing me the blood that coated her fingertips. I opened my mouth to argue but she pulled up my shirt to reveal the black skin that covered my aching ribs.

I knew what had happened, but this was the first time I was seeing the repercussions; the bruises and blood, the aching and memories, they all scared me speechless.

"He was inches away and you sent me on your antics. You're not brave, you're craven."

"I'm not a coward Hotaru and you of all people should know that!" I yelled as loud as my throat would allow. Her words, spit out with spite, enraged me in my vulnerable state.

For a moment, she required, looking remorseful. She sat on her heels and looked down at my ribs, softly prodding the swelling area. I flinched with each ginger touch but said no words, instead choosing to look at Natsume. He was still watching me, acting as if I was his master who had fallen in pain.

His mark was pounding with each beat of his heart. I smiled softly in apology but he stayed stoic and narrow-eyed. Then, he walked over to sit beside me against the dryer.

"The woman gave birth."

I looked at him, hissing as my torso twisted. For a moment, I just stared at him, watching as he eyed me with concerned certainty. He was right, but the gravity of his answer had him unsure.

Smiling, I nodded. "She died during childbirth." I looked at the tub which I had dropped after collapsing into a ball on the ground. It was a beautiful blue with bright yellow lettering on the label. "Imagine how devastating it is; to leave your growing family unsuspectingly and come back to find one gone. The thought of a significant other dying probably never enters one's mind if the baby and mother is healthy. But if you leave at the opportune moment...everything could collapse."

Hotaru tenderly pulled my head forward and began to use a rag to clean off the dried blood.

"Hn," he said.

I popped my mouth with my pointer finger and grinned at him. "Next one! When you have me, you want to share me but if you share me, you don't have me. What am I?"

"A secret," he answered instantly.

With a puff of air I clucked my tongue. "That was too easy, huh?"

Natsume shook his head. "Heard it before."

I thought for a moment, long and hard. This one had to be hard - the hardest of all.

"Another thing about a secret, Natsume, is that you may want to share it, but sometimes, you know you shouldn't."

He glanced at me, leveling his eyes. "Hn."

I gave him an apologetic smile and softly spoke the next riddle: "The person who makes it has no need for it. The person who purchases it does not use it. The person who does use it does not know he or she is. What is it?"

He stared at me for a while, digesting the riddle, and nodded.

"Mikan, go get some rest," Hotaru instructed. "We still have another hour before our day begins and you need to rest if you want all your abilities back."

I nodded. "I'll go crash with Kaname and Ume."

Natsume POV:

I watched as she clutched the top of the dryer and slowly lifted herself up, taking a break to catch her breath before making her way out the door. I followed her out, gently grabbing her arm and pulling her to the side and sending Youichi a 'one minute' glance. After he nodded, I released her forearm and stared at her. She was avoiding eye contact which meant she was thinking of how to start. I let her organize her thoughts.

"I'm sorry you had to see that," she finally whispered with a hoarse voice.

With each word she uttered my mind replayed her devastating screams and her incessant tears. I never thought I'd see Mikan slamming her head helplessly against a dresser while twitching with an unnatural force.

For a moment, she looked at me, as if asking if this was enough or if she should go on. I knew that she already understood the answer but was reluctant.

"I have some bad people around me, Natsume. They got the best of me and if it weren't for you swooping in and saving me, I probably would've vanished." She looked up at me with her smothering caramel eyes. "Thank you for saving my life."

I allowed my face to sink. The image of her sitting there, acting possessed and screeching for dear life flashed across my mind yet again. I was beginning to see that this scene would be forever in my mind.

Mikan cocked her head to the side, showing her curiosity for something. "Why were you there, anyways?"

"I could..." I started and again, the horrible scene played in my mind. Looking away, I said, "I could hear you."

She was silent and from the corner of my eyes I could see her contemplating and reminiscing as well. Suddenly, she threw herself forward and wrapped her arms around my neck, shaking her head against my chest. I stayed still and tense, but then, her warmth melted my stress and I relaxed into her embrace, shyly returning the hug for a moment.

After she muffled, "I am so sorry," I patted her head and she pulled back, her eyes teary and unsure.

I glanced over at Youichi who had looked away, giving us some space. Then, I whipped away a tear that had fallen and snorted. "Idiot."

Mikan's face went blank, then she smiled with the light of the sun and squeezed me one final time before dismissing herself. I watched her hold her ribs and slowly make her way down the hall, moving every limb to conclude the damage taken. Youichi ran to catch up to her.

"Natsume."

I turned to find Hotaru poking her head out of the laundry room's door. "A moment."

Begrudgingly, I went into the room and closed the door behind me. We heard the soft discussion of Mikan and Youichi which slowly faded down the hall. My mind was able to rest a bit as I thought of Youichi protecting her along with Kaname and Ume.

"I see everything," Hotaru said coldly, standing up. "Lies, truths, secrets, faults-"

I leaned against the door and glared down at her with my towering height. "Congrats."

"-feelings," she finished, staring with narrowed eyes.

My heart pounded against my chest as I tried to walk away from this discussion.

"She's an ingenious idiot, Natsume," she continued with a hard, holding stare. "She has a rough past and a worse future with obstacles that are so intimidating that every other person in the world would take the gun and pull the trigger."

"Hn."

Hotaru took a step closer to me so that we were chest to chest and although I was taller, her resolve was miles above me. "She's also my best friend. Anything happens to her, I blame myself. She doesn't need anything like what you see in her life right now or ever frankly. She's more than the other's, Nat-"

"Do you think I don't know that?" I asked sharply. "You know her more than anyone and I acknowledge that. But just because you know her doesn't mean you know me."

"Have you forgotten?" She walked to the side of me so that our shoulders touched. "I know everything."

I chuckled sardonically at her remark. "If you knew everything than many people in her life would not be around."

She cut a sharp look at me. I glared back at her, not willing to stand down on this matter.

After several beats, she looked forward and walked past me. She stopped at the door and looked back. I stuffed my hands in my pockets and held my head high, ready to fight.

Then she said the thing that I was least expecting. "A coffin."

I blinked. A coffin...? Then it registered: "The person who makes it has no need for it. The person who purchases it does not use it. The person who does use it does not know he or she is. What is it?" A coffin. I nodded 'thanks' and she made her way to Mikan.

I wished that I could follow but for now, I just took the tub the brunette had been clutching when she opened the door, the one with blue and yellow lettering, and put it on the shelf. Then, I took the bloodied rag, cleaned off the red on the dryer and forced the cloth into my pocket and walked out of the room, leaving it like it had first been before the hours before.

Thanks for reading! Please lemme know your thoughts/opinions : )