Aww, fewer reviews, but at least I have some! Thank you all so far!

m () - But I bet she would never throw her guitar at him...what if the strings snapped? :D

Animegirlfreak17 - I hope you enjoy this chapter!

pikacheery14 - Thanks for liking the story!

Read and Review!

I do not own Gakuen Alice. If I did, I kinda would've made it go a little faster.

Chapter 11: Rabbits and Fireflies

"What?" The crimson-eyed said at a normal volume, which was pretty loud for him.

"What happened?" The purple-eyed girl asked in the same volume.

"Mikan," Natsume stood up and Hotaru followed as they began to walk briskly towards the W hotel. The snow was falling heavily now, but beautifully, and people were out enjoying the falling ice.

"What happened, boy?" The black-haired girl repeated her question.

"Someone's in my hotel room." He breathed.

Hotaru's questioning gaze turned steely as they made it into the hotel and into the elevator.

The weak brunette clutched her cellphone to her chest, sweating in the hot but enormous walk-in closet. There was no sound from through the door, but Mikan had heard the sound she was wanting to hear, but not the person she had wanted to see. The lock had clicked.

She kept her eyes trained on the door, locked for now, and then she heard it: heavy, uneven footsteps. Judging by the sound, one of the intruder's legs had something wrong with it, and they were an adult.

Mikan was ready for what was about to happen. She hid, her heart beating so loud she was sure the intruder could hear it.

Then, Mikan felt a hot liquid on the left side of her face. In shock, she quickly wiped the tear from off her cheek, then returned to the fetal position she was originally in. The only hiding space was behind the safe usually found in hotels, in the laundry chute. It took all of her strength not to slip and slide down.

The steps stopped in front of the door. The brunette immediately sensed that the intruder knew someone was inside. The doorknob shook. Mikan's breath caught in her throat.

?

She sobbed then covered her mouth. "No," She whispered, and the door shook violently. "No! Go away! Who are you!" She sobbed again.

"Mikan!" The tired voice said, and Mikan's eyes widened. The voice shouted her name again, and this time the brunette was sure she had heard right.

"Mama?"

"Hey," The purple-eyed girl said, standing on one side of the elevator.

"What?" The crimson-eyed boy replied, standing on the other. They stared at each other.

"Hey."

"What?"

"Hey."

"What?" Natsume exploded on Hotaru, closing in until he was a couple inches away from her. "What do you want, Princess? What do you want?"

"What do you want, Natsume?" Hotaru said, stepping up to him until her chest was touching his. She stared emotionlessly into his glaring eyes. "I can see it in your eyes. I can see it, Natsume. Sorrow and hate and pain cannot blind me. I can see it, Natsume." She breathed.

"What can you see? What can you see, Hotaru?" He said, a shred of a hint of desperation in his tone.

He knew the answer. Hotaru knew he knew the answer. "You and Mikan will live," She said, before jabbing him on a pressure point above his heart. Natsume dropped into her waiting arms.

The elevator doors opened and Hotaru dragged Natsume out and into an open room, laying him down.

Natsume's hand went into his pocket. "Wai...wait..." His words were slurred. "Promise us...promise all of us...that you will live too." Hotaru stared at him before walking away.

Before she closed the door behind her she murmured, "I don't make promises I can't keep."

Natsume's blood red eyes rolled back into his head.

- - - - - (A/N: You have no idea how badly I wanted to end right here.) - - - - -

"Baby," The older woman hugged the younger. "Oh, baby,"

"Mama," Mikan said, hugging back. "Ma *hic* mama, mama," She sobbed. "I'm so glad you're okay."

"Baby, I'm so sorry," The woman sobed, and they both smiled with tears of joy. "Oh my god," Yuka whispered all of a sudden, locking the door noiselessly. Footsteps. A lot of them.

"Mama -"

"Shh, baby, shh."

There was no sound for a few moments but the thudding footsteps of the real intruders.

Then, there was the unmistakable sound of a muffled gunshot. Both women sucked in their breath. Many, many more silenced gunshots, and then some yelps, some grunts, and seven heavy thuds.

"It's safe," A certain purple-eyed girl said through the door.

"Huh?" The brown-eyed girl sat up.

"I said that it's safe."

"Ho - Hotaru!" Mikan cried, throwing the door open. She barely had enough time to ready herself before Hotaru fell head-first into Mikan's arms.

"She's been shot," Yuka said after helping the girl to the ground. "Once in the left ankle, twice in the lower back, and..."

Hotaru breathed slowly and heavily. "Once in my left shoulder blade and once in my left thigh," She replied. "My name's Hotaru Imai. Nice to meet you, Miss Mikan's mom."

Yuka smiled warmly, considering the situation. "My name's Yuka."

Hotaru's eyes widened. "Yuka - no, now's not the time for that. More people will be here soon, and I left Natsume in the room two doors down." She stood up as if nothing happened. "I need to get something. You guys go on ahead, I've organized a ride for you. Pick up Natsume, too."

Hotaru turned around. In a few more moments, the door clicked behind Yuka and Mikan. "Thanks so much, Hotaru."

The room got eerily quiet, seven people barely alive and breathing, plus one almost dead and bleeding girl. Hotaru walked, really slowly, to the bed, and lay down. "Haah, haah, haah," She breathed, putting more force into the feeling than necessary.

Two hours had passed. Mikan, Yuka, and Natsume were probably well on their way to where Hotaru had sent them, and no one knew she was still here. She rolled over and picked up a stray gun with all of its bullets, clutching it to her chest. If anyone came in, she could just raise the gun in front of her and do away with them.

"Dying...I'm dy...I'm dying..." She finally realized. "I'm cold...I'm here...and no one's...gonna know..." Reality.

She was dying.

DYING.

Dying.

Dying.

Dying.

Hotaru Imai, just barely eighteen, in the first year of her professional music career...was dying.

Door clicks were an unpleasant sound. Hotaru held up the gun as soon as she heard one. "Get the hell out," She threatened.

"Hotaru, Hotaru, it's me."

"...Ruka?"

"Yes."

She dropped the gun and heard Ruka advance. He sat next to her on the bed and held her up. "Oh my god, Hotaru, what have you done?" He said, staring fiercely at her.

The purple-eyed girl smirked. "So the rabbit...decides...to get fiesty...huh?"

"Yes. And Hotaru..."

"Hmm..."

"For that rabbit to be happy...for that stupid, selfish, weak rabbit to be saved...the firefly needs to keep glowing."

He hugged her. She, although completely unexpecting, hugged back.

- - - - - The Rabbit needs the Firefly. - - - - -

So, this chapter's shorter because I wanted to get the results for it faster.

I hope you all enjoy it!

~animeoh