ShugoPrincess: thank you teampockymember33, animeluver713, rebeccasanfujieijilvr and so many others for your wonderful reviews!

Ikuto: so yeah did I miss anything?

Tadase: only that Am-

ShugoPrincess: *slaps and over Tadase's mouth*

Amu: only that what??

ShugoPrincess: *falsely sweet voice* oh nothing, nothing at all.

Ikuto: whatevs… ShugoPrincess doesn't own Shugo Chara

Chapter 9

Ikuto's POV

"Ikuto tell me where we're going." Amu demanded. I slowed the horse to a stop after about a minute or so. "We're almost there." I said helping her as she slid off the side of the horse. "Oh!" Amu fell into my arms. Even though her eyes were clouded I was pretty sure she could see me. She wrapped her arms around my neck and tilted her head, "Is something wrong?" she asked. "It's fine." I whispered. Amu grimaced. "Do you forgive me?" Amu looked down when she asked me. Of course I forgive you, how could I not forgive you. You are my world, my everything. I miss you, I need you. Most of all I love you.

"Do you still have a lesson to learn?" I asked thinking of the many months ago. Amu's lips tuned up into an unmistakable smile. "Of course sir." I leaned forward and kissed her forehead.

Amu's POV

I felt his lips press against my forehead. I blinked. Some how everything seemed to be a little clearer. His voice was rough and husky, "You don't know how much I love you." Ikuto whispered these words in my ear. We continued walking. "Exactly where are we going?" I asked. Not everything was visible, some things were fading to lighter shades of grey. Ikuto came to a complete stop. It smelled like rain and there was a small breeze.

"What's here?" I asked. Ikuto was closer to me than before, his lips danced across my skin; soft as a feather, "Everything that is important to me." I was curious and I didn't quite catch what he meant. "What would that be?" I asked. He huffed a sigh, "Do I have to spell it out for you?" I nodded. I still couldn't bring myself to say his name. He whispered one word to me and it sent my heart into a spastic shock, "You." I pulled myself closer to him.

My lips trailed up his neck, across his check bone until I found his lips. It was like the beginning all over again. That wondrous rush that I got when ever he was around me, the tingling feeling that I felt all over my skin. His lips pressed harder against mine, he was needy and so was I. I crushed myself closer to him and his arms wrapped around my waist. I bit his bottom lip softly and he let me in. My fingers twisted in his hair.

My blood was rushing and my heart felt like I was falling out of the sky. We broke apart and even though it had been months since we did this I opened my eyes to relish the moment even though I knew I couldn't see Ikuto. I was hit by the brightest light I'd ever seen, every thing was white and then slowly it all started to fall into place. Color leaked and seeped back into my world.

"Your eyes….they're so…." I reached up to cradle Ikuto's face. I couldn't find the right word to describe how beautiful they were, let alone him in all his glory. Then my breath caught in my throat and I knew the one word to describe him; breath-taking. His sapphire orbs blazed, his hair was tousled and his lips were turned up into a victorious smirk. I caressed his check, I traced his lips. He was truly and angel. So beautiful. He was my world. I looked around, we were standing in a garden. Castle walls surrounded us, a fountain trickled water into a pool beneath it. The trees were covered in cherry blossoms and around the base of each tree was a neat thicket of white roses that twisted their way up the trunk of the tree.

"It's gorgeous Ikuto-kun." He smiled when I said his name. "It's my family's garden." I laid my head against Ikuto's chest; his heart was hammering faster than mine. "I should get you back home now." I smiled. "Ikuto, you are the most important thing to me, always the most important thing." His lips turned up. "You don't know how you make me feel when you say those kinds of things."

Ikuto's POV

Her laughter filled the palace. "Shhh, Amu be quiet." I said pressing my hand lightly over her mouth to muffle the noise. "Ow! You bit me." I said pulling my hand way. I put my hand to my mouth to clean the little bit of blood on my finger. Amu stood on her tip-toes. "I can make it better I promise." She kissed me. I pulled away and looked in both directions. Some one was at the other end of the hall, it was to dark to make out the figure but they were coming closer. I pushed Amu into the dark corner where we wouldn't be seen. She giggled.

"Shhhh, some one is coming." She giggled harder. "Why won't you stop laughing?" I asked tilting her head back so I could see her face better. "Dunno. Maybe I could…" I crushed my lips to hers before she could finish her sentence. Her body relaxed immediately and then her arms wove around the back of my neck. This girl was definitely crazy, but I loved that about her. I listened to the retreating footsteps. "Come on. You've been awake for a straight 24 hour now." I pulled her to her room and she giggled a little. "What are you my keeper?" she asked as I closed her door behind me. "Something like that."

Rima's POV

It had been days since I had seen Amu. I opened her door and tip-toed into her room. Dawn streamed through her windows; there she was in the middle of her bed. And Lord Ikuto was lying next to her with his head in her lap. I crept closer; there hands were twisted together. Her face had color again and she was smiling in her sleep. "They would make a good couple wouldn't they?" some one's voice came from behind me. "Miss Utau I didn't know…." She smiled, "I came in behind you." There was something troubling about the way she looked at Ikuto and Amu. "Is something the matter Miss?" She huffed a sigh, "You know how Ikuto's step father is a controlling obsessive fruit-cake?" I couldn't help but to laugh at her comment.

"Yes." The little miss continued, "Yes, well he has arrived, with unfortunately some unwanted baggage. And that baggage just so happens to be Ikuto's 'betrothed' and quite frankly I just want to drop kick her in the face." "The girl that is his betrothed where is she?" I asked. Utau looked at me carefully. "I' not going to do anything to her." I said. Utau led the way to her room. "That's her." I walked into the new room and in the middle of the bed was a blond girl wearing a turquoise pendant around her neck. She always wore that.

"Lulu DeMorcef." Utau pulled me from the room. "You know her?!" I glared at the door, " I know her alright. She was a hired hand at the last place I worked. And let's put it this way; she wasn't exactly a basket of peaches."

Ikuto's POV

Some one was stroking my hair. "A…Amu?" she laughed. "Yes Ikuto?" I snuggled closer to her, "Nothing." I sighed. Amu continued to stroke my hair. I opened my eyes and looked up at her. She was sitting up and smiling. "How do you feel?" She asked pressing her hand to my forehead. I pulled her hand away and propped myself up next to her. "I'm fine, what about you?" I asked. Amu smiled, "I'm fine too." She resumed running her fingers through my hair. The door opened.

Amu's POV

"There he is." I didn't know this voice but apparently Ikuto did. He was on his feet and his hands were curled into fists. I reached out for one of his hands and laced our fingers together. A man in red robes walked in, followed by a blonde dressed in turquoise. "So this is where you've been. We were beginning to worry when you didn't come home for your birthday." Ikuto sneered at the man. "Yeah, because you actually care." The man down played this comment, "As of your nineteenth birthday you have a betrothed and if I do say so myself she's quite the catch. Don't you?"

Ikuto made a gagging noise. "No, actually I don't." The man flushed a violent shade of red. "Well you should know that you are a royal subject now. And that means you're obligated to your duties as a member. And yet you sit here with this…" Ikuto glared at him. "There is no word for it. Now come you must get married to your betrothed." The man left the room and Ikuto knelt by my side. The robed man came back, "You won't come? Then we'll have to do this by force." Ikuto didn't seem t notice them men trooping towards him. "No matter what happens Amu, you have to remember that you are the most important thing to me. I love you." His lips touched mine only for a fraction of a second.

His fingers brushed against my cheek. I took his hand and pressed it to my heart, "You have the key to the lock on my heart. I love you." Ikuto smiled. The men grabbed Ikuto but he shook them off and stood up on his own. My room was emptied after every one left. Rima and a boy with purplish hair walked in after about ten minutes. The boy moved toward me. "You're Miss Hinamori are you not?" I looked at him and smiled, "I am."

"I'm Yoru; Ikuto's personal advisor (but it's not like he listens to me anyway) He talks about you non-stop; it's always one thing or another. Ikuto anticipated something like this to happen. He wanted me to give you this." Yoru held out a necklace, on it was a sliver cross. It wasn't just any cross though; it was the silver cross that Ikuto was always wearing. Engraved on the back of it was 'Ikuto + Amu' "It's beautiful. Would you mind helping?" I asked Yoru. "Of course." Yoru clasped the chain around my neck.

"Will you tell him I said 'thank you'?" "Will do." Yoru smiled and left the room. Rima rushed to my side; worry filled her eyes. "Are you going to be okay?" she asked. I nodded, "I know the only thing I need to know; Ikuto Tsukiyomi loves me." My fingers wrapped around the cross.

September 1st ~ Ikuto's Wedding Day *gag me he's marrying Lulu*

"Won't you come Amu?" Utau asked me. She was wearing a pale lavender dress. She only asked me this question a million times. I caved for one reason; I would get to see Ikuto. "Fine, I'll come." I hadn't seen him since well the day that he left. Utau squealed and pulled me out of my room and to hers. On her bed was a crimson red dress. It was beautiful. (link to pic on profile) "Utau how did you…." Utau smiled. "Just get dressed." Then she let the room.

I opened the door, Utau and Rima were waiting outside the door. "You look drop dead gorgeous." Rima said. I blushed pink. Utau was practically jumping out of her skin, "Come on you guys let's go." "You two go on ahead with out me, I'll be in after a little while. Just have some stuff to get and clear up." Utau nodded gravely and then pulled me along. I wonder what that was about.

I was sitting right in the first row, I could see him perfectly. Ikuto was standing at the alter. His eyes didn't glow an he showed no sign of joy. I waved to him from my spot and a small smirk was instantly etched on his lips. I wrapped my fingers around the cross that hung from my neck. Ikuto saw this and smiled even more. The music began to play and his face fell once more. She was walking up the isle. I hated her guts already.

ShugoPrincess: That's it.

Ikuto: I think I'm gonna die.

Amu: *sob* You can't die Ikuto

ShugoPrincess: *sweat-drop* I need you for my stories Ikuto.

Ikuto: Fine I'll bear it.

ShugoPrincess: It won't be much longer.