A Rich Love

DISCLAIMER! I DO NOT OWN GAKUEN ALICE, GOMEN NE!!!

Okies, thank you for the reviews, much appreciated, and to those who say 'update soon', that may not be the case, I have STUDIES to get on with, okay? I don't have much time to dilly dally, despite how important my stories are to me. I need to get into college, people!

This chapter is dedicated to SootyxSnowpetal, sakuraheartz and orphan da man. Thanks for the reviews, you three, I liked them a lot... Sooty, you make me yell happily, why, I don't know, you just have wonderful reviews, whereas sakura, you told me that you feel the story is wonderful the way it is, especially as I don't have a rich Natsume (THANK YOU! Him being rich would spoil the plot, ultimately) and I like how orphan da man wants Mikan to have second thoughts... honestly, I want that as well I think :p

And to my dear Silver Arctic Wolf: Thanks for the review, I am glad you like Natsume as a struggling artist, I do too. It is refreshing to see something different to the cliché Natsume we get in normal stories, but then again, I love a rich and arrogant Natsume... ahaha. And I do enjoy writing about the past a bit, I love flashbacks and writing historical like things... I am weird, yes, mwahahaha... and more is to be revealed about Aoi in later chapters, too.

And wasn't bringing in dear little Youichi a surprise? I originally wanted him to be an adult, but then again we need a kid in this so I just made him Aoi's kid (best idea yet, because no one ever thought that Aoi would have a kid, le gasp!) Oh and hopefully I will bring a few more of the characters into this story, kay? Adios for now, and...

ON WITH THE CHAPTER!!!

Chapter Twenty-Five:
And So We Kiss And Make-Up

"Where are you going?" Natsume queried sternly, watching Mikan wrestle a pair of heels onto her feet. His girlfriend didn't look up at Natsume, she just continued ignored him bluntly as she tried to get her heels on. "Oi, Mikan. Stop ignoring me." A pair of rolled up socks were suddenly thrown at Mikan's head, gaining her attention.

"What do you want now!" snapped the stroppy brunette. They had been having their fighf for about a day, but it was pretty much killing Natsume. Mikan was giving him the silent treatment, she wasn't even sleeping in the same bed as him! She had decided to reside on the couch just to show Natsume how mad she was with him.

"I want you to stop being such a kid and start talking to me! We're adults, Mikan and adults sort things out when they've had a fight." snapped Natsume. Mikan breathed in slowly. She then walked towards Natsume who looked up at her. (he's laying on the couch)

"You offended me, Natsume. I don't want to talk to you yet, I just want to go out and think about a few things, okay, and if it means being a kid, then I'm a kid!" she cried out at him in a cold voice. She then turned around and went to wrestle on the second shoe before throwing on her coat and grabbing her handbag. As Natsume watched from where he sat, Mikan left the apartment, slamming the door behind her. She then returned quickly, popping her head around the door. "I'm going to Hotaru's." and with that, she was gone.

"God that woman is so difficult!" yelled Natsume, grabbing a couch cushion and throwing it towards the door that Mikan had exited out of. Natsume needed to vent out his anger, and sometimes that meant punching a pillow, a wall or the closest person to him, and sadly, Reo wasn't there, heck if he was Natsume would kick his ass even if he was in the happiest of moods, so Natsume did the next best thing and went to his office to paint...

And within an hour, Natsume's anger had turned into a painting of blood, dead bodies and the Grim Reaper. When he wanted to be, he could be the darkest person on Earth, especially when it came to a fight with a loved one. However, Natsume still wasn't satisfied, so, without a care or a thought to what Mikan would think if he left without notifying her, he went to Ruka's so that he could have a grouch at his best friend who would (hopefully) help him out with his current girlfriend dilemma.

"Fucking childish woman... why can't she get a grip on reality?" Natsume murmered to himself as he grabbed a coat and his keys, walking out of the now open door and then locking it behind him after he closed it. He didn't understand Mikan, but she also didn't understand him when it came to things like Aoi. Natsume was only looking out for his younger sister... he really cared for her, but he had hurt Mikan and that did hurt him. He hated to see her angry or crying.

Mikan would never really know his feelings to as why he'd told Aoi to abort that baby...

As Natsume walked towards the closest elevator to the ground floor, he took out his cell and flipped it open, dialing a memorised number which he hoped never changed. He only ever called this number when he was in a crisis with anyone, especially with Mikan now, it seemed.

"Ruka, I'm coming over." Natsume said into the phone the moment a person picked up. Over the phone Natsume could hear some murmurs from a female, obviously Hotaru, and then Ruka's voice crackled over the phone.

"Sure... have you and Mikan had a fight?" Ruka asked as Natsume sighed, pushing the button for the elevator and waiting whislt he talked to his best friend.

"Yes... damn that woman, she's so... persistant! Argh, I'll talk to you about it at your place, if I start here then the neighbours'll complain." muttered Natsume darkly, flipping his phone shut and waiting for the elevator to open, tapping his foot impatiently. Natsume, for some unknown reason, hated waiting for elevators. He felt that it wasted time to just stand there and wait for an entire minute or two for a damned means of transport to the ground floor.

But he couldn't be arsed to take the stairs, so the elevator was the best means of transport, despite how much he hated to wait.

Once the stupid elevator doors opened, Natsume stepped into them and pressed the ground floor button. The doors closed and Natsume felt the elevator move down. He glared at the doors, listening to the movement of the elevator wheels above him. Natsume saw his reflection in the shiny gold leafed doors, his glare reflecting and imitating his face. He then sighed and combed his long fingers through his hair. What did that woman do to him? She made him so weak but also angry.

But he had to admit that he still loved her, despite her childish, resiliant and strong-willed nature.

Once Natsume was at the ground floor, thankful that no one else was using the elevator at that time in the late morning, Natsume walked out and left the apartment building. He walked down the path, using the quickest root to get to Ruka's place. Natsume unknowingly gained some attraction from a few women who passed by. Of course, for a twenty-something year old he was pretty good looking and fit. Natsume of course knew this.

"Hey, isn't that Natsume Hyuuga? The guy who was once a model alongside Reo Mouri?" someone whispered, causing Natsume to sigh. Damn, his past was catching up to him. He never knew that a few of the house wives he'd won over once upon a time still remembered who he was.

"Wow, it really is! He still looks good for a twenty-three year old guy! I wonder..." muttered another woman, and her friend turned to her, blinking.

"You wonder...?" the first woman asked. Her friend then shrugged, shaking her head.

"I wonder if he's still with that girl... That... Emiko? The one he dated when he was a newbie model... she was pretty cute." the woman said, and Natsume's heart lurched. Emiko, his girlfriend... his heart nearly tore in two. The girl he first loved...

"Probably not, these models get rid of their girlfriends fairly quickly... I mean just look at Reo Mouri!" laughed the other one, and Natsume's sadness turned to anger. He quickly walked off, trying to forget about what those stupid gossips had talked about.

But when it came to Emiko, Natsume just couldn't forget...

"You what!?" spluttered Ruka, spraying tea down his shirt as Natsume nodded solemenly. He had just told Ruka something that could effect his relationship with Mikan, the woman he was dating, the woman he loved...

"Yup, it's... weird. She's been gone for about five years, but I can't stop thinking about her." muttered Natsume, shaking his head as Ruka bit his lip. Holy cow, this was a big dilemma for Natsume and Mikan would surely have a duck fit about it too if she found out.

"So you still love her... wow. Mikan's not gonna take this lightly." Ruka murmered to himself, gaining Natsume's detention... and a death glare or two from his dark haired best friend.

"She won't find out, idiot! Well, I hope she doesn't... she's already mad with me, I don't want her to break up with me, I love her... but whenever I think about Emiko, my heart just dies and I casn't think of anyone else." revealed Natsume as Ruka sat back on the couch, wondering what he could do to turn this dilemma the right way up.

"Are you sure that you still love her? I mean come on, you really like Mikan! She's been with you for half a year or more, you enjoy being with her and you think she's the world. Don't tell me that she doesn't cross your mind, even when you think of Emiko, every day?" asked Ruka as Natsume blinked. Ruka was probably right. Mikan was always on his mind, even when he was angry... well, that was because he was mainly angry at her or he wondered if she could take his mind off of the anger. Natsume then smiled.

"Yeah, you're right. Maybe I'm just hurting." he said to himself as Ruka sighed gladly. He patted Natsume on the arm gently, then grinned.

"You know ywhat you should do? You should just go see Mikan today, at her work, and apologise to her because she's probably hurt still over what you said." Ruka explained, earning a shocked and angered look from his friend.

"So you're siding with Mikan on this one, huh?" he asked in a dangerous voice. Ruka laughed rather nervously.

"Ehehe, well, Natsume, you see you did kind of bring this onto yourself and you angered Mikan by yourself, so yes... I think it's your fault and I will side with your woman on this one, but you know that you should just apologise to Mikan. It's the only way you're going to get sex, at any rate." laughed Ruka as Natsume arched an eyebrow.

"What, do you think that all I care about is the sex? I've actually been more worried about not making her happy currently, Ruka." spat Natsume, which surprised the two of them because everyone who knew Natsume Hyuuga knew that he was a sex-mad young man who liked to bed whatever could walk, or just Mikan.

"Fucking hell... you really do love her, Natsume! God, when are you going to get down on one knee! Come on, hurry, Koko's beating you!" joked Ruka, bursting out laughing when Natsume just growled at that name. Yes, the idiot who was going to be a father was probably winning the race in love, but then again, he would never win the race that was for brains.

"Shut the fuck up, you prat! Urgh, I don't even know if Mikan wants to marry me! Right now we're focusing on getting a kid... if she can have any." muttered Natsume as Ruka sat there, quiet. He then put one leg over the other and sipped his tea.

"Mikan's a healthy, vibrant young woman, I'm sure she can have kids, Natsume, it's just the case of when the womb feels that it's ready. It's like a dog, even when it comes into heat, the bitch can't produce unless the semen gets to the egg-" Ruka was then cut off by Natsume's fist slamming onto the table, spilling tea all over it. Well that was Hotaru's fit for the day scheaduled...

"Are you calling Mikan a bitch?" he snarled. Ruka shook his head quickly, eyes wide and dramatic looking.

"No no no no no. Hell, why would I call Mikan a bitch? I'm just comparing animals and humans, Natsume! It is natural! Maybe... just maybe, you have a low sperm count?" Ruka suggested. Natsume couldn't believe that he was hearing this crap...

"I got Emiko pregnant, Ruka, what the hell does that say?" he snarled. Ruka really needed to think out his plan. He had no ideas, but he still wanted to asure Natsume that Mikan was healthy and would be able to have kids. However, Ruka didn't know about Mikan's past experiences because neither Natsume nor Mikan had told him...

"Er, fine, then I have nothing other than; GO TELL HER YOU'RE SORRY!" yelled Ruka, bursting Natsume's ear drums to Timbuckto and back. Natsume groaned, rubbing his left ear before sighing.

"Eurgh, fine, I'll go and I'll apologise to her... in public... crap she's going to use this to her fucking advantage." Natsume cursed to himself as his mate chuckled. Natsume then stood up and walked off, not even bading his best friend goodbye. Ruka didn't deserve it, he'd told Natsume that he might have a low sperm count when Natsume knew well that he was in working order when it came to mini Natsume... (Oh I gave his member a name, yay!)

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"Good evening, sir, what can I order for you?" Mikan asked in a cheerful voice, staring over at a business-type man in an armani suit with a clean cut hairstyle and who seemed to be well-shaved but well into his forties. He gave Mikan a suggestive smile but she ignored it.

"Give me a Japanese Slipper and a White Russian" the man gave his order as Mikan remembered the drinks, then went to get a cocktail glass, an old-fashioned sort of glass for the White Russian and a cocktail ice shaker. As Mikan made the two drinks, the man watched with interest.

"That'll be 20,00 yen, sir." smiled Mikan, taking the money from the customer and placing it into the till after tapping the numbered keys a few times. The man walked off with his drinks and Mikan saw that he was accompanied by a young looking woman, about her age. Mikan had never understood young women who went out with older men just for money. Weren't any of them a bit apprehensive? Didn't they have any dignity? Then again, they weren't called gold-diggers for nothing...

"Mikan, go fetch some glasses from the tables and take them into the back to be cleaned." called Mikan's boss loudly. Mikan smiled, nodding and rushing out from behidn the bar to collect the abandoned glasses. Mikan's boss was a tall, lean man with long black hair and a roaming eye when it came to the women. He also happened to be a friend of Mikan's, which wasn't too good because Mikan's boss didn't have friends who were female, he bedded them.

But Mikan had already made a point of telling Tono, her boss, that she wasn't single and she didn't intend to become single, either. She loved Natsume, in fact she treasured him, and wouldn't have a one off with her perverted boss just so that she could lose Natsume.

"I got them all, Tono! I'll take them into Misaki so that she can wash them." Mikan called out, beaming and then walking off, humming to herself as Tono lit a cigarette and watched Mikan walk towards the kitchens. He gave a low whistle.

"Man if only I could have some of that... damn her for being faithful." he muttered to himself, taking a deep draw on his cigarette before blowing out some of the smoke. Tono wondered if there were any women at the bar eager enough to throw themselves at him that night, if not then he would probably have to talk some random soul into having him...

"Oi, are you the owner of this place?" a harsh voice suddenly asked the back of Tono's head coldly. The 30-something blinked, turned around and came face to face with a scary red-eyed man. Tono wondered who he was.

"Yes. And why are you asking for me, may I ask?" Tono questioned Natsume who was looking aroudn the place quickly, but he saw no sign of Mikan.

"I'm looking for a worker here, my girlfriend, her name is--" he started, but suddenly Tono became defensive and backed away.

"Whoah, look, if you're talking about one of the girls, then I'm sorry, okay! I didn't mean to sleep with her, I promise! It was an accident, okay! We just got drunk and it went on from there... granted, I was the one who got her drunk, but still, she came on to me." Tono cried out, kind of pissing Natsume off. Boy this guy was whiney and a bit stupid, but when he heard that Mikan had possibly slept with this older, perverted guy (Natsume, you're also a perv) he went ballistic.

"What the fuck!? Mikan slept with you!? I didn't think I was that bad!" Natsume suddenly roared, gaining the interest of the customers around him who suddenly burst into applause. Natsume had to ignore this, though, because he was pissed off. Suddenly, Natsume lurched forwards, went over the bar and tackled Tono to the ground.

Then at the perfect moment, Mikan walked in, carrying a handful of clean glasses. Little did she know that they wouldn't come in handy...

"Na-Natsume!?" she cried out, dropping the glasses to the floor so that they smashed into tiny pieces, and the brunette rushed over to Natsume who was punching the living daylights out of Tono (why can't he do this to Reo!?) and trying to strangle the poor guy with his tie!

"Natsume what are you doing here!?" screamed Mikan, pulling him off of Tono as Natsume growled, turning to Mikan and glaring at her. Mikan wondered what had happened between the two.

"You slept with him? He's old enough to be your father!" spat Natsume, offending Tono.

"Oh come on, old enough to be at least her cousin! I'm 31!" cried Tono in defense as Natsume shot him the coldest glare that could freeze hell. He then turned his gaze back to Mikan, looking a little lost as well. "I never thought that you could commit addultry."

"What are you talking about, Natsume? I have never slept with Tono and probably never will! If you hadn't noticed, I'm in a relationship with a certain guy who I certainly love, even when he pisses me off." Mikan assured Natsume, sighing to herself then looking over at Tono. "And Tono has slept with other girls, he's just never slept with me because I'm a bit more faithful than other girls."

"Are you calling me unfaithful!?" cried a certain pink haired woman, coming out of the kitchen. She was tall, like a model, with short pink hair and piercing eyes. She grinned, staring at Mikan who stuck her tongue out childishly.

"Maybe I am, Misaki... Gah, Natsume, you're such a pain! Why do you have to come in here, strutting about the place like you own it then punching my boss? If I get fired I will totally kill yo-" Mikan was cut off by Natsume's lips being pressed against hers forcefully. Her eyes widened, but she succumbed to the kiss because it was Natsume who placed his lips over hers. She was lost for words and kissed back.

"I came here to say I'm sorry... I shouldn't have been so harsh with you, Mikan... I never considered your feelings." muttered Natsume, a little bashful as Mikan blinked rapdily. Natsume was apologizing... oh crap, she needed a cake, celebrations, people!

"Whoa whoa, back up here! You're apologising to me? Natsume did you hit your head?" Mikan asked jokingly, putting a hand to his forehead and then pressing her lips to his cheek as Natsume rolled his eyes. "Oh well... we accept your apology." she replied.

"We?" Natsuem raised an eyebrow, confused. Mikan then gave a little smirk and pointed towards her boss who had a bloody nose and a screwed up tie.

"You should also say sorry to my boss, Natsume, and beg him to let me keep this job because in all honesty, I hate job hunting and if I don't keep this one then you don't get to keep these." Mikan then put her hand to where Natsume's croth was, surprising Natsume as she smirked an evil smirk. "Got that?"

"Uh-huh." muttered Natsume. He then turned and started to apologise to Tono, who accepted it (thankfully) and let Mikan keep her job. Apparently Natsume had just made his day and also made him want to get her even more to see Natsume's reaction to if he had slept with Mikan. That just wanted to Make Natsume beat the crap out of Natsume, but Mikan got in the middle of the fight.

"Natsume, honey, if you want to go to Heaven's bedroom tonight then you will be a good little boy and sit down, order a drink and keep that mouth of yours shut tight, right?" Mikan asked, a finger pressed to Natsume's lips as he nodded slowly. Mikan smiled, kissed him on the lips then returned to her work. She needed to clean up a load of broken glass...

Natsume sat at the bar, watching Mikan and keeping an extra close eye on Tono so that he knew that the pervert wouldn't touch his Mikan. Thankfully the couple weren't fighting anymore, they were at peace. Mikan was happily humming along as she served drinks. She would talk to Natsume from time to time, but she was a busy woman. Nastsume, however, was busily trying not to get drunk and also hiding from women who were checking him out.

"You really like this job, huh?" Natsume asked as Mikan nodded, smiling. She worked at the till, giving and recieving money from the half-drunk customers. She then stationed herself across from Natsume, leaning towards him. He only just noticed then that she was wearing a low cut, revealing top and he found his eyes wandering.

"Eyes up here, honey, you can't go there until we get home." Mikan told him, lifting his face by the chin as she smiled quirkily, then leaned forwards to kiss him. It was just a small, sweet kiss, but a kiss none-the-less. It was also Mikan's way of telling other women that she was Natsume's and he was hers. Yes, she had noticed those who wanted Natsume.

Her kiss also told the gay men that Natsume was straight.

"Natsume, I love you." Mikan whispered, then pulled away and started to serve a customer who had been waiting patiently for a minute or two. Once their order was over with, Natsume returned to looking where Mikan didn' want him to look, but she had no control over his eyes.

"Oi, Mikan... when we get home you know that you're not going anywhere other than our bedroom and bathroom, right?" Natsume asked her, grinning like he was the cat who got the cream. Mikan rolled her eyes. Of course Natsume was only thinking about sex at a time like this. It was going to have to be Mikan's way of forgiving him for being so horrid to her and for hurting her boss. She rolled her eyes.

"I know the drill, Natsume, it's the same drill for everything." she smiled, turning so that she could go grab a cocktail glass for one of the regulars who enjoyed their cocktails a bit too much. Once Mikan was done with her customer, she checked the clock. Another hour and a half to go before closing time, then she and Natsume could go home...

"Hey, Natsume, what brought on your sudden apology?" Mikan suddenly asked as Natsume blinked, stammered and then answered his girlfriend.

"I talked to Ruka who said I should apologise... he told me I needed to make it all up to you because I was the one at fault... I agree with him, I was at fault... I'm sorry, again." Natsume answered as Mikan smiled. Good old Ruka, helping whenever he could.

"Well he was right. You sure do have good friends, Natsume... wait are you sure that Hotaru didn't beat you to make you come here to say sorry?" Mikan asked as Natsume laughed.

"No! Do you see any bruises?" he asked. Mikan smiled sweetly, shaking her head.

"No, but remind me to thank Ruka at some point because without him you wouldn't be getting any sex." Mikan told Natsume who cocked an eyebrow, then leaned forwards over the bar, staring straight into Mikan's chocolate brown eyes.

"I don't care about the sex, I care about you. I can't stand it when you get mad at me... I don't want you to hate me, Mikan. I wouldn't be able to bear it." Natsume whispered, then locked lips with the shocked brunette once again that night. For once Natsume wasn't thinking with his balls, he was thinking with his heart... fucking hell, the world was turning upside down!

"What a statement." breathed Mikan, her cheeks pink. She bit her lip, wondering what to say in such a situation. She couldn't think of anything.

"Oi, Mikan, stop chatting happily with your man and get your fine ass back to work!" called Tono, gaining Natsume's attention, and not the good kind, as Mikan laughed and turned to a customer, smiling and taking their orders for everyone. Tono watched Mikan as Natsume glared at the man, making a few signs about death and such. Wow, what an over-protective boyfriend...

"Finally, I am finished for the night! Come on, Natsume, let's get going!" beamed Mikan, climbing over the counter as Natsume stood in front of her, and without telling Mikan anything, her grabbed her in his arms, bridal style, and carried her towards the exit.

"Natsume, put me down!" the girl giggled as Natsume smirked, kissing her on the forehead. Natsume ignored Mikan's words, however, and carried her out of the door and into the street as Mikan yelled a goodbye to Misaki and Tono.

Natsume put Mikan down once they were outside the bar, but grabbed her hand and the two walked down the street hand in hand. The streets were empty, but a few of the local tramps prowled around and some girls who were looking for a way to make some money. Mikan hummed happily to herself whilst Natsume gave her a strange look. He had such a happy-go-lucky girlfriend.

"I'm not comfortable with you working with such a perverted, old guy." Natsume muttered darkly as Mikan stopped himming and grinned.

"You aren't happy with me working with any guy Natsume, regardless of age... I bet you'd be jealous if I worked with a ten year old!" she laughed, causing Natsume to furrow his brows.

"Any guy that gets more attention than me is not good, Mikan... and I am not jeakous!" he quickly put in as Mikan smiled, knowing that he was indeed jealous of Mikan. Natsume was just the sort of guy who wanted the attention, he craved it. Natsume hated it when Mikan's attention was somewhere else, he was the same with Ruka.

"Whatever. I can't help who is my boss, Natsume, so just deal with it. Anyway, just remember that I am with you and no one else. You can't go on living in jealousy! How will we bring up our kids, huh? If I had your kids then would you be jealous of them?" Mikan asked him, hoping that he'd say no.

"Yes I would because they'll take up our time for sex and they'll have you more than me." he pointed out as Mikan luaghed, shaking her head.

"Oh, Natsume, grow up! You need to learn to stop being so jealous! Be happy with your grass, no matter how green it is on the other side!" trilled Mikan as Natsume rolled his eyes. Why was she going all philisophical on him. Mikan then held out her arms, waiting for a hug, and Natsume pulled her closer to him.

"You are one strange woman." he murmered, kissing the top of her head as she smiled.

"I know I am... and you're one over-protective man." she replied as Natsume rolled his eyes. Then Mikan gently pushed him away, looking up at Natsume. Her face had all of a sudden turned serious.

"Natsume... don't freak out, but I have a confession to make." she started, then watched Natsume's face turn from loving to stoney.

"What? I hope you haven't slept with that bastard after all." he growled. Mikan shook her head, placing a hand on his cheek and staring into his eyes.

"No, I'm not that stupid or desperate, Natsume... it's actually about this morning, when I stormed off. I didn't go to Hotaru's." she told him. Natsume was confused. She hadn't gone to Hotaru's? Where did she go, then...?

"I went to the clinic!" she burst out, then grabbed Natsume's hand and placed it on her stomach, a small smile forming on her lips as he stared, hoping that what she was about to tell him was what he thought she was about to tell him...

"I'm pregnant!" she cried out, then threw her arms around Natsume's neck and hugged him as he stood there in total shock, then grabbed Mikan, and swung her around, laughing.

He was going to be a father...

X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X

FINALLY, Chapter 25 is done and dusted and you can all take a deep breath and cheer, because I have FINALLY updated! Sorry that it took so long, but what with work and then writers block, I couldn't really do much, could I? But today I actually thought 'no work, just UPDATE' and I did! FINALLY! Yay!~ Please please PLEASE like this chapter! I spent a long time on it! Funnily enough, I'm not that sleepy... *knock on wood* if there are any mistakes, feel free to point them out... Okies, thanks soooo much for reading this, I love you ALL!

Love Blue~

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