Chapter 4: Before the Dawn

Little Falcon: I'm back!!! Hopefully, this time it's for good. We'll see. Sorry for the long wait I sincerely wish you didn't forget about me. Off to the latest chapter! Read and review like always.

Standard Disclaimer:I don't own this series. If I did, I'd be the happiest person on earth. All I own was the idea.

"Why don't we continue this discussion inside?" their sensei's almost melodic tone was followed by his calming pheromone alice even before he approached his students. The tension was still brewing even with his alice in the air. Amazing show of emotions. His eyes travelled from the new student and to his two close ones. Quietly, Narumi-sensei opened the door to his office, bidding them to enter.

"Natsume," her hand gently squeezed his. As the flame caster looked at her, her chocolate brown eyes were both persuasive and apologetic. Instantly, Natsume relaxed but kept his eye on the threat even as 'he' entered the room first casually. Soon after, he and Mikan did the same and closed the door firmly.

Their care-free teacher leaned his back against his desk as he faced his trouble-making students. With a sigh, he began "Now, I don't know where to begin," crossing his arms in front of him, his pretty face still doesn't show the confusion he was verbalizing.

"Then let me begin," the arrogant new student immediately blurted out as he faced the two. "What the hell are you doing here, pigtails?" Ignoring Natsume completely, his amethysts eyes looked at her like some sort of criminal.

Her skin crawled feeling his gaze on her. This was cut short when a flame burst in front of the model slash singer's eyes, almost burning his long eyelashes. "Don't make me forget we're in the presence of a teacher, Midou," his crimson eyes narrowed dangerously as the flame hovered in between them.

Breaking free from his hold, Mikan stood in between them but kept her eyes on his ruby ones. "As he said, he and I worked together… for Principal Kuonji's clone, Z," she wasn't surprised to see the look on her lover's face as well as her teacher. Taking advantage of their silence, she explained "When…when Mom and I left," her eyes looked painfully at Natsume's as she remembered that day as if it was just minutes ago. Tears build up from her eyes but she persisted "We were determined to stop the principal's plan but the only way to even damage his plans was to work for his faulty clone, Z. Mom strongly disagreed about me actively participating in 'missions' but they needed all the help they can have so eventually… I became an 'agent' too,"

His fists clenched as he realized the great dangers she was facing while he was stuck in the academy, doing nothing but sitting in the classroom. The pain in her voice twisted around his heart and began to squeeze it tighter with every word but he berated himself to tolerate the pain a little longer so that he can hear what has happened to her while she was away.

"Night… or should I say Midou Gin, was part of our intelligence network. He supplied us with information only attainable from the 'inside', in places only celebrities can enter. I never knew you would use your alice so openly and to even submit yourself to the academy," this time she looked at the other side.

"There are only two people who have seen me use my alice on the outside. That's you and 'her'. I never wanted to enter this place! I only came here because 'her' manager told me that she submitted herself here," Gin glared at Narumi-sensei thinking that the school was hiding 'her' from him. "As for my alice… you're the only person who ever dodged my alice so it was kind of a reflex to attack you like that… I thought I'll be able to hit you this time," his sharp glare wandered to Natsume who returned the favor a thousand fold.

"Forgive me for asking this, Mikan," the pheromone user teacher interrupted the impeding chaos with is fatherly tone. "It's not that I'm not happy you're back… but I need to ask why,"

Everyone in the room focused their attention on her. Their ears straining to hear even her breathing. "Mom thinks that… Z might be thinking of disposing us, now that we've already made enough cracks in the original Principal Kuonji's master plans. I was told to wait while Mom acts as a decoy to whoever is plotting against us," her vision grew blurry from the growing moisture. The floor didn't even look like a floor from her eyes. Her body shook involuntarily as she remembered her helplessness while watching her Mom disappear with a smile.

"Enough!" she heard his enraged voice as a pair of strong arms pulled her into his embrace. "There's no need to say more. You're back and there's nothing else that matters more," Natsume kissed her head as he held her tighter while Narumi and Gin stood in silence.

*****

"Natsume, can I talk to you for a minute?" When things finally calmed down, they were about to leave the office when the teacher called. Reluctantly, the flame caster stayed while the two exited the room.

"What do you want?" It wasn't like he was rude or something. It's just the way he speaks… ever since and up until now. Also, to add to that detail, Natsume is in a hurry to be at her side again. Leaving her with Gin makes him feel uncomfortable.

Dismissing his student's attitude problem, the sensei immediately began "You do realize that we're pretending that she's a new student, right?" It's best to remind him now because from what he's seen, this boy's actions were too focused on Mikan to even realize that he's breaking their cover.

"What are you saying? That I'm going to leave her alone like I don't know her?!" I've spent too many years without her… I don't want to waste a moment without her ever again.

*****

"You sure are careless," Gin was already walking away when he muttered.

"What do you mean?" Her blood froze as she waited for his reply. "Are you going to tell 'him' that I'm here?"

"No. I told you I'm only here for Natsuki. Besides, I'm no tattletale. If you want me to be quiet I will be but… I know you know that you being here is not a secret that can be kept forever," he kept walking with his hands in his pocket. His footsteps echoed in the long empty corridors. "What will happen to 'them' if he learns you are here? Have you thought about that before coming here?"

Her pupils dilated upon hearing his words. The tears she's been holding for so long trickled down her cheeks as she ran back to her room, avoiding all crowded alleys as possible.

"Can't… can't I stay?" She asked herself as soon as she slammed her door shut. Her chest felt so tight that it would explode. She dragged air into her lungs, trying to remember how to breathe. The floor absorbed her tears as it dripped endlessly from her closed eyes. What was I thinking?! Why did I come back?

"Whoever said you can't?" Just like before, like a prince… he was there at her window with his eyes looking at her like she was the most important person in the world. Her heart finally remembered how to skip as he approached her and wiped the tears from her cheeks. "You're not allowed to leave me again. I won't let you. Never again,"

More tears came as she buried her face in his chest while hugging him like he would disappear. Natsume returned her gesture with even greater fervor. "But… but… if I stay here… the Principal or even Z might…" she stuttered in between the sobs.

"Ssshhh, just stay here. I'll protect you," it killed him repeatedly when he remembered how pathetic he was just watching her leave. Now that he has learned to control his powers, there was no way in hell he'll ever let that happen again.

For the entire night, Natsume held her in his arms while she cried herself to sleep.

The next day…

"Hello, everyone. I'm Sakura Mikan. It's a pleasure to meet you," she stood on the platform while everyone stared at her like she grew another limb. Well, almost everyone saw her nullification alice in action yesterday. Truthfully, she kind of expected this reaction. However, Mikan never imagined Natsume to stand up and approach her so boldly.

"Nice to meet you, Sakura-san," he used her surname to keep the façade playing. "From now on, you're going to be my girlfriend,"

"EEEEHHH?!" everyone exclaimed even Mikan.

Discreetly, the two lovers exchanged smiles. Is this your way of pretending you don't know me?

Little Falcon: Read and review please…