Umeko slouched further into her seat as the rumbling sound of the bus's engine added to the throbbing behind her temples. Thankfully, most the seats were empty and she didn't have to deal with the stress of people.

It hadn't been particularly hard to sneak out of the hospital; she just waited until she knew all the nurses would be in the break room then made a dash for the stairs. Getting through the reception area was probably the hardest part as she had to keep her head down and make sure not to walk into anything. She would have just jumped out the window but she doubted her body could take the stress of jumping thirty feet at the moment.

Pulling her sweater a little tighter around herself Umeko tried to ignore the way her side was aching and the pain she felt every time she took a breath. Focusing instead out the window, she tried to think up a strategy of what to actually do now that she had gotten away.

The bus was ultimately going to stop in Tokyo where hopefully she'd be able to find someplace to clear her head. Because that's what she needed to do right now, clear her head of everything that had just happened.

She could feel the guilt bubbling up whenever she thought of Izumo and Tatara walking into her hospital room only to find it empty.

She bit her lip as she wondered if Mikoto would even care she was gone. The look of absolute hatred he'd given her that first day made her doubt it.

Swallowing back the tears, she started thinking about her options. Waitressing seemed practical, and it would make her enough to rent a small hotel room if she found someplace that paid well enough.

She'd never been outside of Shizume before, and now here she was on a bus to another city with nothing in her pockets and half her ribs broken. It was a horrible idea, and completely irresponsible, but the idea of staying in Shizume-

She swallowed the lump that formed in her throat at the thought.

She would figure out what to do.

"I-I swear, I didn't see her leave-"

The doctor's rambling was cut off by the hand around his throat tightening.

"How the fuck didn't you notice?" Mikoto seethed.

This wasn't happening. She wouldn't have left him, she just wouldn't have. After all, she promised she'd never.

That didn't change the fact that Umeko wasn't in the hospital, hadn't told anyone she was leaving or where she was going. No one had even noticed she was gone.

"Mikoto, that's enough," Kusanagi cautioned, still keeping a distance between them.

She left, she left him. She left him.

His grip tightened again, before suddenly dropping the man. The doctor hit the ground, gasping for air.

"Find her," he grit, already turning to leave, and Tatara and Izumo shared a nervous look before rushing after him.

Umeko hugged the strap on her bag a little tighter as she was hustled off the bus. The second her feet hit the concrete she stopped and looked around in wonder. She had never left Shizume, and as incredible as it was with all its technological advances and such, she already knew there'd never be anywhere like Tokyo.

Umeko had no idea where she was or where she was going, so she just let the crowd move her along, glancing inside storefronts and listening in through the open doors of restaurants. It was all just so busy, and for some reason she found herself loving the crowds and congestion. It made her feel so much less exposed.

She could have wondered around for days, but the tell tale darkening of the sky above her warned her she better find a safe(ish) place to sleep for the night. She broke away from the herd, choosing to wander down a much quieter side street, completely taken by the small apartments and little shops stretching out in front of her.

She stopped when a particularly delicious smell reached her nose, turning and seeing a small café across the street. She let her feet drift towards the smell, barely even noticing she was inside until a beautiful brunette stepped in front of her.

"Hello! Would you like a table?"

"Um," Umeko blinked, "a-actually, are you hiring?"

The girl smiled, and Umeko couldn't help but feel nervous in the face of such a confident woman.

"We actually just got an opening! Let me get Risa-san."

The girl pointed her over to an empty table in the back, and Umeko sat down quietly. The café wasn't very busy at the moment, but she figured that had more to do with the time than with the place's popularity. If the smell coming from the kitchen was any indication, the place would be overflowing when dinner came around.

"Hello, you're interested in the waitressing position?"

Umeko jumped at the sudden new voice, turning to see a kind looking old woman smiling at her. The woman gave a slight bow,

"My name is Sato Risa, I'm the owner."

Umeko stood up quickly, returning the bow, "It's an honor to meet you Sato-sama. My name is-"

Her mind flashed to a letter she'd found in the chest in that god awful attic all those months ago, from her grandmother to her mother, her mother's madden name writing in looping cursive across the top, "Shimada Umeko."

The woman's smile widened, and she waved a hand casually in Umeko's direction, "Risa-san is fine dear."

Umeko nodded nervously, following Risa's lead and sitting down again.

"I don't have much experience," Umeko cringed, unexperienced was an understatement, she'd never even had a real job before.

"That's perfectly fine. You'll learn as you go," Risa nodded, leaning forward towards the young girl.

"Are you new to the city?"

"Ah, yes, I just arrived actually."

"Lovely. And where are you staying?"

Umeko scrambled to come up with a believable answer, but Risa didn't need to hear it.

One look at the young girl and she'd known exactly what her answer would be. The wide eyes and lack of a bag told her this girl didn't have a place or a person in the world to turn to right now.

"I have an extra room above the shop. If you'd like I can take the rent out of your salary and you can start staying there immediately."

Umeko gaped at her. This woman was seriously going to hire and house her?

"B-But Sato-sama-"

"Call me Risa-san."

"I couldn't possibly impose on you like that."

Risa hummed, leaning back in her chair, "So you have somewhere else to go then?"

Umeko didn't say anything.

"As I thought," Risa nodded, standing up, "the room at the back of the hallway on the left is yours. Go get settled, and I'll explain your responsibilities to you when you're done."

And with that, the woman turned and left, leaving Umeko wide eyed in her wake. Slowly, she stood and walked across the café to the set of stairs she could see in the back. The old wood groaned slightly under her wait as she climbed the steps, and the hallway was dark as she made her way down to the door Risa-san had told her.

The room was small, and bare of any personal effects, but it had a bed and a desk and a closet and this was so much more than Umeko thought she'd be able to get so quickly.

She walked across the small room, sitting down heavily on the bed. The mattress squeaked under the sudden change in weight. Taking a deep breath, Umeko gripped the sheets tightly in her hands.

How the hell was she going to do this?

Mikoto slammed the door shut behind him. He grit his teeth against the anger boiling inside him, running his hands through his hair and pulling harshly at the end.

Where was she? Where in god's name could she have went? They had searched nearly the entire city by this point, and regardless there were only so many places she could hide. But if she wasn't here, then she had to have left the city.

Mikoto sat down on the bed heavily, leaning his forearms on his knees and looking down at the floor blankly.

He didn't even know if she had left, or if someone had taken her. The lack of knowing made his stomach turn. If someone had taken her, god only knew what they were doing to her right now, if she was even still alive. But if she hadn't been taken…then she'd left of her own volition.

That meant she'd really left him.

If she had left the city then his chances of finding her dwindling down to almost nothing.

She could have went anywhere, and no matter where she went they wouldn't be familiar with the city, and she could just slip around them if they ever got close.

He grit his teeth, his hands clenching into tight fists.

This was all his fault.

He'd snapped, made her feel like this entire thing was her fault. She hadn't done anything wrong; she hadn't known she was carrying, and she'd only wanted to keep Anna safe.

She thought he hated her, he knew her well enough to figure that. The only thing was she was wrong, so, so wrong.

He missed her- for god's sake he loved her. The fact that she wasn't right there next to him, chatting away in her quiet voice, looking up at him with those big eyes, made his chest hurt.

And he didn't even know if he'd ever find her again to tell her.

He kicked his boots off, lying back on the bed and crossing his arms behind his head.

He wouldn't be sleeping tonight.

"Order for table 3!"

Umeko ducked into the kitchen and loaded the plates onto her tray, "Thanks Tadashi!"

The brunette smiled at her, already focusing back on the other dishes simmering around him.

Umeko balanced the tray carefully as she walked back into the main restaurant. It was dinner and every table was full, and she hurried to get to her table.

"Here you go," she smiled as she handed the plates to the small family, and they thanked her quickly before digging in.

"Umeko-chan, are we out of today's special?"

Umeko looked up and shook her head in Yumiko's direction, "I think we still have a little."

Yumiko, the brunette who she'd first met the day she arrived, nodded and rushed off to put in her order.

Umeko adored her. Yumiko was slightly older than her, and unbelievably kind. From her first day here, Yumiko had made it her personal mission to befriend her, and Umeko would always be grateful for that.

Tadashi, Risa-san's son and the cook, was lovely as well. He'd started teaching her how to cook after the café closed, and Umeko was thrilled with how far her cooking had come along. Tatara would be so excited by all the new recipes-

She cut that line of thinking off.

She'd been here just under two months now, but it made no difference to her aching heart any time she thought of any of the HOMRA boys.

But it was getting easier.

Now, when she learned a new recipe she always called Yumiko and made plans to cook together on the weekends. And when she went grocery shopping with Tadashi and they passed a bunch of teenagers doing tricks on their skateboards in the park, she could push down the familiar image of a certain beanie-wearing skater and keep her focus on their conversation.

The one thing she hadn't been able to do, and that pained her the most, was open up to Mai. Mai was Tadashi's wife, and closing in on 8 months pregnant. Every time she came to the restaurant to meet Tadashi or chat with Yumiko, Umeko would feel her chest tighten at the sight of her running her hands over her stomach, and she'd excuse herself quickly. Worst of all, Mai was a saint. Truly, the woman didn't have an unkind bone in her body, and had made amply attempts to befriend Umeko, but she just couldn't do it. Every time she looked at her, she thought of her own baby, and inevitably of its father.

And Mikoto was one wound still far too fresh to poke at.

She thought about him constantly. Even when she thought she wasn't she'd realize that's where her thoughts were drifting.

Did he miss her? Did he even care she'd left? She cried herself to sleep every night thinking of him and the baby they'd lost, and worst of all she knew he probably didn't even care.

Before she could fall even deeper into her thoughts, she heard Yumiko come up behind her.

"You still down to check out that new bar tonight?"

Umeko blinked, looking at the grinning brunette.

Umeko smiled, "Definitely."

The door to the old warehouse blew open easily, its rusty hinges powerless to stop the waves of energy radiating from Mikoto's body.

"Spread out and find them," Izumo called, and all the members fanned out.

It'd taken them longer than he'd like to admit to find this place. The last stronghold of the Sharks. As far as they knew, there were less than 10 members left, and he had every intention of reducing that number to zero.

He heard Shouhei's voice over Izumo's PDA, turning to regard the blond as he listened.

"Got it," Izumo nodded, ending the call, "There're holed up in a room in the far east corner of the second floor."

"Hn."

Mikoto and Izumo walked through the old warehouse, it looked like it was once some kind of car factory, following the sound of their clansmen's voices the further in they went.

They found an old staircase, climbing it quickly. Not twenty feet in front of them most of the HOMRA boys were crouching behind a wall, bullets flying from around the corner.

Mikoto didn't pay the bullets any mind, walking straight around the corner. His power was bubbling out of him, melting any of the bullets that got close.

"Mikoto-san!"

He ignored Yata's call, and Izumo's that followed soon after. He walked straight towards the barricade of old furniture and boxes the Sharks had haphazardly thrown together in front of the back room. When he was just a few meters away he stopped, building energy in his hand before releasing it in one powerful wave.

The barricade was blown to pieces, the three men hiding behind it left crumbled on the floor, two of them with flames crackling from their forms.

He threw open the door in a similar fashion, a sinister smirk coming to his lips as he looked at the half dozen men looking at him in fear.

"Where is she?"

The bar Yumiko had picked was overflowing with people. A pop song blared from the dozens of speakers, and the technicolor lights flooded the otherwise dark room with light. The dancefloor was overflowing with bodies, and the bar was two people deep at least.

"Yumiko-chan," Umeko grit, "You said we were going to a bar."

"This is a bar," the brunette replied airily, looking for a gap in the people to get to the bar.

"This is a club," Umeko squawked, feeling like a child who'd been promised candy and been handed a plate of vegetables instead. She'd been expecting a nice, quiet bar somewhere downtown, where they could sit and chat easily till they got tired and went home.

This was most certainly not that.

Finally Yumiko found a spot at the bar, and grabbed Umeko's wrist, dragging her between a group of college kids and to the wooden bar top. As they waited for the bartender to get to them, Yumiko turned to Umeko with a mischievous smile.

"So," she started, "I've been doing some thinking, and I think I've got a man for you."

Umeko rolled her eyes, "Not interested."

She'd told Yumiko she'd just gotten out of a relationship, and had no interest in dating anytime soon. Despite that, the brunette continued to try and coerce her into going out with the seemingly infinite number of men she knew.

"Ah, but Umeko-chan, he's not like the others."

She paused to give their order to the bartender, ordering them each a cocktail and a shot.

"You've said that about all of them."

"Yeah but I actually mean it this time. He's an old friend of mine, and Tadashi and Mai. He just got out of a relationship too."

Umeko eyed Yumiko warily as she grinned, "I mean, the two of you are practically twins."

"Why?" Umeko scoffed, nodded at the bartender when he put their drinks down in front of them, telling him to open a tab.

"I'm talking about personality here, Umeko-chan. The two of you have a ridiculous amount in common, and practically the same personality. And he's as unwilling to date as you!"

"Then why are you doing this to us exactly?" Umeko rolled her eyes, picking up her shot.

"Because," Yumiko picked up her shot, clinking it lightly against Umeko's, "you both need to get laid."

Umeko couldn't help it, she threw her head back and laughed, tapping her glass on the counter before throwing it back. The two girls put their empty glasses down, picking up their mixed drinks and pushing away from the bar.

Just before they got to the dance floor, Umeko grabbed Yumiko's hand. Said girl turned, a questioning look on her face.

As much as Umeko wanted to deny it, she may have a point. Thinking about Mikoto might still make her heart ache, but spending everyday wallowing in her own personal misery wasn't going to help her feel better. Besides, it wouldn't hurt anything to just meet him. If the guy was a creep, she never had to see him again.

"Fine, I'll meet him."

Yumiko squealed, pulling the smaller girl into a tight hug.

"You won't regret it I promise!"

Umeko tried to smile, but she knew it looked tight on her face. She was already regretting it.

"W-We didn't touch her."

Mikoto ignored the hands clawing at his wrist, golden eyes set in a fierce glare.

"You try to kill her, she survives then disappears?" he sneered, "I don't believe you."

The man whimpered, the hand around his throat tightening to cut off all air to his lungs.

"We didn't know she survived," another man, this one crumbled against the back wall with Yata's bat looming over him, shouted.

Yata swung his bat into the man's ribs, and he hit the ground with a cry.

Izumo watched everything with weary eyes. He certainly didn't believe they were uninvolved in Umeko's disappearance, they'd had too much to do with the circumstances leading to it, but for some reason he didn't doubt them either. These men were terrified, if they were going to crack and admit to taking Umeko they would have by now.

If the look in their eyes was anything to go by, they'd lie and say they had her just to try to save themselves.

"Mikoto," he called.

Slowly, the red head's eyes moved away from the man in his hands and looked at Izumo. His face was blank, but his eyes screamed murder.

"They don't have her," he said, "They'd have admitted it by now."

Mikoto could feel his power pushing up within him. As much as he didn't want them to, part of him wanted them to have her. He just wanted to know.

Flames erupted from his hand circling the man's throat, and the man screamed as the flames spread over his body, the flames burning away at his skin in seconds.

Mikoto's grip never faltered, not until the man stopped struggling, his body going limp. Mikoto dropped him in disgust, eyes roving over the remaining gang members.

"Burn them."

Umeko felt like she was going to be sick.

She was sitting at the bar in some trendy restaurant downtown. She swirled the straw in her drink, happy to have something to do with her hands. She was waiting for her mysterious date to arrive. God, she didn't even know what he looked like. Just that his name was Benjirou.

Umeko sighed. She'd showed up early on purpose, so she had a chance to get acquainted with the space before he showed up. She couldn't believe she'd agreed to this. Even though she knew it was impossible, her eyes scanned anxiously for any signs of red. She almost expected Mikoto to pop up in front of her and yank her away, growling at her the entire time for going out with other men.

But he wasn't going to magically appear. He was miles away in Shizume, no doubt preoccupied with anything that wasn't her. Maybe even with a woman that wasn't her.

Her heart clenched. The thought of Mikoto with another woman made a mixture of rage and anguish well up inside her chest. Which was stupid, because here she was in a tight top that Yumiko gave her, that admittedly made her chest look fantastic, in a bar waiting for another man.

She felt like she was betraying him.

Which of course was stupid, she reminded herself. She'd left because she knew he didn't want her anymore. It was no business of hers if he was with other women, and locking herself off from other people certainly wasn't going to help her at all.

"Umeko-san?"

She jumped, turning in her chair. A man stood before her, his shaggy black hair falling into deep blue eyes. He had a strong jaw, which helped to off play his soft features, and broad shoulders that hinted at a strong form underneath his jacket. He was very good looking, she had to admit.

"Are you Benjirou-san?" she asked. He smiled at her, and it was a bright, open smile that had an identical expression pulling at her lips.

"Yes, I'm Arai Benjirou," he extended his hand, and Umeko hesitated for a second before extending her own hand.

"I'm Shimada Umeko."

Umeko closed the door to her room quietly behind her. She kicked off her heels as she made her way over to the bed, sitting down heavily.

Her date had gone surprisingly well. Yumiko had been right, Benjirou and her had a lot in common. He was equally as mild mannered, but much more open than her which made holding a conversation infinitely easier.

They talked about everything that wasn't personal. They talked about books a lot, which Umeko loved. He was a fan of murder mystery novels, which she found endearing, and she'd promised him she'd check out a few titles he'd recommended.

After dinner, which he'd paid for without her permission, they'd walked to a park a few blocks away. They spent over an hour just walking and talking, and Umeko had been surprised by how at ease she felt around him.

Mikoto was the only man she had ever been with, and she'd never felt uncomfortable with him. But he also wasn't a man of many words, making her evening with Benjirou feel all the more pleasant.

He'd walked her home after, and he didn't even try to kiss her. He just pulled her into a hug and asked if she'd like to meet again in a few days. And she'd agreed, much to her surprise.

They were going to get lunch and go to an art museum next weekend.

Umeko sighed as she lied back on the bed. She'd never felt so confused in her life. She liked Benjirou, that much she could admit, but not like Yumiko wanted her to.

She liked his presence, his mild disposition and easy conversation. But he didn't make her blood feel like it was aflame in her veins, didn't make her feel so full of emotions that sometimes she couldn't speak. And he didn't make fire shoot between her legs, his mere presence making her feel like her body was burning.

And that wasn't fair.

Mikoto, while still a man, was not like other men. He was a king, a force of nature.

Comparing Benjirou to that was unfair.

And she didn't know, maybe with enough time he'd make her feel the same way.

No one will ever make you feel like that again.

Umeko ignored the voice in the back of her head.

She didn't bother getting out of her cloths, just shut her eyes with a sigh. As her mind drifted away, her last thought was with her king.

Umeko looked around in horror.

The city was destroyed, crumbled to ruins. Fires burned all around her, filling the air with smoke and ash.

Her eyes looked around desperately for any sign of life. She turned, looking behind her, her breath hitching.

There, a few dozen meters away, was Mikoto. He was on his hands and knees, breathing heavy, and as she looked around she realized all the damage extended from the spot where he stood.

Her heart stopped in her chest, and before she even knew what was happening her feet were carrying her towards him, ash swirling around her feet with each step.

His eyes were closed, sweat dripping from his body. He didn't seem like he could hear her at all.

She fell to her knees in front of him, arms wasting no time in wrapping around his shoulders and pulling him into her.

"Mikoto," she sobbed, "Mikoto, I'm here. I'm so sorry, everything's alright."

His arms wrapped around her, and she felt tears slip from her eyes as she took in the deep burns that covered his hands and arms.

His body was burning into hers, hotter than she'd ever felt him before.

"Umeko," he groaned, and her hands left his shoulders to take his face, making him look into her eyes.

"I can't do it," he admitted, hands weaving through her long hair, "I can't control it."

Umeko shook her head, "Yes you can. You just need to believe you can."

His face dropped onto her shoulder, his harsh breaths like steam across her skin.

"You need to be alright," she whimpered, "You have to be."

His face rose from her shoulder, his golden eyes looking deep into her.

"Umeko," he rasped, one hand lowering to cup the back of her neck, "Where are you?"

Mikoto shot up.

He was breathing heavy, sweat sticking to his skin. She'd felt so real.

Her body had felt solid pressed against him, her words as reassuring as ever.

But sitting here, in his empty bed, he shook the feeling off. It was a dream, she was gone, and the empty feeling in his chest was real as ever.

But miles away, in a different city, Umeko sat shaking in her bed, dripping with sweat and tears leaking from her eyes. She'd felt him too, had felt him in her soul, but she forced herself to push the feelings of loss down. It had all been a dream after all.

Ugh, I have such a love/hate relationship with this part of the story. Love, because everyone gets to evolve as characters, and hate because I don't like writing Mikoto and Umeko apart. Alas, it's an important part of the story. They'll be together again soon! I hope everyone enjoyed it and I'm working on the next chapter now. Reviews = love = productive writing! Happy holidays everyone!