My Eyes, My Heart, My Family

Chapter one

Ikuto 21

Amu 17

Ami 10

(Amu's pov)

I sat at my desk thinking while braiding my hair. It was way past my rear and a lot of work to take care of but totally worth it. My parents had already gone to work, and I was asked to take Ami to school that day on my way to work. So, as I sat there, I thought of how much our lives had changed since I was 12 years old.

(Amu's thoughts)

I am 17, my birthday will be in a few months. I can't believe that I will be 18 years old. I graduated a year early so for the last year I have been working for a workshop that teaches girls how to cook, sew and keep true to who they were. I loved my job. I love Ikuto, but since he is 21, my parents said I couldn't date him until I was an adult. Well guess what? I am in a few months! Then I will be able to be with the one person who has always seen me for who I am. But, enough about my non-existent love life. Let's talk about my friends.

Kukai, who loves me like a sister, finally got Utau to leave Ikuto alone and fall for him. They have been dating for years but just recently got engaged. I know they will be happy. Kukai needs someone to keep up with him and Utau has the energy that I do not!

Nagihiko told me when we were 13 that he was Nadeshiko. I understood what he was talking about. There are some members of my extended family that follows the same traditions, so even though he wasn't a girl anymore, he was still my best friend. I did however freak out that we used to go the public bathhouse together. I never understood why he would always be first in and last out, now I know! He was always proper though, so I guess it wasn't so bad. Anyway, he and Rima are dating. Nagi is the only one who was able to make Rima stop fake crying when she didn't get her way. Nagi is planning on asking Rima to marry him this Friday for their 3-year anniversary date

Tadase eventually realized that no matter how much he wanted me to love him, I wasn't going to. I realized that he only saw me as Amulet Heart. I know that I love Ran, she was after all my would be self, but she wasn't my only would be self. In addition, my name wasn't Ran, it's Amu. Thinking about Ran made me sad, our Shugo Charas disappeared as we all became confident in who were. So, Ran Miki, Suu, and Dia all went into my heart when I was no longer afraid to me myself.

Anyways, enough about past crushes and Charas, Tadase now loves Yaya. He and Yaya are a much better match. He wants to be a king and she wants to be a baby. They are dating and has been for 4 years since Yaya doesn't want to get married when they graduate but if you give a baby some time and she'll grow up in her own way even on that is 17.

Ikuto left Japan before I went into high school. He called and wrote to me and everything while he was gone. When he was gone that I discovered I couldn't wait to hear his voice or receive a message or a letter from him. I discovered I loved him, but I was too afraid to tell him. He came back the year before I graduated. Ikuto had only been home a few months before I told him and then we were told to wait until we were adults to date. Ikuto and I respect my parents wishes but he still visits me in the evenings.

As I finished my hair, I started to walk towards the door of my room and wondered how in the world did I not see that?! I saw there was dark smoke coming from under my door. I knew that my home was on fire, so I grabbed my purse, phone, and personal documents from my safe and then ran to the door. I tried to grab the doorknob, but it was too hot to touch. I knew that I had to get out of my room, I could go through my balcony, but Ami was still in the house. I quietly muttered under my breath "why of all days didn't mom and dad take you to school?" then I kicked the door and it broke into pieces.

Suddenly, the smoke that the door was holding off came rushing into my room. Coughing, I ran down the hall to Ami's door and started banging on it, I tried her doorknob, but it was too hot. I could hear her crying my name saying there was a lot of smoke in her room and that she couldn't get out. "Don't worry Ami" I yelled. "I'll get you out" I told her as I kicked her door down and grabbed her off the bed.

With her in my arms, we tried to go back through my room to avoid the downstairs but by now the fire had spread blocking my way. "Ami, I need you to hang onto my neck, wrap your legs around my stomach and hide your face in my shirt. Try not to breathe in the smoke" I told her. She nodded and did as I asked.

As I took off for the stairs, there was a line of fire at the stoop and I knew that the only way for us to get out was if I jumped. "Hang on Ami!" I said then I jumped over the fire and barely landed on the stairs. I hit the top step and felt something snap in my right ankle. I held onto Ami refusing to let her go or lose my balance then I gritted my teeth and stood up. By now, Ami was crying into my shirt begging me to get us out of the house. "I promise Ami, I'll get you out, I promise" I told her as I slid down the banister landing on my left foot.

When we landed at the bottom of the stairs, I had the front door in my sights; but the problem was the lake of fire that was between us. I looked left and saw there was no way out that way. I looked to the right saw there was a path, but it was getting smaller the longer I stood there. "Going the long was Ami!" She stopped hiding her face was staring at the fire that was destroying our home. Then she started screaming when she saw the firepit and I took off running.

I took the only route out of the fire, into the kitchen, around the island, then over the couch that caught on fire while we were running through the kitchen. I finally reached the front door panting and clinging to Ami refusing and to let her go but when I looked up, I saw the support beam of the house starting to fall on top of us. Just then the front door swung open and I saw Ikuto. "Catch her Ikuto!" I screamed then I squeezed Ami's sides making her let go of me, turned her body around then I threw her at Ikuto.

I was hoping and praying that he would catch her while I watched the beam crash into my head just as I let her go and then the world went black.