Small notesYay! Longer chapters and better perspectives of characters! Yay!

Enjoy!

Chapter Six: Mistake (iWillhexyou)

The sound of a voice, a boy's voice, neither Kyon nor Itsuki, was what awoke her from her deep slumber.

"Hey girl, book girl, are you O.K?" asked a bright eyed young boy.

"Sure," Yuki practically whispered. "What are you doing here?"

"I was just getting my book bag when I passed by and saw you lying on the ground. Are you sure you're alright? You look a bit pale."

"No, I am fine," Yuki said again as she brushed away a strain of hair that fell across her face, smearing blood on her forehead.

"I don't think so," said Taniguchi, who cringed when he saw the bloody hand, "we need to get you some help."

"Why do you want to help me?" Yuki abruptly asked as the taller dark hair boy helped her to her feet.

"Because you're hurt! I'm not just going to leave you in this freezing school at night."

Yuki had her lips in an 'O' shape but she didn't say anything. She was still trying to work out her feelings arising in her. Who was this boy and why did it make her feel so good that someone was helping her?

Taniguchi escorted Yuki to the bathroom and waited outside as she cleaned herself up. He had never really been face to face with Yuki before; she was always just around reading a book, and like a coat hanger she was practically non-existent. But Taniguchi should've noticed her; if he had he would've seen how beautiful she was. But he couldn't deny there was something different about her. She always used to have dark, distant eyes, but now they were warm and wondrous.

'Wow, careful,' Taniguchi thought to himself. 'She may be pretty but you are a single ladies man! Don't be thinking like that!'

When Yuki stepped out of the bathroom she had washed away all the blood and had her hand wrapped in a paper towel. Her eyes were plastered to the ground as she walked over to Taniguchi and said, "Thank you for helping me, I will be going home now."

Yuki began to walk away but Taniguchi followed, "No way am I letting you walk home alone, you might faint again."

"No, I'm fine," Yuki said still staring at the floor.

"And I said no. I'm walking home with you home and that's that," Taniguchi said matter-o-factely with a smile.

Yuki just stared at the floor. She then momentarily touched her cheek with her hand not understanding at all why it suddenly felt so warm.

0o0o0o

"This is useless," Haruhi cried, throwing her head back into her hands as they took a seat at a local café. Kyon too was frustrated, they hadn't found any trace of Mikuru nor Itsuki and it was already dark out.

"You don't think they were kidnapped do you?' Haruhi asked a little too energetically.

"I really doubt that Haruhi," Kyon responded.

"Or maybe they fell into some sort of time warp and are now lost in the past!"

'She's not listening,' Kyon thought as he turned his attention to the window. It was a chilly yet lovely night, not to mention he was with Haruhi, like 'really' with her.

"Oh, why do the abnormal things always happen to other people?! I get a weird dream every now and then, but that's it."

"What kind of dreams?" Kyon asked in curiosity.

"I don't know, sometimes there's weird creatures after me and other times there's these big-blue alien things just trashing the school. I think I must have psychological issues."

'Yes you do,'

"No you don't," Kyon responded.

"Maybe not, but sometimes my dreams are so realistic. I'll wake up with my heart pounding and my limbs aching," For a second Haruhi seemed a million miles away, but she snapped back instantly. "Hey that's a good idea for the second movie! The naughty dreams of Mikuru! Think about it, every male in Japan would want to see it!"

Kyon cringed and gave her his classic 'you're hopeless' stare.

"I doubt Mikuru is going to make another movie unless you apologize and take that video off YouTube.

"No way!" Haruhi cried, "She's going to help make the S.O.S. Brigade famous! Yuki and I are the brains and Mikuru is the sex symbol of the club!"

'Well, maybe just Yuki is the brains,' Kyon thought.

"But Haruhi, can't we just find something else to do, won't playing another sport be quicker?"

As much as Kyon hated sports, it was less of a hassle then making another half hour movie.

"We could," Haruhi considered, "But we already have a fan base, we can't just leave them hanging out to dry."

'Who says we can't?' Kyon thought, 'and where was the stupid waiter?'

"What's that?" Haruhi suddenly asked as she also looked out the window.

Kyon saw it instantly, in the sky there was a bright light that went in a horizontal straight line. It almost looked like the edge of a closed space but that couldn't be possible. Haruhi was happy and completely unstressed. Kyon needed to find Itsuki and he needed to find him quick.

Taking her hand Kyon pulled Haruhi out of her chair and led her out of the shop.

"C'mon, let's find Mikuru and Itsuki!"

Good idea, Kyon!" Haruhi said, her eyes never leaving the sky, "When we find them we can investigate! It can be an S.O.S. Brigade all-nighter!"

As far as that sounded Kyon knew something was wrong, and if he wanted to save the world, he needed to find Itsuki, so Kyon played along.

"Alright Haruhi, we'll pull an all-nighter, we just need to find them both first!"

0o0o0o

Yuki was home and safe. Her small, tiny apartment was silent as usual but she didn't mind, she needed to think.

How could they send Ryoko back? She had finished her off for the right reasons, she was sure of it!

Even more important was what would Yuki do to protect Kyon now that she was mortal? She wouldn't give up her job, she couldn't. Though she was new to the feeling, she craved greatly for Kyon and the rest of the S.O.S. Brigade, they were her shelter no matter how dangerous or crazy things got.

Yuki found herself on her balcony shivering from the cold. She liked the way it felt against her skin. It made her so aware of the face that she was so alive and able to feel.

However, the peace was short lasting; she saw the same light that Haruhi and Kyon, who were on the other side of town, saw.

Yuki's eyes widened and she felt fear once again.

"I must find Haruhi and Kyon!" she whispered before she ran outside, faster than she ever thought she could.

0o0o0o (MajorKris)

Itsuki had carried Mikuru all the way to his home after the incident; not that he would complain of course, and soon he had her sleeping on his bed with the covers gently covering her. Itsuki took a sigh of relief afterwards, taking a seat in his comfort chair to keep an eye on her as she slept.

"She looks so lovely," whispered Istuki, as he smiled contently, gently pushing her hair back to show her perfect, delicate, face. Itsuki couldn't help but stare, thinking about what it would feel like to be able to lay by her side, to hold her hand, or to kiss her. So many things crossed his mind, causing him to move his head away once he realized he shouldn't be thinking such things.

'No, why would she feel that way, we hardly even talk and if she really does leave…Not to mention, I'm a freak after all.'

Itsuki looked at his hands, clenching them into fists as soon as he felt tears come to his eyes. It was so unfair. His mind then flashed back to Haruhi and Kyon; how he envied them. Mikuru and he knew deep down that they loved each other and were meant to be together, but Itsuki also knew how badly that had hurt Mikuru.

Suddenly, images of what had happened earlier crossed his mind, causing him to grit his teeth angrily.

How dare those men try to hurt Mikuru like that!? His Mikuru no less!

There was not a single drop of guilt or remorse for those men that he killed, but deep down, Itsuki knew that he may have gone too far. Especially after seeing how terrified Mikuru had looked. His mind didn't even want to worry about how he was even able to use his powers so easily in the first place.

'Now she'll never accept me…'

Itsuki finally broke, the pain in his heart was too much to bare now. Tears began to fall from his eyes to the floor, and then to the bed as Itsuki laid his head down, grasping Mikuru's hand in a somewhat pathetic attempt to comfort himself.

"Please, don't push me away for good Mikuru, please don't be afraid or disgusted with me," begged Itsuki between small sobs, before finally crying himself to sleep, still clutching Mikuru's hand.

After Itsuki dosed off, Mikuru had woken up. She slowly opened her eyes, blinking a few times as she tried to figure out where she was. The room was very unfamiliar, and consisted of a dark shade of blue colored walls. The light was off, but a single small lamp on a table gave the room a dimly glow.

Mikuru turned her head slowly, whimpering as she felt her body ache. The pressure from her hand then made her cringe and so she quickly sat up, startled to see a hand embracing her own, until she realized who was doing so.

"Itsuki?" whispered Mikuru quietly as she remembered why she was here, "That's right…Those men cornered me and then…"

Just then Itsuki stirred, causing Mikuru to become startled and scream slightly as Itsuki opened his eyes. Mikuru just stared, embarrassed by how she freaked out so easily and then began to blush as Itsuki looked up at her, noticing that he was still a little overcome by exhaustion.

"Mikuru," spoke Itsuki's voice gently, sitting up and rubbing his eyes afterward before smiling at her, "How are you feeling? You're not hurt are you?"

Mikuru couldn't help but smile. Even though Itsuki took Haruhi's decisions pretty well, he was always very kind.

"Yes, I'm fine. How about you? You didn't get injured, did you?"

Itsuki gave her a very reassuring smile before he answered, "Yes, I'm fine. I was really worried about you; no one knew where you went…" Itsuki cut himself off as he held Mikuru's hand tighter, blushing as he forgot that he was still holding her hand.

Mikuru felt like she was going to cry, besides Kyon no one was ever concerned about her. She quickly responded.

"I-I'm sorry Itsuki. I was just so mad and ashamed that I…" Mikuru stopped, afraid she would really begin to cry, but slowly felt herself becoming reassured as Itsuki squeezed her hand, she was still oblivious to the fact that they were still holding each other's even.

"I-I mean, I-I know why I should always listen to Haruhi, and I do consider her a friend, but sometimes I just…What she makes me do…I'm so ashamed…"

Itsuki looked up at the troubled girls face, trying to stop his urge to hold and kiss her right there so he instead tried to talk to her.

"Then, why don't you quit? You know I can handle her. You deserve to be happy, even if…" Itsuki found himself cutting himself off again as well, afraid of letting out how he feels. Sure, he knew that he was falling in love with Mikuru and didn't want her to leave, but if it made her happy then that would be good enough for him.

Mikuru sniffled slightly, looking at Itsuki with slight confusion and sincerity, "Thank you, Itsuki, but I need to stay. It's my duty after all"

'Duty?' thought Itsuki as he looked up at her again, but quickly shook his head and smiled.

"I see. Well, as long as your happy, Mikuru," Itsuki was so happy he couldn't stop smiling. Mikuru had just agreed to stay, and that at the moment was all he would ever need to hear.

"Itsuki?" Came Mikuru's voice quietly

Itsuki looked up, still smiling, "Yes?"

Mikuru hesitated. She was now thinking about how Itsuki saved her, and her curiosity got the better of her, "Itsuki, you're an esper right?"

Itsuki's smile faded as she froze, and his heart even skipped a beat but hesitantly he answered, "Y-yeah…"

Mikuru sensed the tension and turned her head, about to apologize for asking, but then Itsuki spoke again.

"I…frighten you, don't I..?"

Mikuru looked bewildered form the question at first, but then smiled as she giggled.

"Silly, you didn't forget I was there to help find the computer club president, did you?"

Of course, he hadn't forgotten about that, but still…

"That's true, but you never saw me do anything so…horrible, Mikuru…"

Mikuru kept her head down, pursing her lips as she thought back to the event. How those men had died…

"I'm so sorry Mikuru, I know that I…that I'm nothing but a freak…I'm so sorry"

Mikuru stared wide-eyed at the young man. In all this time she's known Itsuki she had never seen him so depressed, broken…ashamed…Mikuru felt tears in her eyes again as she felt like she was going to explode.

And she did.

"Don't ever say that!" cried out Mikuru as tears fell down her determined face, leaving Itsuki just stunned.

"You are a very kind person, Itsuki! You have always been there to help all of us! You even risked your life to save mine, and I could have been…been…" Mikuru couldn't go on; she began to sob her heart out on Itsuki's blanket, still looking as beautiful to Itsuki as ever.

Itsuki couldn't take it anymore. He got on the bed and held Mikuru lovingly, trying not to cry with her as he felt his shoulder become damp with her tears.

"Mikuru…Thank you"

They stayed that way till Mikuru had quieted down letting out only sniffles as Itsuki stroked her hair. It was only then that it finally slipped.

"I love you, Mikuru."