Disclaimer: I do not own this show or any of it's characters.

-Hello everyone! I'm back. I'd like to apologize for the late update. We lost internet connection for almost a week because our phone line broke down.

-Thank you for all the reviews :D

-This chapter is more on Amuto and a little bit of Kutau at the end. More pairings in the next chapter.

-That's it! Hope you enjoy this one please Review and tell me what you think :D

-On with the story!

I'm Home

Ikuto followed Amu outside of the bakery. She near a small bench and there was a huge tree right beside it. Amu looked around and saw that there was no one in that area, so she sighed in relief.

"Amu…" she heard Ikuto call her name again.

Amu turned around and faced Ikuto, but she couldn't dare look at him. She felt so happy when she saw him, but now, she didn't even know what to say. She felt bad that she ran away, torn that she couldn't see him anymore, but now that he was right there in front of her…she was just speechless.

Ikuto gave out a sigh and spoke "Come on Amu, we can't go on like this forever, you know that. You have to talk to me one way or another, because I'm not leaving unless you do."

"Why won't you ever give up?" Amu muttered, but to her misfortune, Ikuto still heard.

He raised an eyebrow and asked "Do you…want me to leave you here?" he felt pained that she didn't want to go with him.

"…" Amu didn't reply to his question "I should have never said anything…I should have just kept quiet." she thought to herself.

"Amu, please?" For once he wished she wouldn't be so stubborn. I mean, he's been reduced to saying please and almost begging to have her come back. Why she can't see that, he can't figure out.

"Why?" Amu finally asked.

"Why what?" asked Ikuto as he looked at her. Still, she refused to make eye contact.

"Why did you follow me here?!? Why did you even bother to find me?!?" yelled Amu, she looked at him and she seemed angry.

"Did you no want me to follow you?" asked Ikuto, he knew that she said she didn't want to be followed, but he refused to believe that.

"Yes! I wanted you to leave me alone!" replied Amu.

"Did you really Amu?" Ikuto asked again, he was not going to let her get off that easily. If he had to, he was going to make her brake her charade right there.

"I wrote it in my note didn't I?!?" said Amu "I told you not to follow me, not to look for me."

"Yes…" stated Ikuto "…you did…"

"Then why?" asked Amu angrily "Why are you here? Leave me alone Ikuto!"

"Why?" asked Ikuto "What are you talking about? Even if you did tell me not to look for you, tell me something else…when did I ever listen to you?" he asked with a smirk.

"…" Amu stayed silent and looked at him wide-eyed. He never really did listen to her, maybe sometimes, but…

"Well? Besides, even if I did listen to you before, this is one big exception." Said Ikuto "Did you honestly think that I would let you just run off without some kind of explanation?" he asked her.

"…" Amu still remained silent and didn't answer.

"Amu, what were you thinking?" asked Ikuto, he was dead serious now.

"What do I have to do?" asked Amu.

"Hm?" asked Ikuto confused "What do you mean?"

"What do I have to do to make you leave me here? To make you go away?" asked Amu, she wasn't looking at him again.

"…" Ikuto stayed silent for a while. He was really feeling pain that she wouldn't listen to reason.

"Well?" asked Amu again.

Ikuto sighed and spoke "Alright, then tell me, give me a good reason why you left. Why you want to stay and not go back."

"Because…." Amu started. She didn't know what to tell him, she knew that if she told him the truth, he'd make her go back with him somehow.

"Because what Amu?" asked Ikuto.

"Because…." She knew what to say, but she didn't want to say it. "Because I…." she wanted him to leave and this was the only way. "I don't….I don't love you anymore Ikuto!" she told him.

"…" That was it. It was like the world suddenly froze over. Ikuto couldn't believe his own two ears. Was she…serious? "Amu…what are you…" he didn't know what to say, he didn't even know what to do…

"You heard me Ikuto….I don't….love you…" she told him again.

His world seemed to break to pieces, every time she said it. Unknown to him, she was also breaking herself. Every time she said those words to him, she could feel herself breaking.

Ikuto didn't know what to say or do, he just stood there frozen. He couldn't take it. Did she really not love him anymore? Did she really not care? It all dawned to him so quickly….but then it happened.

Tears, he saw them, fresh tears forming on her honey eyes. He blinked a few times and then he finally realized what was happening here. "So that's what she's been trying to do…" he thought to himself.

"Amu…" started Ikuto. He walked closer to her, until the point where Amu's back hit the huge tree behind her. Because she was too preoccupied with stepping beck every time Ikuto stepped forward, she eventually made contact with the tree…typical Amu.

"W-what are you doing Ikuto?" asked Amu.

As Ikuto came closer, he placed both his hands on both sides of the tree, therefore, cornering Amu, and she now had no escape. "You know Amu…" he said slowly as his face got closer to hers "You're a very bad liar…"

"W-what do you m-mean l-liar?" asked Amu stuttering.

"Do you really mean what you say?" asked Ikuto "That you don't love me?"

"Y-yes! Why wouldn't I?" asked Amu, her face was beat red now because Ikuto was close to her.

"Really now? Then why are you blushing? Or stuttering for that matter? Care to explain it to me?" he asked her.

"I-I…." Amu didn't know what to say, she was at a dead end. "Why won't you believe me? I already told you that I don't lov…."

Ikuto didn't let her finish before he cut her off. "No, you do Amu. I know you do." He told her seriously.

"No I don't! Not anymore!" said Amu in disagreement.

"Then why?" asked Ikuto as he looked at her.

"Why what?" asked Amu.

"Why are you crying?" Ikuto asked her and he watched as Amu's eyes suddenly widened in shock…

"Crying…???" she muttered. Then she realized he was right. She could feel it now, her tears flowing out. And the worst part was, she couldn't stop it. Amu tried to make it stop, she didn't want to cry now, not in front of Ikuto. She wanted it to stop, but for some reason, she couldn't do it.

Ikuto smiled softly and she placed one of his hands on the side of her cheek. He wiped her tears away and spoke "You know, it's not possible for you not to love me anymore….because you told me you did. You wrote it in your letter, that you loved me…even if I am a perverted cat…"

"…" Amu looked at Ikuto and she cried even more. She then remembered what she wrote on that letter and she cried even more.

"Shhh…everything's okay now…I'm here." Ikuto told her, before pulling her into a warm embrace.

Amu just continued to cry, she cried in his embrace, but now, she didn't care. She broke so easily around him, it felt as if she were so weak, but that okay. "It's okay to feel this way…as long as it's Ikuto…it's okay…" she thought to herself as she continued to cry in his arms.

The two of them stayed there for a while and then Amu started to clam down. She still wasn't letting him go, but he didn't really care about that either. Ikuto looked at her and she just stayed like that, not moving, not talking, just breathing and silently crying a bit more.

"Amu?" asked Ikuto "You okay?"

"Hn…" she replied with a slight nod.

"Are you tired?" asked Ikuto with a worried tone. "We could go somewhere to rest and…"

"I'm fine." She replied before he could finish.

"Hm…then what is it you want to do then princess?" he asked her confused.

"Home…" Amu tells him.

"Home?" asked Ikuto again. He blinked a few times too.

"I want to go home. Let's...let's go home Ikuto…" said Amu as she closed her eyes, hugged him, not letting go or moving away from his embrace.

"Hm? You want to go back to Kana's or do you mean you want to go back home, as in home?" asked Ikuto. He began to stroke her pink hair as he waiter for her answer.

"I want to go home Ikuto…I miss everyone…" she replied silently.

"And I'm pretty sure that everyone missed you just as much…or even more Amu…" I told her.

"Everyone hates me." She told me.

"No they don't. They've been trying hard, day and night, just to find possible leads as to where you could have gone." Said Ikuto with a smile "They all care about you Amu…everyone does…"

"I'm sorry…" Amu's voice was shaking again, and it sounded like she was about to cry all over again too. "I didn't mean to cause everyone so much trouble…"

Ikuto pulled away from the hug to get a good look at her face. He stroked her cheek and smiled "You never caused anyone trouble Amu, I don't know what in the world made you think you did."

"All I ever did was make everyone worry about me. I cause everyone nothing but trouble and problems. I couldn't even take care of Ami." She told him and she rubbed he eyes to stop the tears from falling again.

"After everything that's happened to you? Did you really think they wouldn't worry? I was worried about you, I didn't want you to leave the palace. I wanted you to stay, no matter what it took…" Ikuto told her silently. "But…"

"I left…" said Amu "I told you that I would stay…but still…I left."

"Why?" asked Ikuto "Why did you leave? We were waiting for you when the ball started. I looked around for you, but you weren't there."

"I…had to go…" Amu told him.

"Did you really? Or did someone tell you to go?" he asked knowingly. After what Tara had said, he knew Mai told her to go. "Come on, let's sit down on the bench for a change."

Ikuto and Amu sat on the bench beside the tree. Amu leaned against Ikuto and he just continued playing with her hair. "So? Why did you leave?" asked Ikuto again.

"I…had a talk with Mai the night before…" stated Amu. "She told me to leave."

"And why in the world would you listen to her? Amu, that woman's crazy." Said Ikuto with a sigh.

"I know…but what she said made so much sense, I didn't know what to do." Said Amu sadly.

"What did she tell you?" asked Ikuto. He was curious, and he wanted to know what made her leave so badly as to move to another town.

Amu was hesitant at first, but she told her everything she could remember about her conversation with Mai. Ikuto just stared at her and he sighed when she was done talking. He stroked her hair and placed a strand of her hair that had fallen on her face behind her ear.

"Amu, of all things you could have done…you just had to run away…" said Ikuto with a sigh.

"I'm sorry…" she muttered.

"Hn, well figures what Tara said was true, Mai really did force you out." Said Ikuto.

Amu looked up at him with confusion all over her face "What do you mean by that? What's Tara-chan got to do with this?"

"Ah, that's right, you had no idea." Said Ikuto "Tara told me what happened, she happened to know that her siblings were planning something. Oh, and the Yamabukis were placed under arrest too…"

"W-what?!?" Amu stared at him wide eyed and she made an OoO face.

"Hm? Don't you believe me?" asked Ikuto with a smile.

"I-I...b-but how…when….why…" she didn't know what to ask him first and she stared feeling dizzy too.

"Let's just say…they were found out. Your friends made quite an impression at the ball. I have to say, I'm impressed with Kukai. He actually had the gut to shut Ryo up and punch the guy's gut too." Said Ikuto with a smirk as he remembered what had happened.

"Kukai…K-Kukai…hit Ryo?!?" asked Amu in shock. To her, Kukai would never go as far as to hit anybody, not up till now.

"Ryo was full of himself Amu, I guess Kukai just couldn't take it anymore. Ryo was actually lucky." Stated Ikuto.

"Why is that?" asked Amu confused.

"Because if Nagihiko and Utau weren't there….Ryo might not have been able to move again, he could have gotten off in a much…worse case scenario." Said Ikuto.

"….Is Kukai alright?...." asked Amu worriedly, she hoped he wasn't hurt in any way "And why did he want to kill Ryo so badly anyway? Kukai rarely gets angry." Said Amu.

"Kukai found out about what he and Mai did to you. He became upset. Kukai highly regards his family and friends, you are a part of his family. I was supposed to beat the guy to pulp, he just beat me to it." Said Ikuto with a smirk.

"….Oh…" replied Amu.

"Don't worry about it, no one got hurt…well maybe except for Ryo, but what the heck." Said Ikuto with a shrug.

"How are they? Yamabuki-sama and Saaya I mean." Asked Amu.

I looked at her wide eyed. These were the same people the hurt her, and yet she still asks if they're doing alright? Why in the world should she even trouble herself with them? He didn't know what she was thinking, but he knew something was bothering her.

"Amu, they're…fine I guess. They're in lock up, high security is watching over them at the palace." Said Ikuto "There really hast been much of a sentence for them yet."

"I see…" she replied silently.

"Why do you ask?" asked Ikuto "I thought these were the people that hurt you?"

"I know, sometimes, even I ask myself why I even care about it." Said Amu "After everything that they've done to me, I don't even need to care."

Ikuto smiled and spoke "I guess…that's just the kind of person you are. Kind, caring, Amu."

"C-can we go home now?" asked Amu silently.

"Alright, we'll go home. Anything you want Amu." Replied Ikuto.

"How are we going to get back?" asked Amu.

"There should be a boat down at the pier who's bound to take us back home. A lot of people are waiting for you Amu, let's not keep them waiting any longer." Said Ikuto with a smile.

"Can we say goodbye to Kana-san and Hannah first?" asked Amu and then she smiled "They took care of me when I got here, I owe them something Ikuto."

"Of course." Ikuto then let out a light chuckle "I don't think Hannah would like it if you just left without saying goodbye. She didn't even want me to see you because I was going to 'take you away' now."

"She's a nice little girl. Reminds me of Ami." Amu smiled softly as she remembered her little sister.

Ikuto helped her up from her seat and then lightly kissed her forehead. "You'll see her again soon. We'll clear everything up with your family line, and then you'll finally be able to live a free life. The life that you've deserved for such a long time now."

"I'm a horrible person Ikuto." Said Amu.

"No your not. You're stubborn, maybe a bit…oblivious and dense, but definitely nor horrible." Said Ikuto with a grin, he was trying to make her smile again and lighten the mood between them.

Surprisingly, it worked. Amu shot him a glare and then spoke "Are you insulting me?!?" she asked him with a pout on her face.

"No, why would I? I was simply stating facts my dear Amu." Said Ikuto. He started to emphasize her name all over again.

"When will you ever stop doing that? Don't you get tired of it?" asked Amu with a groan as she started to walk towards Kana's place.

"Nope, and I doubt that I ever will." Said Ikuto with a grin as he walked right beside her while holding her hand.

Amu giggled and knew he was never going to change, but that's just something he liked so much about him. He was so hard to read sometimes, but when he gets to open up to you, you can't help but feel it, all the emotion. Happiness, loneliness and many others that Amu had gotten from Ikuto.

The two of them walked to Kana's house and when they got there, they saw Kana and Hannah inside the kitchen, probably making lunch. Hannah then turned around and saw Amu and Ikuto standing behind them.

"Mama look, Amu's here!" Hannah yelled happily as she went over to give Amu a big hug.

Amu smiled as she hugged the small child back. "Hello Hannah-chan." She greeted.

Ikuto watched the scene before him and simply smiled. He soon noticed Kana smiling at him and he smiled back. "Amu, glad to have you back." Said Kana with a smile.

"I'm…glad to be back myself." Said Amu. She felt complete again, like she was once broken, but now, it was all gone. The pain and suffering had been turned into smiles of happiness and joy.

"So, will this be goodbye?" asked Kana, there was sadness in her voice, for she enjoyed having Amu around.

"Well…I need…to go home. My friends and family are all waiting there for me." Said Amu, she was sad about leaving too. She knew that she'd miss them. "But don worry, I promise to come and visit again."

"Well then, we'll be looking forward to it." Said Kana with a smile.

"Then you're really leaving?" asked Hannah sadly.

"Yes, I have to go, but I want to hank you for everything that you have done for me. Now, it's time for me to fix some things that started because of me." Said Amu "Things I need to put back in order."

"We wish you nothing but the best Amu." Said Kana and then she turned to Ikuto "You as well Ikuto-kun. Take care of her alright? And make sue not to let her run away like this again, or you might not end up as lucky." She told him with a warm smile.

"Thank you, and I will take care of her, that's a promise." Said Ikuto.

"I do hope that you both come back soon okay? We'll be waiting." Said Kana "And if ever you need anything, remember that our door is always open for the both of you. You're both more than welcome here."

"Thank you very much." Said Amu with a smile.

"Mister, you better make Amu happy, or I'll never forgive you." Said Hannah as she looked at Ikuto.

Ikuto knelt in front of the little girl and spoke "If something were to happen to her, I dot think I'd have it in me to forgive myself Hannah-chan, so don't worry, I won't let anything happen to Amu."

"You better not make her cry okay?" said Hannah with a huff.

"Now, now Hannah, that's not a very nice way to talk to him." Said Kana but she giggled slightly as well.

Amu and Ikuto started to pack their things, and once they were done, Kana decided to take them to the pier. She spoke to one of the people there and then she gestured for Amu and Ikuto to come closer.

"Well, I talked to one of the men here and he'd be more than happy to take you." Said Kana.

"Alright, thanks again Kana-san." Said Ikuto.

"Take care you two." Said Kana.

Ikuto and Amu got inside the boat and as the men started to untie the boat from the dock, Kana smiled and spoke "Bye now, and come back soon."

"Bye Kana-san." Said Amu with a smile.

As the boat started to take off, they could see Kana wave goodbye and they did too. Once they could not longer see the town, they were sure Kana could no longer see them as well.

Ikuto and Amu sat on the boat, patiently waiting for their arrival. They both knew that the town they came from was a bit far from their destination. Ikuto hugged Amu closer to him, and she simply complied with no complaints.

"Do you think they're alright back home?" asked Amu silently.

"Trust me, you should be worrying more about you than them." Stated Ikuto.

"I feel bad for just leaving that night without telling you or anyone else." Said Amu sadly "Forgive me?" she asked him while looking at him.

Ikuto smiled and spoke "There's nothing to forgive to begin with. You did nothing wrong, maybe make us worry a bit but you acted on what you thought was right, you shouldn't be pinning the blame unto yourself like this."

"I can't help it." Admitted Amu with a sigh.

"Come on, enough of this, you need to get some rest." Said Ikuto "You look tired, like you haven't gotten any sleep in days."

"I haven't." she told him, hoping though that he wouldn't hear.

Sadly, he did. Ikuto raised an eyebrow and looked at her confused "And what do you mean by that?" he asked.

"By what?" asked Amu. She didn't want him to know why she hasn't been getting enough sleep.

"Not getting enough sleep. Don't tell me you stayed up all night down at Kana's place. And if you did, why would you?" asked Ikuto. He didn't like knowing that she was being unhealthy.

"It's nothing…" said Amu with a smile.

Ikuto didn't want to push the topic any further, but he hoped to ask her about it once they get back home. He smiled and asked her "Are you excited?"

"About what?" asked Amu confused.

"To go back home to all your friends and family." Said Ikuto "They've all been worried about you."

"I know, that's why I owe them all a big apology. I made everyone worry, even you." Said Amu.

"I told you not to pin this all on you, so don't. No one blames you for it." Said Ikuto and then he added "I mean, even my parents seem ecstatic to meet you." He smiled at her.

"Eh???" asked Amu "What do your parents have to do with this?"

"Why do you think the Yamabukis got arrested? Everyone found out about them remember? The lies, and the fact that you and Ami are the daughters of Tsugumu-san." Said Ikuto.

"Oh…" replied Amu.

"Come on, get some rest. I'll wake you up when we get there." Suggested Ikuto.

"But…what about you?" she asked him "Aren't you tired?"

"Don't worry about me. I got enough sleep." Said Ikuto. He left out the part about him fainting and how Kana actually found him. He didn't want Amu to worry even more. She deserved some rest.

"Ikuto?" she called.

"Hm?" he asked her.

"…I'm home…" as long as she was with him, she was home.

Ikuto chuckled and replied "Welcome home then…Amu." He couldn't agree more.

"…thanks again for everything…Ikuto…I can't wait till we get back." she spoke before she slowly closed her eyes and drifted to sleep in his arms.

He smiled at the sight of the sleeping girl in front of him. He stroked her hair and kissed the top of her head before he muttered "After such a long time…things are finally starting to fall into place…things are finally starting to look up…" he smiled.

Ikuto looked around him, nothing but the vast sea. He looked up and saw the sun shinning brightly above them and the clouds looked like there was no chance of rain today, meaning they'd get back home smoothly. Relief washed over him, they were finally going home…together…

Back In The Palace

Aruto and Souko were with Utau and Kukai in the dinning room. See, when they decided to give Kukai a shot with Utau, they wanted to get to know him better. So poor Kukai had been dragged to the palace to 'meet the family'.

"Calm down…Utau said they were real nice people…I should have nothing to worry about…" thought Kukai, he had a nervous smile on his face and thoughts at the back of his head…

Saying he was nervous was an understatement, and saying he was confident was definitely an overstatement. He didn't know how Utau got him to agree to this, but now, he highly wished he had the ability to have said no.

"So, Souma-san…" Started Aruto as he looked at the nervous boy…

"Y-yes sir?" asked Kukai.

"Uatu has told us quite a lot about you." Aruto told him "We are more than grateful to everything you have done for her and Ikuto."

"Um…it was nothing sir…I was really happy to have met them, both of them." Said Kukai.

Utau noticed Kukai's nervousness and giggled. Never has she seen him so…well nervous. He seemed so unsure of his answers and it's like all his confidence flew off somewhere else.

"Why me?" Kukai thought to himself. He knew he had to meet Utau's family eventually, but he never expected it to be so soon.

"We heard that you and your brother own…a restaurant down town." Said Souko with a smile.

"Yes we do your majesty. Daichi and I make a living out of it." Said Kukai with a smile.

"Oh, then your parents must be so proud to have such helpful children." Said Souko. Almost immediately, Kukai's smile dropped.

"…" Utau looked at Kukai sadly and didn't say anything.

After a moment of silence, Kukai spoke up. "Ah…about that…."

"Is something the matter?" asked Souko confused. She noticed the sudden change in the way that Kukai spoke his next few words.

"You see….my parents….kind of…they passed away a long time ago." Said Kukai finally.

"Oh….I'm sorry." Said Souko apologetically, she never would have imagined.

"How did you and your brother survive, if you don't mind me asking." Said Aruto.

"Well, my parents, they were…murdered. My brother and I never really found the culprit anymore. We focused more on survival and livelihood. So, when we learned to live on our own, and provide for ourselves, we opened up the restaurant in full swing." Explained Kukai. He kept up a straight face and even smiled

"That's so sad…" said Souko "We could help you find the…" she was going to offer helping find the supposed murderer, if so that person was still alive, but Kukai cut it.

"I appreciate your concern…but I'd rather not look for that person." Said Kukai.

"And why not? Wouldn't you want to bring justice to what has happened to your parents?" asked Aruto. Kukai suddenly interested him. He wanted to know how Kukai would react.

"Well, as much as I want to know who did it, I don't want to end up in the line of seeking revenge, cause if I did…I'd be just as bad as the guys that killed my parents." Said Kukai with a sad smile "I can just hope for the best and continue to live the life that our parents wanted us to live. Besides, I don't think they'd want us to mourn over them forever. They'd want us to be happy…at least, that's how I see it."

"…" everyone in the room was silent, even Utau didn't say anything. The king and queen were amazed with his answer. And Utau…she just smiled and knew she chose the right person to enter her life.

"Truly, you are a remarkable person." Said Aruto as he gave Kukai a smile "Now, I understand what Utau sees in you."

"Thank you." Said Kukai "But, there's a lot I see in her too and I don't think I'm anything special." He commented.

"Really now?" asked Souko "I'm glad Utau has found someone like you."

They all continued to eat and then Nikaidou suddenly came inside the dinning hall. "Sorry to interrupt sire, but we had received a message from one of the townspeople."

"What about it Nikaidou? Is it urgent?" asked Aruto.

"Quite sire. It seems to be about the Yamabukis." Said Nikaidou "Confirmation of the lies that they've been spreading in town."

"I see. Well, as soon as Ikuto comes back, we'll be able to finish this issue." Said Aruto "For now, I request everyone concerning this case be patient for my son's return."

"Alright sire." Nikaidou bowed and then soon, he left the dinning hall.

"Well, when do you think Ikuto will come back?" asked Aruto as he sat back into his chair.

"That would depend actually." Said Utau "Once he's found Amu, he's bound to return here."

"It's only going to take him long because of travel. And maybe the fact that Hinamori's too stubborn to go back because she feels guilty." Said Kukai with a chuckle.

"I see." Replied Aruto.

"Don't worry sire." Said Kukai "Something tells me that they'd be back real soon…"

And if only they knew how right he was, Amu and Ikuto are finally going home. Now, all everyone had to do was wait, and soon, the verdict for the Yamabukis, Mai and Ryo will be announced as well. When all this is over, will they finally gain their happily ever after? One thing was for sure, they couldn't wait for their family to come back home….

Authors Note: There you have it guys. Thanks for all the review everyone! And sorry again for the lat update. Please Review and tell me what you think if you can. :D