(Start Chapter)

"Mama, Papa..." I paused, looking down at my feet and playing with the hem of my shit. "I don't really know where to start except for... I don't know..." I paused again, then looked up to see my family. Mama and Papa sitting close to each other on the couch, cuddling, and Ami sitting on another chair, looking cautious. "Mercy would be freaking awesome right now."

"Amu dear, what is it? Can't you just tell us?" My mom looked at me with meaning. I had to avert my eyes for a moment, feeling incredibly guilty. When I looked back I could see my dad's face had paled and holding onto Mama's hand quite tightly.

"I'm..." I looked away again, then to Ami who just nodded at me. I sighed and continued, "I'm pregnant." When I got the "preg" out of my mouth to "pregnant" my father fell off the couch, foam forming and leaking from his mouth and all color leaving his face. Mom just stared at me wide eyed.

"Who's?" She demanded.

"Who else? My boyfriend. I'm not a cheater mom." I looked at her as if she was crazy to think it was anyone else's. Though she gave me a worried glance back. I was a junior, third year in high school and somehow it was unbelievable that I wouldn't cheat?

"It's awfully hot outside yet you're still wearing such things, Amu?"

I laughed nervously. "It's comfortable, thats all I note for," I said, looking down at my long sleeve turtle neck shirt. I wore shorts that reached mid thigh. I wore the long-sleeve shirt because it was the only shit I had that was long enough and big enough to hide the obvious bulge in my stomach that could be either me getting extremely fat... Or the other.

The rest of the party was uncomfortable, though when my parents let me go, I was off! "I'll be back later," I yelled, nearly out the door.

"When's later?" My mother asked in a stern voice.

"Tomorrow morning maybe?" I called before closing the door behind me. I was on the loose. Ever since eighth grade I'd been running around. I'd go to Tadase's mostly but on occasion his parents wouldn't let me see him. So instead I'd go see Nagi or Utau. Now you may ask me why I'd still hang out with Utau when a certain someone disappeared but she was just as devastated.

We could talk about it to each other when we knew we couldn't consult in anyone else. I also admit that I did talk to Nagi about it, but not as much as I told Utau. I would ask her is she'd heard from him, she's shake her head 'no' with a sad smile. After the middle of ninth grade, I stopped asking, and so did she. What she asked? "Do you still have feelings for him?" I'd nod my head yes immediately and ask why she thought differently. "Tadase." All she had to say was his name and I knew what she meant. I was dating Tadase so she wanted to make sure I still loved her brother.

Around the middle of sophomore year Tadase's parents told him that he'd be moving into a temporary apartment with himself because they needed to work on the house. He thought it was a great idea, being that he and I could fool around all we wanted without having to be extra quiet or wait for everyone not to be in the house. I often stayed over at Tadase's new house a lot more than I did my own now.

"I'm home," I called out. The next thing I realize is I'm up against a wall, strong arms holding me off the ground. "Hey Tadase honey, be careful of the baby. He's fragile." My voice shook with surprise. He gently let me down with a smile on his face, then kissed me on the cheek like a gentleman.

"I'll be watching TV," he told me before walking off to the living room. I looked around me once more. It wasn't much of an apartment but a house that was attached to other homes on the sides. My gaze fell onto a photo hanging on the wall of when Tadase and I were a few years younger. He had paid a professional photographer to hang around us for a few hours and take our pictures. We got all dressed up and went to the park. The picture hanging on his wall was the last one the photographer took. I was asleep, my head resting against the base of a tree with a single tear rolling down my cheek while Tadase was kissing the other. A vanilla ice-cream melting in his hand.

I was so happy and in love with Tadase.

I cleaned the house up day after day, the beer bottles that he somehow acquired, the messed up sheets from his "nightmares", which only happened when I slept at my house. One night I stayed there, I was nearing my day, and the baby's. Tadase was beginning to become angry, day by day getting worse. One day I found him in the bathroom, his fist going through the mirror. He held one of the larger pieces to an angle, showing me in the reflection. My body trembled for a moment, then froze all together.

He dropped the piece into the sink with all the others and turned around, nearly glaring at me as he grabbed a bottle of whiskey near my arm, making me flinch. He looked me in the eye again, a sad look touching his. He lifted his hand to my cheek, rubbing it. "I'm sorry," he muttered. "I'm sorry." He walked past me and sat on the sofa and proceeded to watch TV.

Another day, a few weeks before I'd be emitted into the hospital Tadase found me in the hallway of his home, sitting against the wall with my legs pulled as close as I could get them to my stomach. He leaned down, showing me a bear he'd gotten for me. "Here," he muttered, letting me grab it from his before he walked off, out of the house again. I just set it beside me, letting my head rest against the wall before I returned it to the fridge.

We'd decided that for the sake of our love and for the child, we'd marry after we graduated from high school. Also, even with having a child in my belly I still attended high school, maybe not as often but I was there and got... Good grades. Grades enough to pass, with a lot of help from friends. Without me knowing time flew by and my baby boy was born. "Hikaru," was his name I chose for him.

The doctors said I was lucky, I said it was time for a nap and much needed pain killers. Thirty two hours of labor. And since I was a teenager they'd only give me mild painkillers for the process of giving life to this child. I screamed so loud that I'm sure people on the top level could hear me, me being on the bottom floor. Tadase visited a few days later, saying that he was filling his portion of the marriage papers out, and that we'd be married soon.

I don't know how I did it, but I somehow made myself believe I was happy with Tadase, that he was my dream man and I'd never be anything without him. Not it was something i had to convince myself. His anger problems sometimes got so out of hand now that I feared for myself, and my baby. I'd achieved my goal and completely forgot about Ikuto... Well... That's a lie. I didn't completely forget about him... I mean... Whenever Tadase and I did naughty things I'd always think about him. Whenever I had free time to think or was around Hikaru, I'd think of him. Whenever Tadase wasn't around, which started turning into a lot after the first few months, I'd find my mind turn to Ikuto once more. And then again.

After Hikaru was born, Tadase didn't touch me for a while, but soon I was wearing long sleeves and long pants. He'd started to hit me. It hurt, but I didn't mind. Another thing, the evidence was becoming more clear than ever. Tadase was cheating on me. He wasn't demanding naughty things from me anymore, something I was glad for. He found it ridiculous that I wanted a job, but let me be part time. "You need to take responsibility of your child," he say, acting like Hikaru was a thing that was mine solemnly and thus I needed to care for all of his needs.

I tried to leave him when I turned twenty, when Hikaru was nearing two, but Tadase caught me. He placed the boy on the couch, without thinking that if he fell off his head would ram straight into a glass table. He dragged me to the bedroom where he tied me to the bed and set part of it on fire. He put it out before it got close to me, but kept on taunting me. He'd light something on fire and let it close to my hair, face, or other parts of my body after he'd torn my cloths off.

I cried, begging him to stop, but he never did.

After sometime I finally left, leaving anything that wasn't necessary behind and stayed with Nagi for a little. This is when I really found out about what Rima and Tadase were doing. He was sad to say that the whole group was beginning to turn on me, but it didn't mater, all I needed was to get out. He said that He still loved Rima, and if there was a chance that this was some wired faze in her life, he'd be willing to come back to her once she was over with it. I was sad but happy for him, he was strong, unlike me.

I left Hikaru with Nagihiko while I went to Tadase's house, and surprise, surprise Rima was there. "Tadase, I filed the divorce papers." I slammed the thick sack of papers onto the side table nearest the door and turned, intending to leave right after if my hair hadn't been pulled. Hard. I let a yelp escape my throat, my neck being twisted directly back. "Let me go," I tried to say in a threatening voice, trying to be on top but was only pulled back more to the point when I fell backward onto my butt.

"I told you didn't I?" I looked up at Tadase, an evil glint in his eyes. "If you ever try to leave me I'll fucking burn you." Fear broke through me in waves, I'd remembered all the times before where I'd gotten very minor injuries from being to close to his lighter.

"Let go, Tadase." I never had been so happy that Rima had spoken up. "She's ruining my mood. If this keeps up I won't want to do it with you." I was quickly released, thrown to the ground. "Get out," she hissed towards me, and I greatly did so.

I returned to Nagihiko's house, cuddling close to my child as I fell asleep. The next day I was determined to find a apartment, and after three places, found one. I lived there for a week before my garbage was set on fire, then my windows broken. I moved, paying the land owner much more than I should have, but it was necessary. I did this three times before I found a place, making sure Tadase or anyone else wasn't anywhere to be found. We lived there for many happy months, until one two-in-the-morning visit.

There was a loud pounding on the front door that woke me from a sweet slumber. In the last second before my conscious came too I remember seeing the back of a blue haired man, walking away from me once more. Hikaru called out to me with a cry, "Mama!" he'd yell between cries and tears. I stumbled over to him, rocking him back and forth in my arms as the pounding continued.

"Bitch, let me in!" A voice yelled through the door.

I'd been away from him for a little over a year now, never seeing his face but his actions were severe enough. I'd waisted away any money I'd ever saved for college and other expenses from my savings... in fact, I'd gone in dept. When I looked through the eyehole there was Tadase, a thick shadow heaving on his shoulders. I didn't open the door, I didn't even tell him to go away. I took Hikaru into the farthest room away from the door and closed the door, blocking it with anything I had.

I moved again, but this time within three months Tadase was waiting for me on my front porch. I didn't confront him, I just took a back alleyway and jumped in through my window. The next time I moved, I moved again simply out of fear, then again and again. I saw him for one last time before I moved into the small apartment in which I nearly burnt down.

I'd been living there for three years, seen him only from the corner of my eyes, in a bar or hanging off of some girls arm. It seemed that Rima vanished after so long, either being bored of Tadase or tired of his crap. It wasn't until the night before Mother's Day that Tadase appeared, taking everything to the next level. "Hey sugarcane," his voice echoed in my mind, "How about we go back to my place and have some fun."

I cuddled close to Ikuto, the darkness starting to get to me. Shudders ran through my body uncontrollably. He held onto me, rubbing my arms because it had gotten so cold. I was shaking before I knew it, and he listened, trailing kisses up and down my neck trying to calm me down. By the end of my story, he was hugging me so close that I thought I'd die if he let go of me.

"It's a little confusing here and there but, I think I got the just of it," he muttered in my ear. "Tadase was such a little prince who became so fucked up." He laughed at this remark, as did I with a small giggle. I looked up to him, though I could hardly make out his features in the dark.

"Why did you ask about seventeen on? Not before seventeen or when you left?"

He looked guilty, for all I could see. The nervous movement, then fidgeting, and then that sigh. "I..." He thought once more about the way to say things, then decided. "I came back, to check up on you." My body stiffened, asking when this was. "A few days before you went to go to the doctor to confirm you were pregnant. I never thought that you really were until I met Hikaru. I left shortly after you found that you were, I think."

I sat in front of him, anger riding my emotions. "Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you show yourself? Why didn't you do anything?" Before I knew it my fists were lightly hitting his chest, tears streaming down my face like a river just being loose from a floodgate. "Ikuto, do you know how much I hurt?"

He just hugged me close to him, rubbing his face against my hair. "I couldn't tell you, I was so scared," he began, answering every question of mine. "I showed myself to Tadase, even threatened him to stop cheating on you. I tried, but I had little power." He whispered this all into my hair, holding me as I cried into his chest, onto his shirt. "I know how much you hurt, I do. Just believe that I tried to do everything I saw myself that I could do."

"Ikuto, it hurts. It hurts so much." He rubbed my hair down, shushing me in my ear as I cried. We stayed like this for many minutes, even maybe up to hours, but Ikuto stayed by me, protecting me.

"Amu, this may not be the time... But..." I pushed myself away from him, trying to get a better look at him.

"What is it?"

"I'll ask you later, we should get home soon." I nodded, rubbing my face against his. We sat there for minutes more, cuddling close, until Ikuto brought me to my feet.

"We should get going, you look really cold."

"I can never comprehend how you can see in the dark like this." I mutter, shaking my head side to side. He just laughs lightly, then looks at me. I could only really guess at this though. We stopped, with a sigh from Ikuto.

"Here," he says, handing me his jacket. Well, he didn't really hand but force me into. Soon he also forced me into his pants... And no later than that, I was sitting in his car, the heater on me and Ikuto in his boxers, shirt and shoes. It made me blush, even though I'd seen him naked before. My gaze never lingered on him for to long, afraid I'd get ideas... and he'd get ideas as well.

It wasn't long before we were home, Hikaru already in bed sleeping. I gave him a kiss on the forehead before I crawled into bed, cuddling close to Ikuto. He'd taken his jacket from me, along with his pants and the little amount of clothing I had on. I was a little embarrassed, though also a little excited on what he might try. Ended up he just wanted to put me in a pair of his 'pajamas', boxers and a tee. A little confused why because I have my own... But I won't complain.

He whispered words into my ear of comfort he kissed me lightly to sleep. I held onto him, keeping him close. I didn't want to be one second without his body warmth away from mine, his sent of irish spring body soap from my nose, or the touch of his hand holding onto mine tightly. I slowly fell into a sleep, a dream made of clouds and a sky made of pinks, oranges, and reds. The sun was setting. Everything around me felt warm, though when I turned around I was alone. I smiled weekly, suddenly realizing I was dreaming. I'd wake up to Ikuto. This thought alone made everything seem all the more warmer, and put a true smile upon my lips. I'll wake up in Ikuto's arms, home.

(End Amu' POV)

(Ikuto's POV)

I watched Amu sleep for only a few minutes before I fell into a dream of my own. It was warm at first, though all color was stripped of this world. I looked around trying to find any sign of where I was. It seemed like a while before I came to something familiar, Amu. Everything lit with color. Her side was bright, light colors, like her hair, while mine was darker shades, like my eyes. I quickly ran to her, though only be separated by something. She smiled such a sad smile and touched whatever was separating us. I didn't hold the sadness in my eyes back, she'd know anyways.

She mouthed, "I'm tired, I'm going to take a nap. Stay with me?" I nodded back at her, encouraging to do so. She leaned against the invisible force, her back to me, though I could still faintly see her face. I fell to my knees after what seemed like forever of watching her sleep. I shoved my fist against the force, trying to wake Amu up. I just felt like she'd been sleeping to long. I did this repeatedly. Nothing seemed to work. I stayed there, waiting for more hours to pass. She didn't move. Not even to breath. And all color vanished. Was Amu dead?

I thrashed against a new force that seemed to hold me, moving me further away from Amu. I called our her name in another desperate attempt to wake her. Nothing was working. Not the thrashing, not my silent voice. I tried to thrash harder, shoving, punching, kicking. Nothing worked against this force, pulling me away faster and faster. Soon, Amu was out of my sight. Out of my reach. She was gone.

I gasped, thrashing against blankets that I'd found my way to surround myself with like a cocoon. I tried to thrash harder, feeling claustrophobic suddenly. I thrashed, and thrashed. I stopped thrashing when I thought came to mind. If I was awake, where was Amu? I looked around desperately but could not find her. I stopped in my tracks when another thing occurred to my mind. I was no longer in my room at home, but another room that I had inhabited a long time ago when I was a teen boy. Had I fallen into another dream? Or was I just waking up to reality... No time had passed?

My gaze rose to the ceiling above me. I was laying on my back. My eyes felt heavy, not with sleep but just heavy. I rolled to my side only to find Amu with me. I quickly looked around. I was back in my room, with Amu and Hikaru. I let out a thankful sigh, returning to my side and holding Amu close. I ran my fingers through her long pink hair, caressing her cream toned cheek, and lightly giving a kill on her cherry lips. I loved this woman... I'll always will love this woman.

My mind was made up!

"I- ahhhh -kuto?" Amu's yawn made me nearly burst into a fit of chuckles, but I held it back. Instead I kissed her once more, letting a "hmm?" hum through my throat. "I love you." I smiled sweetly at how groggy she was this morning.

"I know, though I'll never get used to how you sound when you say that to me, or how every time you do I can't help but smile or listen to my heart try to pound it's way through my chest just so it can see yours." I rubbed my face against her hair, breathing in her sent. She giggled to my remark, though put her hands on my shoulders to pry me off of her.

"You're so romantic and cheesy," she said, nearly laughing as I urged myself closer to her. "Ah!" I overpowered her, throwing her underneath me as I cuddled closer to her, wrapping my arms around her and kissing her neck.

"I love you." She looked me straight in the eyes and I could tell by her surprise, I looked extremely serious. I needed to do this now, or I would never get another chance. I slid away from her, walking out of the room, leaving Amu confused. I knew right now she might think I'm mad, but she won't think that in... Now. I walked back from my car in the garage to my bedroom. Amu was in the doorway, I'm guessing in pursuit of me. I picked her up, carried her out to the balcony, and placed her on the railing, where her cheeks instantly turned a pink from any possibility that a neighbor could see her in my clothing.

"Amu," she was sitting on the railing, looking as embarrassed as ever and confused. "I love you, and you love me." She nodded, wondering what I was implying. "I wanted to make that clear before I asked my next question." Her eyes widened as I went down on one knee. "With the understanding that there is undoubted pure love between us, the knowledge within myself that I would be a better father to any children of yours than any man upon this earth, and that I will never force upon you anything you are not willing to do, I implore you, Hinamori Amu, to agree to be my wife, my mate, and my lover."

Her face was pure shock, she swiftly looked away though, a deep crimson coming to her cheeks. "My last name isn't "Hinamori" anymore," she mumbled under her breath. "And where'd we get the money for any of the wedding things? How would we do it, anyways?"

"Yes or no is all that matters," I said, not letting my hope drop even an ounce, but rise instead. "We can work the details out later." I continued to look at her, and was shocked when I saw her shaking. "What do I have to do?" I asked, thinking of a quick way to bring her back to a smile. "Dress in drag and do the hula for you to marry me?" Her head quickly snapped back to me. She took in a breath, looked as if she had a hard time swallowing, which I bet her throat was dry. "Will you marry me?"

"Yes. I do."

I stood, quickly catching her right hand as I did so. I kissed her knuckles, then made my way up her arm as I slid a ring onto the proper finger. I laid a light kiss on her lips, not letting her have time to kiss back before I pulled back. I let go of her hand to move away, knowing a deep smirk was on my face. I didn't predict that she'd pull me back, tangling her fingers in my hair while pulling me into a sensational passionate kiss.

I pulled her off of the railing, letting her legs wrap around my torso, so i could hold her closer. Her face was flustered, her eyes in a daze, her hair slightly messy, her lips plump. I let her slid down my body so she was sitting on her knees, and then I joined her. "Wow," she murmured. "It's beautiful, Ikuto." She was looking down at the ring I bought her.

"I was thinking of you, trying to find a ring that could match your beauty. I must say my search didn't end well, so I bought you the one that would fit you best. No object, being, or creature could be as beautiful, amazing and shiny as you are." I caressed her cheek again, laying light kisses here and there.

"Shiny?" She asked, her voice holding a laugh.

"Yes, shiny. Your existence has brightened so many people's world. Especially my own." I planted another kiss on her lips before lifting her up. "I'm sure your hungry, so let's celebrate tonight." She looked at me, questioning my wording. "We can eat breakfast right now, but we'll celebrate tonight," I tried to clarify. She just shook her head while letting out a laugh.

"Let's go eat breakfast then."

(End Ikuto's POV)

(End Chapter)

Done! With this chapter. One more to go and then this will be done! Look forward to it soon. I practically already have it written. All I need to do is some editing and I'll be done with it.

Really exciting chapter, huh? I tried to get more things in during the 'time with Tadase' thing... But got confused halfway through and just re-wrote it. Haha. The ending I was watching Poke`mon while writing. Woo Hoo! I can't say Poke`mon helped with the romance one bit but it made me crack up the whole time I was writing it. Haha.

Loves!

Responding to The Reviewer's Corner!

TheQueenOfMe

Hope it filled in the gap of Amu's past a little for you. :) Though, if any one get's Hikaru, it'd have to be a multi-parental agreement between many. He might end up turning into a lady's man if that happens though. Haha. Hope you loved this chapter a wee bit more than the last. :)

CreativeJournalist

Life is the one obstacle in everyones way, though you have to get an education and finance somehow. Haha. That's how writing chapters sometimes gets for me so it's no big problem. Hope this was a good chapter. :)

Hope everyone enjoyed! The next chapter will be the last! Look forward to it and please Review since it already looks like your reading.

Again,

Loves!