Meilin: Hello my children! :D I'm back from Rome! It was so beautiful! My teacher was a bastard but I still had fun :)
Okay, so I was supposed to update yesterday but school was so tiring. I fell asleep. But anyways! In honor of Ikuto's birthday yesterday, I am going to update today and tomorrow!
So without further ado….

Ikuto: Aznpride16xx does not own Shugo Chara – Just the Plot

Behind A Smile - Chapter Three: A Broken Doll

She was just like a China doll - flawless skin, beautiful clothes, and a perfect smile painted across the lower half of the face: A personality that was always forced to smile - True emotions hidden away. Just like a broken toy she, too, was being tossed aside.

Struggling to open her eyes, Amu let out a groan of pain. She was running a high fever and her breaths were slow and heavy.

Where am I? she thought to herself not recalling what happened the night before. She remembered nothing.

"Are you feeling better?"

The pinkette was startled by a deep voice. She thought she was alone in her small house. She opened her eyes to meet a beautiful pool of midnight blue eyes.

"Ikuto," she managed to mumble before going into a coughing fit.

"Don't ever do that to me again." He said desperately as he pulled her into a protective embrace. "Do you know how scared I was when I saw you collapse?" Amu's coughing died down and Ikuto released her from the suffocating bind. He placed his hand on her head and ruffled her hair. "What would I do without my best friend?" Silence filled the air for no response was heard. "I'll go make you some soup. When was the last time you ate?"

Embarrassed because she knew he would scold her she pulled the blanket over her mouth and muffled into it. "Since the plane ride home," she said hoping he wouldn't hear. Unfortunately for her, he did.

"Two days? Amu!" He didn't yell but his voice snapped a little too harsh for her ears.

Before she could apologize for ignoring her health Ikuto snapped again. "You need to take care of yourself!" Knowing that yelling at her wouldn't accomplish much, the blue-headed man sighed. He changed the damp cloth that he previously place upon her forehead and stood up.

"I'll go make that soup now but you have to promise me that you'll take better care of yourself." As childish as it was he stuck out his pinky finger and she linked her finger to his.

"I promise."

Without another word, he smiled at her and headed towards the kitchen. A few minutes passed by as Ikuto was in the kitchen and Amu was lying on the couch bundled up in many layers of blankets.

Despite her fever, Amu was feeling relaxed now that Ikuto was taking care of her. Somewhere in the back of her mind she felt uneasy but couldn't remember why.

"Ikuto," she called in a horsed voice. He didn't seem to hear her. "Ikuto, can you get me a glass of water?" Still, no answer.

Slowly she got out of "bed" (her living room couch) and walked over to her kitchen. She had enough energy to stand but walking made her a bit dizzy. She also noticed that she wasn't in the clothes she was wearing the night before. She blushed at the though of Ikuto changing her.

Finally, she made it to the kitchen and the first thing she saw was that girl, making soup. Not Ikuto.

Everything suddenly flooded back into her mind all at once. Her fever was no longer tamed and spiked to a high temperature. She collapsed to the ground. A loud thud was heard when she hit her head against the marble table and her body slammed against the ground.

"Amu!" The voice didn't sound too concerned but it was good enough to fool anyone. She was making the soup but immediately stopped and ran over to the pinkette, leaving the pot on the stove unattended.

Ikuto heard the commotion and ran over towards the two ladies. "Amu, what are you doing getting up? You're not stable."

I'm not stable? She thought. He probably didn't mean it that way but...

"I'm sorry I'm such a burden, then." She said partially sad and partially with bitterness.

He looked at her with sad eyes when she began to tear up. "You know that's not what I meant."

I know it's not. "Whatever," she whispered. Amu, holding the cut on her head from bleeding anymore, tried to walk back to her living room but Ikuto picked her up bridal style and carried her off.

"I said you're not a burden. I'm doing this because I want to." He smiled down at her and she laid her head against his chest.

"I'm sorry." She said.

"For what?"

"For taking care of me. Thank you."

"Actually," he said setting her down on the couch and pulling over the covers.

"Saaya!" He called. Saaya responded with a 'yes?' and walked into the room.

"Amu this is Saaya she's the one who helped you shower and change. We've been dating for a while. Saaya, this is Amu, she's my childhood and best friend."

"It's nice to meet you Amu."

Well it's not nice to meet you.
She shouldn't have been thinking that way but she was jealous. What could you do?

Amu just gave her a sad smile and a polite nod of the head. "Could you guys leave me to sleep for a little bit?"

"No. You need to eat first. You haven't eaten since before you got back. "

"But Ikuto I'm not-"

"No buts. Eat now." he gave her a spoonful of soup that Saaya brought in from the kitchen a little earlier.

"I don't want to eat it," she said as a few strands of tears dripped down her face and onto the blankets.

"Please don't cry. I'm sorry I yelled at you. But you promised me that you'd eat it."

It's not because you yelled at me. It's because you didn't make it.

You would think that Amu was acting like a child and Ikuto was treating her like she was one, but this was just how they acted. Like an older brother and younger sister and a particular someone didn't appreciate that.

"Fine," she pouted. She slowly sat up in her chair and Ikuto started to feed her. Saaya was awkwardly watching from a distance.

After finishing, Amu resumed her position under the covers. Ikuto and Saaya left and soon after the front door was closed the pinkette quietly cried harsh tears into her pillow.

Ikuto and Saaya walked over to Kukai's house where the couple had an interesting discussion.

"Baby, when are you going to tell her?" The redhead whined.

"Soon."

"When is soon?"

"I promise I will, very soon. Just not now. She's sick. I'd rather not overwhelm her."

"So as soon as she gets better, you'll tell her?"

"Yes, I promise."

"Thanks Ikuto," Saaya said giving him a kiss on the cheek and walking into the house.

I wonder how she'll take it. I'm so excited to tell her.

Ikuto had no idea the pain he was causing Amu whenever Saaya was around. He didn't know about his best friend's strong feelings towards him. He himself used to love her but when times passed and she was gone he felt the need to move on.

He thought that Amu made new friends and possibly could have fallen in love with the many years she's been away but he was dead wrong.

Never once had Amu considered to love another man and not a single thought crossed her mind that Ikuto might have fallen in love with someone else.
Stupid. She thought. I'm stupid. A sad excuse for friend. I can't even take care of myself. Pathetic.

Not everyone has a happy ending. She was no Barbie. She was far from it - No longer beautiful. No longer had flawless skin, only cracked. No longer had beautiful clothes, only ripped and tattered. No longer perfect, a painted smile that was fading away into nothing- Emotions that no longer showed at all...

...because she was a Broken Doll.

Unconsciousness enveloped the girl as she cried herself to sleep. The worse part of today was supposed to be over but another disaster had occurred.

Coughing, wheezing, blindness and blurriness, the burning heat and the weak body of a sick girl...

"Ikuto," Kukai called. "Amu's house is burning down!" He didn't wait for a response. He dialed the number for the fire department while running toward her house.

Kukai turned the doorknob. "Damn. It's locked. Amu! Can you hear me?" No answer. Backing up a few inches, the brunette ran at full speed and kicked down the door that came crumbling down afterwards.

"Amu, where are you!" Frantically looking for the pink-headed girl, Kukai whipped his head left and right. No sign of her.

She wasn't on the couch where she was before. Then where was she?

End Chapter Three - Upcoming: Chapter Four

Meilin: Okay so there it is. I hope you guys like it. Oh and sorry if the format is weird...I'm using my friend's computer and it's ...weird...lol. Please R&R!
Ikuto: And leave me some birthday wishes – wink-
Amu: Narcissist…