Meilin: As promised, I will update chapter four today in honor of Ikuto's birthday that was on December 1st ^.^
Ikuto: I only got one birthday wish – pout-
Amu: See? You're not as popular as you thought you were.
Meilin: Ouch…Don't be so cruel. Oh, and thanks for everyone who reviewed! I'm glad that this story is doing particularly well. :D
Ikuto: Yeah, who says that they won't send me belated birthday wishes this time?
Amu: We'll see….

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

Behind A Smile - Chapter Four: Betrayed

I'll love you 'till death to us part. An unconditional love, one that cannot be understood by anyone else besides the two, a bond that ties two people together - something built on trust. But when that trust is broken no friendship is ever the same.

"Amu," Kukai yelled out again. Adrenaline was pumping through his veins and not even the raging fires or smoke could stop him from looking for his friend.

There was the faintest sound of coughing. It was barely audible but it was there and Kukai heard it.

"I'm coming Amu. Wait for me!" With much determination, Kukai ripped through the flames and came upon a nasty obstacle in the kitchen. The door collapsed in a diagonal position and the ceiling had already caved in. But Amu was there and the bracelet Ikuto gave her was caught between the hinge of the door and the frame. Her waist and legs were being held down by the debris from the ceiling and the kitchen cabinets that toppled over when the roof fell in.

She was crying in pain - physical pain and emotional pain. The pieces of debris jabbed into her delicate skin and the weight from the wooden cabinets didn't help her situation at all. Was this afternoon the last time she saw Ikuto? Did he know that she was about to die? Would he even care? Would he even notice she was gone when he had Saaya around? All these questions bounced around in her head and in her heart. And to top it all off, she still didn't tell him that she loved him no matter what the circumstance. Whether or not he was dating someone else she wanted him to know. But now it was too late and she regretted it all.

Bam! Amu lifted her head to see the brunette smashing through all the trash that had been burned to a crisp.

"Kukai?" She wasn't surprised it wasn't Ikuto. He probably had his hands full with Saaya anyway.

"Amu, are you okay?"

"I'm stuck, Kukai! I can't get loose."

Kukai bent down to Amu, who was currently lying on her stomach, pulling on the bracelet that was attached to her wrist hoping to get free.

"Let me try." The boy grabbed onto the golden bracelet and tugged as hard as humanly possible but nothing worked.

"Kukai just leave! Forget about me. You can't die in here. You have Utau to get back to!" She looked straight in his eyes and said in a soft whisper, "Please, go."

He didn't say anything. He stood up and ran in the opposite direction. Shocking wasn't it?

A burning pain in her heart was felt when he left. So he really did leave? Her heart dropped into her stomach. Why am I sad? I told him to leave after all. He's got someone who cares for him, someone who needs him, someone who loves him. Who am I to take that away? Another person left her now. She was feeling completely and utterly abandoned at this point.

Just then another crash was heard but she didn't bother to look. Her house was falling apart and there was nothing she could do. All she did was close her eyes and prayed her last few wishes.

"You better hang in there."

Amu's eyes snapped open at the sound of the voice. "Kuaki? I thought-"

"You didn't think I would actually leave you here all by yourself, did you?" He gave her one of his goofy grins that everyone grew to love and his signature thumbs up. He pulled something from his back pocket and clasped it over Amu's bracelet.

"Now let's get out of here - The two of us." Kukai brought the pliers around the gold and cracked it into pieces, Amu's wrist being free. All that was left were the chunks of wood.

Kukai hopped over the broken pieces of furniture and began lifting them out of the way. Burn and scorch marks were left on Amu's legs as well as cuts, bruises, and jabs of broken flesh from earlier debris.

"Can you stand," he asked freeing her from the last of the confines. She struggled to get up with her arms but she couldn't move her legs at all.

"I can't move my legs."

"Not a problem." He picked her up very carefully but swiftly. Every now and then he would accidentally touch one of her scars and she would suck in a sharp breath because it stung. But he apologized sweetly every time.

Getting through the rosette's house was more difficult than imaginable. After everything was consumed in the flames of the fire, walls were destroyed, ceilings caved in, everything was charred, and the structure of the house looked nothing like how it used to be.

But Kukai managed to get them out and the ambulances were already waiting for them. Fire trucks sprayed the house down and all that was left was the base of the floor and a few unimportant items.

The brunette rode in the ambulance with Amu, never leaving her side. He held her hand as one of the paramedics tended to her wounds. A mask covered her face and pumped oxygen into it to help regulate her breathing, clearing out all the smoke.

"Kukai, where is...never mind."

"Ikuto?"

"..." A dull pain numbed her body. He guessed it but she didn't say anything. All she did was turn away. "Why didn't he come for me?" She was crying at this point. No sobs. Just dry tears.

"He wasn't home...he was with-"

"Saaya, right?" Her voice cracked and he sighed.

"Yeah." The silence after that was extremely awkward. Kukai knew that Amu loved Ikuto. She would always tell him the things she and the blue headed neko did together.

Amu trusted Kukai with all her secrets. He was another one of her best friends, maybe even closer. He was her big brother. He was family to her.

Amu was wheeled into a patient's room. There the doctor stitched up her wounds and prescribed her pain medication.

Kukai, being the sensitive guy he was, visited her during visiting hours and came to pick her up when she was discharged from the hospital.

"Shall I take you home, now?" He offered.

What was she supposed to say? Yes? She didn't have a house to go to.

"Um, is that a trick question? My house burnt to a crisp, remember?"

"You can live with me, but only if you want to." he suggested.

"I can't. I don't want to see them."

"Then where are you going to stay?"

After giving it much thought she finally came to a conclusion.

"I'll live with Aruto and Souko Tsukiyomi," she said boldly.

Was this a bad idea? It sure seemed like it. But Kukai was right. Where else would she stay?

"What if they say no? What then?" He pressed.

"Then I'll live in a hotel or find an apartment something. I don't know exactly but I'll figure it out. In the meantime, can we get out of here? Being in a wheelchair is bad enough. I'd rather not be in a wheelchair and stuck in a hospital."

Kukai nodded and pushed her chair to the car. I hope you know what you're doing Amu.

End Chapter Four - Upcoming: Chapter Five

Meilin: AHH! So there it is! It's getting so good!
Ikuto: You're the one who wrote it…
Meilin: I know but…I'm a sucker for romance, okay?
Amu: Yeah, but you have a tough outer character. – Rolls eyes-
Meilin: Hey, Missy, you shouldn't be talking! You're the same way when you have Ran!

-Both of them bicker-

Ikuto: -sigh- Please R&R! –Smirks- And you get a smexy hug from me. –Winks-

Ah! I forgot to do the 'Special Thanks' in the last chapter!

Special Thanks To: (Chapter Two)

nalizamutoforever
WasabiPanda
SilverDream
Asapdos4441
po tah toes
XxNekoHentaixX

Special Thanks To:

comedyqueen123
Jacovy
Ceze ar Qoga
Amuto FAN
xGrellSutcliffx
XxNekoHentaixX
Lunnette
xXxWhiteAngelxXx

Thanks For Everything! I hope you're enjoying this as much as I'm writing it!

Until Next Time!