Hey everyone! Long time no see! We're SO sorry for the really late update. We're not dead and we're certainly not giving up on this story, but school is absolutely crazy. With two of our authors in college and one in a busy highschool, we're really low on time to write. Updates will be quicker around America's Thanksgiving, Christmas, and whenever we can slip in time to work on the story. Again, we're sorry! I wrote in a Mikan Natsume scene to make up for it! ~NV

Chapter 15: Bonds

"I see," Kenji stated slowly. "So you chased your best friend, Hotaru, to Gakuen Alice and entered with the nullification alice. Then you were partnered up with that Hyuuga jerk and then later fell in love with him after awakening your stealing alice. I see, very interesting Mikan Sakura." Kenji's fingers tingled as they touched Mikan's forehead, reading her memories.

"Kenji, why did you save me?" Mikan asked confused about the 13 year old's recent actions. "Not that I mind, but it was slightly uncalled for. Don't you think?"

"Well uh." Kenji struggled to find his words. "Obviously it was to keep the stubborn hostage alive so that we can further question her later when she's willing to submit to our demands." Kenji turned his face away from Mikan's in an attempt to avoid eye contact as his face began to turn slight red. Mikan didn't understand the sudden burst of color on the boy's cheeks.

"Are you sick?" Mikan asked. "You're looking a little flushed."

"Mind your own business," Kenji stammered. "I'm fine."

"Kenji-kun, you seem like a pretty nice boy. Why are you working in the AAO and with that Zagi jerk?" Kenji's eyes flared, sending a startled chill down Mikan's flesh.

"Don't you dare say anything against this organization or about Zagi-sama!" Kenji warned. "This organization has been a safe haven for me and if it's anyone that's the jerk, it's you Alices! Everyone of us has had their lives ruined because of these blasphemies that God gave us. Zagi says that the key to erase all alices from this world lies within you." His eyes filled with a twisted hope Mikan hadn't ever seen before in her life. She left it even more when he gripped her hands in his. "Don't you see Mikan? With your stealing alice, we'll be able to put an end to all alices that way no one will ever have to bear the pain of loneliness, rejection, or fear from having to carry an alice ever again!"

Mikan pulled her hands away.

"Don't say that! Our alices are gifts from God, he gave these to us so that we may use them to make this a better world," Mikan tried to convince him.

"If God really wanted us to use these alices to help the world, then tell me, what good does it do to use your alice if you have the fourth alice shape?" Kenji questioned. Mikan's heart clenched. She'd asked herself about a thousand times. She didn't know how to answer that especially when considering Natsume's alice. Sure, his alice did protect her from the evil of the academy, but it was still a double edged-sword as it limited his life span after every use and almost killed him during the battle against the ESP.

Mikan opened her mouth to answer, but no argument came out.

"See you can't even come close to thinking of a legitimate answer. In one way or another, alices bring nothing but pain. Especially for those who have the fourth alice shape. Not only are they feared due to their massive power, but they'll also end up killing themselves if they use this so called 'gift' that God gave them," Kenji said. Something in Mikan's mind clicked. She was never able to read her school books and comprehend them, but with people it was different.

"Kenji," Mikan asked shakily. "Do you have the fourth alice shape?"

Kenji's lack of reply confirmed her suspicions.

This poor kid, he does have it, doesn't he? If it weren't for Hotaru, Natsume would have died because of his alice shape. There's no doubt that Kenji has used his alice quite a lot while being a member of the AAO so he may be walking in the path of Natsume and not have much time left in his life yet.

"Kenji, I have the third alice shape, intermter, interminte, inter-" Mikan was then interrupted and corrected by an annoyed Kenji.

"Intermittent."

"Yeah that's it!" She gave a soft smile and nodded. "Anyway, I know that by me having the third alice shape I wouldn't be able to understand the exact burden that you and Natsume share by having the fourth alice shape, but I do believe there is a reason why you have it, and-"

"Reason that I have it, and what's that? So I can die an early death?" Kenji responded with obvious hurt in his voice.

"No no no!" Mikan quickly responded in an attempt to calm Kenji down. "Kenji, I can't figure out the answer for you. Only you can determine what the purpose of your alice is. Natsume used his alice to protect his friends and loved one's. He knew despite the impact that it had on his life, this is what he was given his alice for to protect those close to him and I always admired about him. 'Alice' in itself isn't bad. It's how you use it makes it bad. And how you're using your alice right now, to harm others, that's what makes you and your alice bad."

"You have no idea what I've been through," he muttered.

"Then tell me." Mikan placed a hand on his shoulder and gave an understanding smile.

"Why do you care?"

"Because I want to help you, Kenji-kun! I owe you my life," Mikan assured him.

Kenji sighed, before beginning his story, "I was adopted from an orphanage when I was a baby. They didn't tell me much, only that they found me in a blanket somewhere along the side of the road. Like I had been dropped there or something."

"I'm sure your parents didn't just drop you off like trash," Mikan commented.

"Just let me tell the story." Mikan's mouth shut at the request.

"Long story short," Kenji breathed through his lips. His voice shuddered "The people that adopted me thought Alices were the power of the devil walking on earth. I remember sitting down to family dinners and hearing all about how terrible Alices were. Can you imagine that, Mikan? Sitting and listening to how terrible you were, so much so that you couldn't tell anyone about it?"

"No," Mikan said sadly. "I can't even begin to imagine."

"Exactly. When they found out who I really was, an alice, they ditched me like my real parents." Kenji's eyes glossed over with salty water and emotion. "They called me a demon."

"Kenji-"

"It was okay though," he said. It was almost like he was saying that just to himself. "Because I met Scarlet and she loved me like no one else would. Like an older sister. The only real family I've ever had."

Mikan's mind slipped off for a second to Hotaru, the closest thing she would have to a sister. Then, she thought about Natsume and a fast flash of complete love was replaced by a heavy load of hurt.

"Mikan, you have to understand," Kenji said to her. "The evil AAO that you have in your mind is so much different than the true nature of the AAO. All we want is what's good. The only difference between us is that our ideas are different."

"I hope that one day we can figure out what that is," she said finally. "Maybe in the end we can even work together for what's right."

"I'd like that," Kenji muttered. The smile on her face couldn't help but force Kenji to smile too. "For now why don't you sleep. Get some rest while you can." Mikan nodded and snuggled against herself on her makeshift bed.

Flashback~

Mikan was snuggled up against Natsume. Mikan had been back at the academy for a few days and Narumi sensei had made it very clear that this was strictly off limits, but she couldn't help it. There was something so comforting about Natsume's warm embrace around her that she didn't care what rules she was breaking, she wanted to be with him.

They had been laying like this for a while now. Mikan's head rested at Natsume's chest so the only sound she could hear was his breathing and heartbeat. Her mind drifted off to a memory when his heart didn't beat, and she held him closer. Her next breath was shaky as she fought the memory away.

"You okay?" his voice broke through the darkness. She didn't answer for a few seconds. If she had answered right away, Natsume would be able to tell she was lying. She had to at least wait a few seconds to regain her composure. She listened to the sound of his smooth heartbeat. Thump. Thump. Thump.

"Natsume," she said quietly into the cool air. "I love you." The thumping in Natsume's chest skipped a beat, and she smiled.

"I love you too," he said back. His hands pulled her face to look at him. "Don't think about it. I won't be leaving you again."

Mikan loved how no words were needed in order for Natsume to know her worries. His hands pulled her face closer to his. "I will always love you." And then he kissed her. She wrapped her arms around him, pulling him on top of her. Her mind and body was too exhausted for anything to passionate that night, so instead she just pressed her lips against his. Every few seconds, she would pull away for a split moment and kiss him again, the way couples did. When she pulled away, she noticed a slight disappointed groan from Natsume.

"When we get married," she told him. "We can kiss in bed all we want. We can kiss all the time anywhere, really. We won't have to worry about this school, or the AAO, or anything. It'll be just us." Natsume's lips worked their way from her shoulder to her forehead.

"I can't wait," Natsume whispered in happiness. Mikan snuggled as close as she could, kissed him one last time for the night, and closed her eyes.

End flashback

This chapter was written by Sonic-keyblade007 and Neverlookback756, then edited by Edwardelric108. Let us know what you thought in a review!