"See that's what you get for wearing summer time clothes in the winter and working out in the cold…in December!" exclaimed Ami replacing the melted icepack on my head with a newer one.

"Sorry," I coughed.

"Really Amu, sometimes I feel like I'm the oldest one."

"Yes, yes little mother hen."

"Very funny, now I'm going to go take a shower. You're soup is in the kitchen and when you're done, don't go anywhere…you are to march back upstairs and go to sleep. Do you hear me?"

"Yeah."

"Good, now I'm leaving."

She turned around and headed out of the room. I waited for a couple minutes and when I heard the water running and the glass door slam shut, I quickly got out of bed and got dressed. I put on a beige Yale sweatshirt one of my friends had given me and really light and loose skinny jeans. Over that I put on a pale green raincoat that had a fur outlined hood, a long white scarf, and white earmuffs paired with matching gloves. Yes…I was wearing all that.

I then ran downstairs…actually I tried to run downstairs. I walked into the kitchen and lifted up the lid of the pan and looked at what Ami had made me and took a sniff. I wrinkled my nose in distaste and quickly put the lid back on.

"I should've known she'd make me clam chowder. Yuck," I mumbled to myself.

I walked towards the cabinet, pulled out a large bowl of ramen with the vegetable packet, chicken flavoring and finishing sauce inside and a spoon. I put them in an overly large white bag and then put on a pair of gray uggs, grabbed an umbrella in case and walked out to my car. I was about to open my door when I turned around and hightailed it back inside.

I grabbed a sticky note and wrote a small note to Ami so she wouldn't freak about me. Smiling, I stuck it to the pot of clam chowder and walked back outside and to my car.

Ami POV

At Home

I hadn't stepped into the shower yet when I heard a car engine turn on…a very close car engine. I walked towards the window and looked out to see Amu in her car…speed off.

"Really Amu?" I shouted, putting my clothes back on and running downstairs.

The minute I was downstairs a bright pink sticky note on the pot of soup I had made caught my attention. I walked over towards it and read the note.

Don't be worried about me Ami. I'm only going to work.

P.S. I didn't eat the clam chowder…I took ramen instead.

Amu

Crumpling the note, I walked to one of the kitchen drawers grabbed a phone book and threw the note away. I opened the book and looked for 'Work'. When I finally found it, I grabbed the nearest phone and called the number.

"Hello?" answered a male voice.

"Hi, this is Ami, Amu's little sister. Who's this?"

"Oh, Ami…it's Ikuto."

I grinned and quickly made up a plan. This is where drama class came in handy.

"Oh Ikuto, its horrible! Amu's really sick and even though I told her not to go to work, she didn't listen and went. I'm worried sick about her!"

"Ok, what do you want me to do?" he asked rather nonchalantly.

"Just keep an eye on her at all times…please. She's the only family I have left."

There was silence on the other end and I knew my sad and dramatic ending had grabbed him.

"You got it."

"Sucker," I smiled.

Amu POV

I turned the car into an empty parking space and checked my bag.

"Soup…check. Donuts…yummy check. Thermos…check," I said closing my bag. "And coffee, check," I said grabbing my coffee from the cup holder.

I closed the door shut and walked into the building where I was greeted by a frantic Rima.

"Amu where have you been?" shouted Rima.

"Ami wouldn't let me leave the house because I caught the flu. Anyways, what's going on? Is there an emergency? A case?"

"No, Rima just freaks out when people are absent," said Kukai passing by us with a donut in his mouth.

"Oh. Well I'm here now Rima, and if you guys don't mind I'm going to settle down in my office."

"Oh, ok Amu," replied Rima turning back around.

I turned around and headed back to my office. I put my bag in the corner, pulled out my coffee and donuts and began to work.

1 hour later

"Ugh, I'm so tired!" I shouted to no one in particular and stretched back, touching the wall behind me.

Sighing, I got up, grabbed my bag and pulled out the bowl of ramen. I took the bowl and walked to the staff room where the coffee maker, microwave and other materials like that were. I put the bowl in the microwave for 4 minutes and 30 seconds. In the meantime I leaned on the counter waiting for my food.

"Wow, I'm pretty sure it's not that cold in here," said Ikuto walking in.

I watched him walk to the coffee maker and start making himself a cup of coffee.

"What do you mean?"

"Sweater, raincoat, scarf, earmuffs, gloves. You've gone all out for winter."

"Oh, I totally forgot," I said taking off my earmuffs, and gloves.

"I never said take them off."

"But you said-

"Yes, I said you've gone all out and it's not cold. But I never said to take them off. In fact, it actually looked quite good on you."

"Are you hitting on me?"

"Did my attempts fail?"

"Yes."

"Darn. Now tell me what's up with wearing super winter wear in a building?"

"I'm sick."

"Oh, really?"

"Yes, really. Ami wouldn't let me leave the house…so I had to sneak out."

"Oh no, my mom said I can't hanging out with bad girls," laughed Ikuto sarcastically.

"And my…mom said I can't hang out with strangers…," I said my voice turning quiet all of a sudden.

-Beep Beep-

I turned around, grabbed my soup out of the microwave and started to walk out.

"Sorry, I have to go…um eat."

I dashed out of the room and sat down in my office. I softly slammed my head against the table and cursed myself. Damn it, it's been 10 years Amu. Let it go. Don't turn so emotional every freaking time you want to talk to yourself.

"Knock knock," said Ikuto knocking on the open door. "Can I come in?"

I looked up and shrugged.

"Sure thing."

"Listen, I'm sorry. I'm not sure what I said wrong, but every time I talk about something in particular you seem to get upset and emotional."

"No, no! It's not you, it's me. It's something stupid…personal don't worry about it."

"I don't know. Ok how about this, how about you come out to lunch with me? How does that sound?"

"But I made ramen."

"Or we could go to a noodle shop this afternoon."

"Sure thing. But I'm still eating this."

"Knock yourself out."

Grinning, I peeled the lid off and began to eat. After a while I looked up and noticed Ikuto was just staring at me.

"Do you want me to hire you as a piece of furniture? Maybe a statue? Some sort of paperweight?" I asked.

"No."

"I see you've left all humor at home today."

"…"

I sipped up a noodle and got up from my desk. I fixed my scarf and walked towards Ikuto and started to walk around him in a circle.

"No humor…no wise ass jokes…all seriousness…hmm."

I then abruptly stopped and took a step closer to him. We were inches apart…but I wasn't doing what you would normally think two people this close we would do. No, instead I raised my hand and put it against his forehead.

"You're not sick either!"

"No, but you'll make me sick if you keep touching me!" exclaimed Ikuto.

"Oh look, you're not sick after all. I'm going outside."

"Did you finish your soup?"

"No."

"Too bad, eat it all."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"YES!"

"NO?"

"YES!"

"No."

"No."

"Yes!"

"Yes! That marks it you're eating the soup."

"What? No? That's that not fair!"

"Whatever."

"."

As I turned around my office door flung open.

"Amu!" panted Rima. "Code red emergency! Hurry!" she shouted running out of the office again.

I was puzzled and so I looked to Ikuto, his face had gone a bit pale.

"What's a code red emergency?"

He immediately snapped out of it and grabbed my arm and began to run out of my office.

"I'll tell you on the way! Just hurry!"

There was no one in the hallway. None of the usual groups of officers who stood in small groups were in the hallway. No one was in the coffee room I had been in minutes earlier. It felt as though we had entered another crime scene…as if this place had been abandoned. Ikuto was also quiet. On his face was a look of dread and urgency. He knew what was happening, I did not. I wanted to ask though. Not just one question but a lot. What is a code emergency? What's happening? Where are we going? Why aren't you telling me anything?

Without me noticing, we were all gathered in the conference room which was really big. It almost seemed one-fourth of the size of the building. I looked around, everyone's eyes were sort of wide and their faces were pale. Others seemed rather calm and there were those that were just freaked out.

Ikuto let go of my arm quickly and walked in front of me as though I wasn't there standing behind him confused. Everyone saw him…nobody saw me…

"What's going on?" he asked Tsukasa who was standing there in the front.

"There was a phone call…and it's been labeled as code red. Five suicide bombers have come into an elementary school. They're planning to blow it up."

"Okay so who do we need?"

"About 70 cops, 1 negotiator and another negotiator for backup and 2 detectives. We're also calling in the SWAT and bringing in the K-9's."

"Okay we'll have Rima, Kukai, Nagi, and I for all of the positions plus the others."

"That's perfect. Everyone is dismissed. Hurry and get to your positions."

My blood went cold and I just stood there still as a hundred people went past me. Soon there was no one in that room except Tsukasa. I felt stupid. Worse, I felt…unneeded. I was just about to leave when Tsukasa called me.

"Amu, you're the negotiator in charge."

"…Okay."

I walked out of the conference room and walked back to my office to close the door. Walking back, I noticed Ikuto coming out of his office. The same Ikuto that cheered me up. The same Ikuto that had made me laugh minutes ago. God this guy makes me seem bipolar.

"Ikuto!" I called out.

He turned around and walked up to him and backed him up to a wall. We were barely inches apart.

"Listen here," I said angrily but calmly. "I don't know what you're playing at here but I don't like it. I'm not some toy you can joke around with but when times get serious just toss me. I am very much a negotiator as you are…as any other negotiator here. And I may not have as much experience as you but at least I can address my fellow colleagues and make sure not to leave anyone out."

Ikuto didn't say anything. He was calm and didn't try to move…but all the same his eyes were on mine. His midnight blue eyes…cold and hard. In one swift movement, he slid out from under me and pinned my back to the wall putting his arms on either side of me. I scowled.

"And I don't like some naïve newbie telling me what to do. I hope we're on the same page," he said with a fake and cold smirk before walking away.

What the hell had just happened? This was my fight! I'm the one who had to bring him at a lower level and make him feel stupid…no instead he did my intentions…to me? I cursed and stomped out of the hallway and to my car.

I was about to open the door to my car when Kukai quickly slammed it shut and grabbed my arm. He began to run.

"Dude? Where are you taking me?" I shouted angrily.

"Code red emergency! We share 1 big car!" he explained quickly.

Though, he didn't have to explain, because there in front of me was a huge jeep that looked like it could seat 20 people. Yes, it was that big. Out of nowhere I was shoved into the car and before I knew it people started to push and shove to find a seat. Some chick pushed me and I hit the person the next to me accidentally.

"Oh, sorry!" I apologized quickly.

I looked up and saw Ikuto, and quickly closed my mouth and frowned. He was smirking. Why was he smirking? Who smirks?

"Couldn't resist me could you?"

"Of course I couldn't, because your charm is just making me want to faint," I remarked with obvious sarcasm dripping from my voice.

"I know how you feel."

"I could care less how you feel."

"Ouch."

"Not caring."

"You know you like it."

I groaned and just as I was about to turn around I saw a 'chunky person come into the car…he sat besides me…and now I was sandwiched between him and Ikuto. Now see I love the chubby people of the world. And I don't really see any difference between them and the skinny peoples because they're all human. But…in this case…really?

I could feel Ikuto's warm breath on my shoulder. And I could hear the silent thumping of his heart. It was all oddly…bothersome. I was too close. Too close to comfort. I felt strangled. His breath on my shoulder…I can't breathe. It's all too familiar. All too painful. I need to get out.

My breath turned ragged, and I started to panic. But it wasn't over. The door slid open again…another person came in and sat next to the chubby person next to me making the space we had tighter. Skin on skin. Their breaths on me.

My heartbeat raced. My breath was more ragged and it was louder than before. The drumming of the heartbeats. Everything was too loud. I lifted my hands to my ears…I wanted to stop the noise. It was getting to me. I couldn't block out the noise. I lifted my hands higher until they were on my head. I held my hands their tightly and looked down to my lap. A few tears trickled down my face.

"Get me out of here…" I whimpered quietly.

"GET ME OUT OF HERE!" I screamed scrambling out of my seat.

I started pushing by people when Ikuto roughly grabbed me by my shoulders and slammed me back into my seat. He was in front of me and he was pinning my shoulders down to the seat. I clashed against the seat…all eyes were on me.

"STOP IT! LET GO OF ME! …stop…STOP! HELP ME! HELP ME! HE'S GOING TO GET ME! GET ME OUT OF HERE!" I screamed at the top of my lungs.

"Calm down!" whispered Ikuto roughly. "No one's going to get you-

"YOU'RE WRONG! GET ME OUT! GET ME OUT NOW!"

Tears rolled down my eyes and I went limp in my seat. I brought my knees closer to me and put my hands on my head. I began to rock myself back and forth humming a small tune.

Kukai leaned over from the back seat and looked at me then to Ikuto.

"I think you should drive her to the school yourself."

"We can't and you know that. In code red emergencies we go together."

"Look at her Ikuto. Do you really think she can handle being in this packed car like the rest of us can?"

"Tsukasa?" asked Ikuto.

"It's fine. Take her with your car Ikuto."

"Okay. Amu…get up we're going with my car."

I didn't listen to him…his voice like the wind went right past me. He crouched down in front of me.

"Amu, can you hear me? We're leaving."

No response. Ikuto sighed, and picked me up bridal style. My body went limp but my brain was flashing its own code red emergency. Touch! Contact! Closeness! Get out! Touch! Contact! Closeness! Your in danger!

"LET GO OF ME!"

He didn't listen. He continued to get out of the car. I looked around, everyone was staring at me but no one was stopping me.

"RIMA, KUKAI, NAGI! HELP ME!" I shrieked.

"Sorry Amu…." whispered Rima.

No one came to my rescue and I was out of that car and dumped into another. Ikuto gingerly put me in the front seat and closed my seatbelt. He then shut the door and walked to the driver's seat where he did the same. But instead of just driving, he sat there and stared at me.

"What do you want?" I whispered in a sullen voice.

"What do you want to do now?"

"Hah…w-what happened to not answering a question with a question?"

"Sorry."

Ikuto looked at me more closely and frowned. Even though she was making witty comments, she was still shaking and rubbing her hands up and down her arms.

"Are you okay?" Ikuto asked.

"Of course I am…why wouldn't I be?"

"You can cry if you want. It's fine."

"Don't treat me like a child!"

Ikuto unbuckled his seatbelt and leaned over towards me. He pushed my head into his chest and he wrapped his arms around me very loosely. I pushed at him, and tried to get his grasp on me, off me. But he only held me there tighter.

"It's okay…you can cry. I won't say anything against you."

I held my head there limply for a moment and then I felt the first tear just roll down my cheek. Another tear followed. And another and before I knew it I was sobbing.

"I can't believe I'm actually crying."

"And you're worried about that."

Author's Notes

Long time no see…literally. Oh my gosh it's been such a long time since I've updated the last chapter. I feel super bad. Anyways, I've received numerous messages and reviews about the sadness of the last chapter. And I too was on the verge of tears when I wrote it. Thanks for all the support and look forward to the next chapter!

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