With everything that had happened recently, all I've been doing in my office is paperwork. Yes, that meant I was hunched over my little desk doing little jobs here and there for Suzuki. Today's job was no different, but instead of a stack of papers, I had the files for every worker in this building.

"It's just a little something I need you to do for me."

This was definitely not 'just a little something' as Suzuki's words reappeared in my thoughts. They just needed to be updated with new cases if they've had any, absences from work, medical conditions and all that stuff.

With the five files on my desk, I began the gruesome work. In half an hour I had finished five files. Five. I placed the pile in a neat stack besides my desk and turned around to face the menacing looking stacks of files piled up to the doorknob besides the wall. Yes. Stacks. Two tall stacks as tall as the height from the floor to a door knob.

x

It's odd, I think to myself as I stare the new stack of files on my desk. It's odd how my life just spins in a tightly wound circle around me. I stare at two specific files on the desk amongst the few others.

'Amu Hinamori'

'Ikuto Tsukiyomi'

For a moment, I thought about stacking his pile with the finished ones. Just not bothering with it at all. What would be the point of that though? Nothing. I had to let go of old feelings. I had to stop resurfacing what had been starting to bury under new memories.

My ex-boyfriend.

My negotiator.

Mine…

Strange, I talk of letting him go yet…

I open the desk drawer and with careful fingers I pick up the broken necklace as though it would break at the mere touch of my fingertips.

You can't find a future in the past I tell myself as I set the necklace on the desk; its jewels sparkling gloriously under the sunlight from the open window.

I opened his file and began to go through the documents with as much precision and patience as I had with the others. There wasn't much that needed to be updated, just a few things about the SWAT stuff he had taken over and a couple cases. I got up and walked over to the large finished stack. Just as I was placing it down, the door flung open. Kukai ran in, hugged me and spun me around a few times with a goofy smile on his face. All the while, Ikuto's file had been dropped onto the floor forgotten about in the midst of this sudden burst of energy.

"Calm down," I said in between a laugh. "What's the occasion?"

Just as the words left my mouth, a flash of blonde hair caught my attention. A couple seconds later, Utau revealed herself from behind the door, her arms hanging limply by her side. But like Kukai there was a smile on her face.

"I tried to tell him, we'd tell you later. But he just can't seem to listen to a word I say."

"Sure I do. This was just too good."

"What?"

Utau opened her mouth to say something but her eyes quickly locked on the pendant on my desk. Her gaze slowly dropped to the floor and then she noticed his tossed aside file. Her brows furrowed together.

"This is a bad time Kukai. Why don't we tell Amu later?" she said her eyes firmly staring into mine.

I knew she'd noticed his things. Unlike Kukai who was blinded in his own world at the moment, she was as sharp as a knife. I broke my gaze away from her and turned to Kukai's disappointed face. I was not letting Ikuto interfere with anything anymore.

"Actually, I was just heading out for a small break. What's going on?"

He quickly went back into his energetic state. He wrapped his arm around Utau's shoulder and pulled her close to him.

"This pocket full of sunshine is my girlfriend."

"Amu," whispered Utau.

Instead of acknowledging her sympathetic gesture, I wrapped my arms around them in a group hug. A happy smile growing on my face.

"I'm so happy for you two. Honestly, you don't how long everyone else and I have been waiting for this day. When did it happen?"

"Yesterday really," gushed Utau in an exasperated breath. "We wanted to tell you but we heard you were out with Noelle…and Ikuto."

"I was seeing Shou," I managed rather tightly.

Before I could even blink, Utau had separated herself from Kukai, I was ushered into a chair and she was patting my shoulder.

"How was it?"

"Utau, I don't think we should be ruining this moment for you or Kukai by talking about something so insignificant."

"I've been with you and Ami since God knows when. So has Yaya. You know we'd do anything for you two. And if that means I have to pull the plug on Kukai's excitement level to talk to you, then that's what I'll do."

I stared into her violet eyes and embraced her in a large hug. I honestly don't know how I went from another boring day at work to some emotional ride in just a matter of minutes. Minutes!

Pulling away from each other, the both of us noticed Kukai had disappeared.

"Where'd he go?"

"To go tell someone probably," she shrugged.

As if she was some psychic, we heard Rima's groans of protest as she was dragged through the hallways against her will.

"I don't care if it makes you happy! Let go of me!" she shouted angrily.

"Calm down Rima," we heard Nagi coax.

"Do not tell a girl to calm down. EVER."

Before they even entered my office, Utau and I were already snickering. When they did come in, Rima shot the four of us dirty looks. Especially Kukai and Nagi.

"Well what do you guys want?"

"I'm dating that goofball," smirked Utau.

Rima's eyes widened and any trace of anger on her face disappeared. She immediately ran to Utau and embraced her.

Soon everyone began to warmly talk to each other. The new couple was teased a little as Nagi and Rima tried to make Kukai give Utau a little smooch. I was snapping pictures on my phone like crazy knowing that when Ami got out of her coma she'd want to see it all.

A knock on the door had us all quieting down.

"Hate to interrupt this little party," said Tsukasa leaning on the doorway. "But Amu we need you."

Frowning, I walked towards him.

"What for?"

"You've landed yourself a case."

Jumping up and down in my boots excited, I frantically turned to my friends. Rolling their eyes, they shooed me away with their hands. They knew I hadn't had a case since the suicidal jumper. I rushed after Tsukasa who began filling me in on the details.

"It's a hostage situation."

"Hostage? I haven't had any of those in a really long time now. Are you sure about this?"

"You're the only person who could do this."

"Two little girls…in you and your sister's situation."

Nodding my head solemnly, the two of us headed out to the parking lot.

"Just follow my car."

"Got it."

Following his black Honda, I noticed that where we were headed wasn't too far from my house. In fact we were pretty close to Utau's house. Tsukasa turned the corner and headed towards a convenience store. From this angle, I could see the beginning of the sunset. Checking the time, I noticed it was close to five o' clock. Tsukasa pulled into the parking lot of the convenience store where I saw a large pack of police cars surrounding the area. Behind them was a crew of spectators.

Tsukasa hopped out of his car and rushed towards me.

"Follow me," he said gruffly.

He shoved past the police men who were containing the crowd. My eyes then fastened on a man about six feet tall with dark brown hair and natural green highlights. My heart pounded against the cage of my chest, and before I knew I was racing after him. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders. He turned around and greeted me with familiar eyes.

"Hey Amu, what're you doing here?"

"Negotiating. You?"

"I was negotiating. You're putting me out of a job," he replied with a goofy grin.

I stepped back. I hadn't seen Kain in ages. It was good to be on a case with him again.

"What's going on so far?" I asked all serious again.

"Two girls – one of them is eleven the other is five. They're holding the convenience store hostage."

"Anything else?"

"They won't answer my damn calls."

"They're angry," I mumbled under my breath."

"Well they're starting to piss me off."

"Give me the phone, I'll try."

He handed me the silver device, the screen showed it already calling the store. I listened to the dial tone for a while before I heard a small click and some noises in the background.

"H-

"What the hell do you want now? I told you I didn't want to talk to your sorry ass. So why don't stop bothering me and take a hike."

Wow.

"Hi, this is Amu Hinamori. I'm a negotiator."

"Well that doesn't make a damn difference. The two of you are two peas from the same pod. Stop calling us."

I was starting to see how Ikuto felt when he was trying to negotiate with me.

"What's your name first off?"

"Karyn."

"Well Karyn, I heard you have some hostages on your hand. How are they? Is there anyone that needs any medical attention?"

"Them," she snorted. "Well they're scared. Pretty pathetic to be scared of an eleven year old if you ask me. I mean all I have a gun and that's for self-defense. It's not like I was going to shoot their miserable asses."

"You didn't hurt anyone?"

"NO! I wasn't even planning on taking hostages. I just needed some money for food, that's all."

"How's your sister?"

"Anju? Well…

There's a short pause, and I hear Karyn walking as though he was looking for her little sister. The phone drops to the floor and I hear someone crying. Karyn is shouting angrily.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, you disgusting piece of shit?"

Her sobbing transforms into wailing. And it is louder and more frantic.

"She needed to pay."

"Pay for what? Huh? For something I did?"

"Yes. The two of you are kin, thus your souls are tied by the same evil bond."

"What kind of fucking nonsense is this you dirty pig? I should shoot a bullet right through the middle of your head for harassing my sister."

The man was quiet.

"Say something old man. Do you want a hole through your head? Huh?"

"Karyn!" I shouted hoping she'd hear me, but it was hopeless.

The man had now begun to whimper in fear. The last thing I heard before the phone went dead was Karyn's sinister voice.

"If you want it…it'll kill you."

I snapped the phone shut and turned to Kain.

"Did she hang up on you?"

"No. There was a fight between her and one of the hostages. The phone went dead after."

I toke the notepad out of Kain's hands and began to scribble down some more information that would identify the situation further. I wrote down their names, and the fight that was currently going on. As well as why they came to the convenience store in the first place. When I gave the notepad back, Kain made a 'tsk' sound.

"Do women get angry if you don't call them by their names?"

"Usually."

"Maybe that's why she kept hanging up on me. I never asked her for her name."

Smiling, I went to check on the security. I tapped a man on the shoulder and he turned around, towering above me. He ranged around six foot five to six foot seven. I probably looked like a first grader to him. He had soft brown eyes and an evident after shave.

"I need to have a word with your boss."

"You're looking at him."

"Listen, I need you to tell your men to keep their weapons with them. I don't want them unsheathed or out of their holsters during this whole case."

"No weapon use at all…that's fine by me."

"Thank you. If you could tell this to your men too."

"I'll be right on it."

Nodding my head, I walked back to my original position and decided to give myself a couple more minutes before calling Karyn again.

Ikuto POV

I sat slumped on the couch; the TV in front of me showing horizontal bars of pink, yellow, green, blue, black, and white. The remote held limply in my hand and my eyes narrowed. Small, booming footsteps echoed from the staircase until a small figure stood in front of me, her hands on her hips, and brown eyes drilling into mine.

"I'm bored!" whined Noelle.

I looked over her shoulder to see the slow descent of the sun.

"I'm bored too."

"TV?" she asked in a shimmer of hope.

"Tough luck kid, it died."

She let out an annoyed breath then walked towards the door, sat down on the floor, and began putting on her sneakers. I watched her with amusement as she struggled to tie the shoelaces on her brand new black converse. After a while, she managed to tie them in a sloppy bow and got up with a determined look on her face. Noelle then got on her tiptoes, opened the front door, and stormed out.

Still pretty amused, I got up off the couch, turned off the TV and followed her out of the house. I had been expecting her to wait by my car if she wanted to go somewhere; instead I spotted her all the way down the street. Smiling, I ran to catch up with her.

I didn't bother asking her where she was going for a while. I figured she knew what she was doing. Even after she reached the stoplight and began to lead me down a few more streets. Not only was I amused, hell I was wondering why she wasn't tired yet.

We had now reached a sidewalk where little boutiques were lined up on the side. My hands were stuffed in my pocket as I trailed behind her. Shoppers stared at her with a fond expression. I could even hear some of:

"What a little darling!"

"She's cute."

"Is she a celebrity's daughter?"

That one had me laughing.

"Oh she's going to be a model someday."

I looked at Noelle once more, but tried to put myself in the place of the shoppers. Her waist long brown hair was flying behind her. She had on a white long sleeve, a bold blue scarf, jean shorts and her high top converse.

"Okay Noelle, we've been walking for a while now. Where are we going?"

"To go see Ami."

Sighing, I ran over to her, knelt down, and placed my hands on her tiny shoulders.

"Honey, we can't go see Ami today."

"Why not?" she demanded angrily.

"Well first off, it's really far from here."

"When Amu drove it was short!"

"Drove. She didn't walk. Second of all, Amu gave me clear orders not to take you because you have to go once in a while so you won't get sentimental."

"I ain't gonna be swentwental!"

"I'm not going to get sentimental," I corrected as I placed a small kiss on the tip of her nose.

"Can we go please!" she pleaded.

"How about this, why don't we go shopping for a little bit since we're already here. And then afterwards, when Amu comes home you can ask her if the two of you could go to the hospital?"

"You don't want to go?"

"If she asks me to come, then I'll go. Now let's go shopping."

I started to get up, hoping she was contents but her brows furrowed together.

"Amu said you can't buy things for me."

"Why not?"

"She said it's cause you gots a ship full of money…like a pirate!" she exclaimed.

And the a bit quieter she whispered into my ear solemnly, "Are you really a pirate?"

"Of course not…but when a full moon comes out on days like today when there isn't a single cloud in the sky, I head down to the sea where my ship awaits. There I set sail for months on a quest to find my loot."

"What kind of loot?" asked Noelle nervously.

"I don't know, sometimes gold other times precious jewels. But today I'm going after…QUESTION HUNGRY LITTLE GIRLS LIKE YOU!" I shouted pulling her off the ground and holding her in the air.

Noelle squealed in delight and terror attracting the attention of many shoppers who stared at us with warm smiles. But I paid to attention to them, as I basked in the young girl's laughter.

Amu POV

I paced back and forth nervously, gnawing on the fact that they could be seriously in danger. Kain who was currently leaning on the tree nearby stared from me to the building with an annoyed expression.

"Will you stop pacing? It's driving me insane."

"Sorry, but I'm worried about them. Karyn won't pick up my calls and she hasn't called back."

"They're probably ignoring you like they did me."

Shrugging, I turned to look at the convenience store once more. The lights within the letters were starting to turn on.

"I'll try calling once more."

"Go for it."

I dialed the number with nimble fingers and waited for the dial tone to end. I waited for several tones to go by, just like before when I heard a click come on. I breathed a sigh of relief. They were okay.

"Karyn-

"They're busy," snapped a familiar male voice before hanging up on me.

Several beeps followed.

A/N

Long Time No See! Or No Hear. Anyways, how are you guys? Angry? Frustrated? Don't worry so am I. But I've been really busy, from midterms, to finals, to Powder Puff practices, to Float Construction. I aced every single one of my finals: Biotech, English, Spanish and Dance. Ha-ha, yes dance has finals. So I was really happy about that. The last two weeks I've been preparing for Powder Puff – the game was this Wednesday. It was us freshmen and juniors vs. sophomores and seniors. Needless to say, we lost 7 – 15. But whatever, it was fun. Float Construction – wow that took up so much time, and it was presented during the homecoming parade which was today. It looked okay, but the others were WAY BETTER. Oh and one more thing about my long hiatus. I have Homecoming tomorrow. So excited.

Anyways so that's it about me. As I mentioned at the top I'm really really really really really sorry for like the 1 month+ wait. Thank you for being patient with me. I honestly love you all from the bottom of my heart. You just don't know how happy I am when I see people taking the time to read my stories, to even Review – wow. So thank you.

Oh and before I get to the thank you notes. I have an extra special Thank You to TinkToxiixix and her friend Autumn. TinkToxiixix sent me a little message that made me smile and I had been having a pretty rough day when I happened to login into my account. So I just wanted to say Thanks for making my day when it was so bad.

Well Thank You To:

JamyWard

alchemistlover14

Lollipop300211

Crystalapril735

animeluvr8497

AnimeRockzzz

Flowerfairy9751

CelestialEternity

XeMi-ChIx

NellyLuna252

kisshu-ichigo

TinkToxiixix

Cheerfulshadow3

AnimeFreaksRock96

Foxgrl18

Animefan7272

x-xMusicIsMyLifex-x

aznpride16xx

L o v e

Y o u

A l l

N e k o – M e m e