Hello! Okay, so I just kinda randomly came up with this at nine o' clock at night. XP This is loosely based off of the song White Horse by Taylor Swift. DO NOT OWN THE SONG OR SHUGO CHARA. Hope you like it! Oh, and Amu's about twenty-three in this.

White Horse

Amu was sitting against the wall, her head bowed, arms hugging her knees. It couldn't be true. It just couldn't. How could it happen? Wasn't it... Impossible? Not him. Anyone but him.

Tadase had cheated on her.

She'd heard about it earlier. Nagihiko had wanted to hide it from her. He didn't want her to get hurt. But when Amu had gone on about how much she loved Tadase and how she thought he might be the one... He just couldn't let her deceive herself.

She wasn't sure what to do. She'd only heard about this happening to other people. She'd never actually had it happen to herself. She'd never expected that Tadase... Her Prince Charming Tadase...

Amu closed her honey eyes. She couldn't just let this go. She had to confront this.

So Amu picked up her cell phone and slowly dialed in Tadase's number.

The phone rang twice before he finally picked up. "Hello?"

Amu paused before answering. "It's Amu."

"Oh! Amu!" He sounded so pleasantly surprised. As if Amu had just made his day by calling her. The pinkette's heart twisted in pain. How could he sound so happy after doing something so terrible? "Do you need something?"

Another pause. "Yes, actually. I do."

Tadase waited for a moment for her response. When it became evident she wasn't going to, he said slowly, "What do you need? Amu, are you okay? You sound... Upset."

Amu had noticed his hesitation before the last word. She knew that wasn't the word he wanted to use. She knew the word he wanted to use, because she could even her it herself.

Her voice was dead.

"I heard. About what you did."

Silence. The phone crackled slightly. "I'm not sure I know what you're talking about." But Amu heard the change in his voice. He suddenly sounded formal. Almost cold. Amu closed her eyes. If she needed any more confirmation, this was it. That change in tone was it.

"No, Tadase. I know you do. About that girl. About Saaya."

Silence. Crackle. "I'm so sorry, Amu! I... I just don't know what happened... I was just suddenly so weak..."

Amu smiled weakly. She had known before, but somehow actually hearing it coming from his lips hurt her more deeply than when it had simply been something she heard. "You were weak?"

"I don't know... I was just... Something must've happened beforehand. Amu, you know I would never do something to hurt you! I would never do something to hurt you so deeply! You can't tell me that you don't... You do know that, right?"

Amu nodded. Of course she did. She thought she did at least. But apparently... "I did know that. But apparently I was wrong."

"No, no, no, Amu, listen to me. This isn't what it sounds like. It is not what it sounds like. I didn't do this on purpose." Amu almost laughed. How exactly does one cheat on accident? She didn't know. "She was just... I don't know, it just sort of happened... I didn't do it on purpose, I swear!"

"If you didn't do it on purpose, than how did it happen? Explain that to me." And on some level, Amu wanted for him to be able to explain. She wanted for him to be able to explain this all away, as some sort of accident, some sort of misunderstanding. She didn't want for it to be true.

But Tadase didn't respond.

Amu laughed quietly for a moment. She'd never felt so utterly shattered. "I see."

"Amu, wait. This can't be... This isn't..."

"This isn't what it seems like?" Amu interrupted. "This can't be true? There's no way that I could ever even think of ending this?"

"Ending...?" Tadase whispered. His voice was suddenly rushed. "No. No. No. Nothing is ending here, Amu. Nothing is ending. I mean, how could it just... end? How long has it been? Five years?"

"Six, actually." He couldn't even keep track of their anniversary. "And yes, it can end."

"But Amu, I love you," Tadase insisted. "I love you. Don't you... Don't you love me too?"

Amu's heart wrenched in pain. She almost couldn't breathe from the force of the pain. But she found the strength to answer his question. "Yes. I do love you."

Tadase's voice became gentle. "If you love me, then can't you give me another chance? Just one more chance. I promise it won't happen again. Never. I swear to you."

Amu closed her eyes again. She wanted to say yes. She wanted to give him another chance. God, did she want it. She would love nothing more than to just give in and close the case. Give him another chance. It would be so easy. Just three little letters.

But she knew the answer that escaped her lips was the right one. "No."

Silence. "What?"

"I can't," Amu responded. "I can't give you another chance. Not for this. Not for this."

"No," Tadase replied. His voice was frantic. As if his life depended on me saying yes. "No, no, nonono. Amu, listen to me. We can't end like this. I swear to you, I would never do something like this to you on purpose. Never! And I swear that if you give me another chance, I'll never let it happen again. It will never happen again!"

His voice was reaching the begging point. His voice wasn't just frantic; it was begging. It was pitiful. It was like he was trying to pull on her sense of sympathy without even meaning to.

So Amu did the best thing for both of them.

She hung up.

She sat in silence for about five seconds before she bowed her head again and began sobbing. Tears flowed out of her eyes. She must've cried more in that moment than she had in her entire life. She hugged her legs tighter to her chest.

Amu's cell phone rang. She didn't pick up. It went to voice mail, but Tadase didn't leave one. He called again. And again. And again. He even switched to calling her house phone. He must've called twenty times before she finally decided to leave.

Amu stood up and wiped her eyes. She picked up her car keys and walked out the door, leaving her phone behind. She put the key into the ignition, not shaking.

She pulled out of her driveway and headed for the highway, not looking back. A single silent tear slid down her cheek.

She'd driven for about thirty minutes before she was out of town and another thirty more when she realized that she was almost out of gas. She saw a station come out from the distance. She pulled into it and stepped out of the car.

Amu had just taken out the pump when a voice behind her asked, "Hey, are you okay?"

Amu turned around to look at the person who'd asked her. It was a man who must've been a few years older than her. He had a light blue bandanna on his head. He had midnight blue hair and was wearing a uniform for the gas station. His eyes were a piercing blue.

Not answering his question, Amu asked, "Who are you?"

He smirked and replied, "I'm Ikuto. I'll ask again. Are you okay, miss...?"

There was a pause as Amu examined the man. His eyes were honest, if a bit mischievous.

And beyond all reason, Amu smiled.

"Amu. And I think... I think I'm okay now."

WORST. ENDING. EVER. I'm sorry, I'm too tired to come up with a better ending. I guess it was okay though, right? Maybe...? Well, anyways. Hope you liked it! Review, fave, follow... All are loved! Thanks!