,'This is the last chapter. I offer this to you, dear reader! Hope you like it and see you in the next fic!'

Last Christmas
By: Aminatsu032

Last Christmas, I gave you my heart
But the very next day, You gave it away
This year, to save me from tears
I'll give it to someone special

--

"Knowing how stubborn you are," he said looking away hiding his slightly pink face, "you'd never change your mind."

"So," he continued looking at her, "I've decided to protect you, and the academy."

--

CHAPTER 8 "Link Hands"

'N-Natsume,' Mikan said. Tears started rolling down her cheeks. Natsume looked at her and said, "Come on. Stop crying will you, I'm here."

Mikan wiped her tears and gave the raven-haired boy a sweet smile, "Yeah!"

"Enough of this!" Mikan and Natsume looked at Reo who was still surrounded by the flames.

"I knew that someday you would change your mind," he continued letting out an evil laugh, "I've planned for this a long time ago, I'm not stupid."

"What…what do you mean?" he said.

Reo's expression changed. "NOW!"

Another member of the Anti-Alice Organization appeared behind him. He extended his hand and linked them together, thus, making a barrier.

"The fire disappeared," said Mikan.

Natsume gritted his teeth and tried to make another fire, but it was no use.

Reo laughed again, "Pathetic. Of course it won't work."

"Now," the redhead said as he adjusted his earring, "Listen to what I've got to say."

Natsume's eyes became dull and he fell on his knees. He tried to cover his ears but he could still hear his voice.

"Have you forgotten…how this academy treated you? All your sacrifices…didn't you realize that someday, they would kill you, too?" he started.

Natsume let out a faint scream. Reo's alice had affected him.

Mikan looked at Natsume and stood in front of him, "Stop it, Reo! Stop it!"

Reo felt pain in his chest. He quickly took a small, square remote from his olive green vest and pressed the red button in the middle. Two men in black appeared out of nowhere and grabbed Mikan and Natsume's wrists.

Just when Reo opened his mouth to say something…

BAKA.

Reo made a step backward but then a lion stood above him.

"Hotaru! Ruka!" Mikan said as she spotted the two.

Natsume didn't say anything but as he spotted his best friend, he just smiled. Ruka smiled back.

Natsume hit the man who grabbed him in the stomach with his elbow. As expected, he let go of Natsume.

Hotaru hit the guy who grabbed Mikan with her Baka Gun as Natsume grabbed Mikan and ran to where Hotaru and Ruka were.

"Let's go!" said Hotaru.

The rest nodded.

.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.

Narumi ran deep into the woods.

'Darn it! What do they want this time?' he thought as he slowed down a bit and looked around.

As he walked again, he noticed a figure leaning down a tree.

"Persona?" he whispered to himself.

Persona stood straight and eyed the blond teacher. "So what are you going to do?" he asked as he walked around Mr. Narumi and eyed him again.

"I'm going to save my students," he said without looking at the teacher in black.

"Oh, can you?" Persona said with his brow slightly up.

Narumi didn't answer. At that, Persona continued, "Do you think your students would trust you…when they found out who you once were?"

"…" was his reply.

Persona turned his back and walked away, while Mr. Narumi said nothing and was glued from his place.

.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.

Mikan panted heavily.

Hotaru, Ruka and Natsume looked at her.

"There's no time to rest. They're keeping up," Hotaru stated.

"But…(pant) we can't run and run without a plan. (Pant) We'll only tire ourselves up," Mikan continued panting but the three said no word.

"The idiot's right," Natsume broke the silence.

Mikan raised her head at him immediately.
"Idiot?" she echoed but no one minded her.

"We can't go on like complete idiots without a plan," Natsume continued.

Hotaru stared at Mikan while thinking of a plan.

"I've got it," she said.

Everyone looked at her, "I have a plan."

.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.

"Reo!" Narumi called.

He finally caught up with the red head.

Reo looked behind and there, Mr. Narumi was standing, staring at him.

"Well, well, if it wasn't the person I once looked up to," said Reo letting out a smirk.

"Reo, you have to stop this!" Narumi said, "Don't you understand? The students need the academy!"

"You really are forgetful!" he yelled, "You don't remember the times when the academy controlled you? Besides, you precious students will leave you someday when they find out the truth about your frightening past."

"This isn't about me!" he snapped, Reo's eyes widened, "This isn't about me at all! It's about the endangering lives of my students. I don't care what happens to me!"

"Then…prepare to die!"

.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.

Hotaru, Ruka, Natsume and Mikan were glued in their spots. Tree AAO members surrounded each of them.

"Now!" Hotaru said.

The group split into two groups: Ruka with Hotaru and Natsume with Mikan. The first group headed to the left and the second to the right.

Natsume dragged Mikan so that she could keep up. When he felt that no one was following them, Natsume stopped and panted.

"Remind me again what's the plan? I didn't' quite get Hotaru…" said Mikan.

"She said…"

Flashback…

"When I give you the signal, run to the opposite side. We will split into two groups. I don't trust Mikan…" said Hotaru.

"What do you mean you don't trust me???" Mikan echoed.

"I mean, you just might get caught or something," Hotaru said emotionlessly.

Mikan cries waterfalls and never stops. (Now you see why she didn't get Hotaru.)

"We will meet at where we started. I have set up traps there. Lure the people running after you in there, got it?" she said.

Ruka and Natsume nodded—Mikan was still crying waterfalls…

…end of flashback.

"Oh…" Mikan said, "So that's the plan!"

Natsume said nothing, though it was obvious that he was annoyed.

"I think they're here…" both looked behind, they could hear voices and suddenly they saw two guys in black and sunglasses.

"You're right! They're here!" one of them shouted.

"Tch," Natsume said as he dragged Mikan again and continued running.

They finally reached the target place. Natsume looked around. There were no traps seen…could it be that the inventor was just bluffing?

'No…that can't be…' Natsume thought.

"There, there, rats, come to daddy," one of them said approaching them.

Mikan was shaking to death but Natsume was still looking around.

'There it is!' he thought as he spotted a long, transparent string across two trees beside the trees.

Mikan grabbed Natsume's left arm in terror while the raven-haired boy took steps backward but was careful not to hit the string.

As their backs touched the wall, the AAO member approached them.

"Ha! I caught you n—," he was clearly cut off. Right after he hit the string, a net shoved him up.

"What the?!" he yelled, "Let me out! Let me out!!!"

Natsume smirked while Mikan blinked trice. He eyed the other one who just stood there grinning, "I saw the string. You see, I'm not much of an idio—"

BAKA. BAKA.

So you see…that was the end of him…so much for not being an idiot…

Mikan looked up, "Hotaru!!!"

She saw Hotaru who was riding a giant eagle with Ruka. Mikan's eyes glittered in amazement.

"Oi, Baka," Natsume said, Mikan looked at him, "It's over, you can let go of my arm now."

Mikan slightly turned pink and let go of him, "S-sorry."

Hotaru opened her mouth to say something when they heard distant voices.

"Aren't you going to follow her dream?" one said.

Mikan's eyes widened, "That sounds like Reo!"

"This academy is not just grief! I has happy memories, too!" the other said.

"And that's Naru!" said Ruka.

"Ruka, we have to save Mr. Narumi!" said Mikan as she grabbed Ruka's wrist.

Natsume eyed them, his eyes were flaming. When he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"That's okay, you know how childish and naïve Mikan can become," Hotaru said, smirking.

"Tch. Shut up," he said as he followed the two.

Hotaru slightly giggled and followed them as well.

"Mr. Narumi!" Mikan said as she saw Reo pointing the gun at him.

Mikan was about to rush to him when Natsume placed his hand in her shoulder.

"Stay here. He might kill you, too!" he said.

"But…but…" Mikan's voice was shaking and her eyes were getting watery.

Natsume smiled, "Trust him…"

Mikan nodded.

"Reo," Narumi said, "Are you truly satisfied with your life now?"

"…" was Reo's answer.

"Do you feel happy?"

"O-of course I do!" Reo boomed.

"I don't see it," Mr. Narumi said as he smiled at him.

"If you are truly happy with your life, I will let it be…but…I hardly even see your smile," he said.

The redhead let go of the gun.

Mikan couldn't hold back, she approached her teacher.

"B-but," Reo said, "You can't be satisfied with your life! Have you forgotten how the academy treated you? How they made you kill all those people? Have you?"

"That was the past, and I want to forget it," he said, smiling, "This is who I am now…what's done is done…"

Reo was speechless. Natsume looked at Mikan, looked away and walked out of the area.

"Where are you going?" Hotaru asked without looking at the raven-haired boy. It seemed she was the only once who noticed.

Natsume didn't reply he just walked away.

Narumi stood up and approached the red head, leaving Mikan there, eying him.

"Do you want to start over?" he asked as he extended his hand.

Reo raised his head and smiled.

"I could try, senpai…"

Narumi smiled back.

.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.

"Hotaru, I'm glad everything is back to normal!" Mikan cheered as she danced around her best friend—right before she noticed that someone was missing.

"Eh? Where's Natsume?" she asked.

"I don't know with you…when Natsume leaves, you act as if you're a complete lunatic and doesn't want to live without seeing him. And if he's there, you just act as if he isn't there at all," Hotaru said munching on her crabsticks.

"Where do you think Natsume could be?" she asked as if she didn't hear what Hotaru said.

"Probably in his favorite place," she answered while taking off the peeling of another crabstick.

"His favorite place?" Mikan echoed as she remembered the Sakura Tree, "Thanks, Hotaru!"

As the raven-haired girl watched her best friend go, she heard a voice, "Hotaru-san"

Hotaru turned her head and she saw no other than Ruka.

"What is it?"

Ruka blushed, "Well I…um…ano…Hotaru-san…I…I really like you!"

Hotaru looked at the blond boy who was hiding his red face.

She smiled and said, "I know. I do, too."

Ruka looked at her immediately as she stood up from the ground she was sitting in and grabbed his hand, "Come on."

"H-huh?" Ruka said.

"Someone needs our help," she said.

.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.

"Natsume."

Natsume raised his head from reading his manga.

"What?"

"Ano…" she said as she sat beside the raven-haired boy who was back in reading his manga.

"I just wanted to…thank you," Mikan said, Natsume said nothing.

"I mean," the brunette continued, "you left AAO to save the academy."

Still, Natsume said nothing so Mikan kept quiet too.

There were a number of minutes of silence between them, both of them guessing what the other is thinking.

"Hey," Natsume finally broke the silence.

"Hm?"

Just then when Mikan turned her head, Natsume kissed her.

Mikan's eyes widened in shock.

When Natsume cut the kiss off, he said, "I love you, polka dots."

Mikan still couldn't believe what he had just done and what he had just said. But when the raven-haired boy smiled at her, without control she hugged him tightly.

"I love you, too, Natsume," she said as Natsume hugged her back.

And what about the two spying on them?

"I guess everything turned out well…" Hotaru said, "Reo is now a teacher in the academy…"

She looked at the blond boy beside her.

"But Persona disappeared did he?"

Ruka nodded.

"Don't worry about it," Ruka said as he placed his hand in Hotaru's shoulder, "If he comes back, I'll be here to protect you."

"Really," Hotaru said as she smiled sheepishly.

Ruka smiled back.

Last Christmas was a pain…but everything ended happily ever after…as if an impossible fairytale.

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THE END

Author's Last Notes (for this fic.): Well, that was a long chapter!

I hope you enjoyed Last Christmas. Haha…
Questions for a sequel? There's no sequel this time around…but I hope to see you in the next fic!
Thank you for your dear reviews. This is my advance Christmas gift for you, dear reader!

Lotsaluv,
Aminatsu032 ♫♥