Shelby-chan: So... How've you guys been?

Amu& Company: Hmph! -turns a looks away-

Shelby-chan: Uh... well shit... ummm... Look I'm sorry I haven't updated in a while...

Amu: A while! YOU CALL COMPLETELY BLOWING OFF THIS STORY FOR SEVEN MONTHS A WHILE!

Shelby-chan: Look... I... how should I say this without... ummm...

Everyone: SPIT IT OUT!

Shelby-chan: I was planning on deleting this story! -hides face-

Ikuto: W-what?

Amu: You can't be serious.

Shelby-chan: -shuffles feet- I... have you ever drawn something and thought it was the bestest thing in the entire world... then five weeks later you look back at it and were like "what the heck was I thinking when I drew this?" Well, that's how I feel about this story.

Miki: But everyone loves this story! You can't give up!

Shelby-chan: -sighs- Which is why I kept the story, I've gone in too far to pull out now... So instead of deleating it, I've decided to finish it out right here and now. This will be the final chapter of Midnight Romance, and I dedicated it to all my faithful reviewers. Thank you for sticking with me through thick and thin. After this chapter I've decided to delete all of my previous stories and completely renovate my entire profile on F.F. This is a start of a new era of writing for me.

Everyone: -looking at each other worriedly-

Amu: -leans in closer to Ikuto- Ne Ikuto? When did she get so mature?

Ikuto: I honestly believe she's finally snapped.

Shelby-chan: -smiles- Awww Ikuto -chan doesn't want to admit he'll miss me :D

Ikuto: -turns away - whatever.

Shelby-chan: -looking back to everyone- Well this is it. Chapter 23. Enjoy. (Oh my writing has matured a lot in the past few months so don't be surprised if my style seems different)

Third-person p.o.v

The sky was dark with a cloudy night, sending an almost tense vibe through the atmosphere. It was on this night that Ikuto would be facing the man who murdered his father. Standing at the entrance of the Easter corporation building, he stared upwards with a eager disdain in his eyes.

A killer. A maniac. A person stood twenty or so floors above him. Was he ready to face them?

Shaking his head of unnecessary thoughts Ikuto glanced at his wristwatch, it was almost time, three hours had passed since he had last saw her, but he didn't want to think that. Slugging on his backpack, he climbed the stairs and entered the lobby.

Darkness claimed his eyes as he walked forward, his boots silent against the tiled floor. It had been a while that he had actually entered the building via lobby entrance. Usually if he'd ever really wanted to enter the building he would go in through the back. But today was one of those rare times that he felt it was best to go the normal route.

Entering the elevator, he pressed the button to the desired floor and leaned back against the railing and just stared upwards as the dial clicked down slowly.

How was it that the shortest minutes seemed longer then eternity?

He allowed his mind to wander out of his reach. His thoughts drifting to a certain someone with pink hair and golden eyes. 'She's going to be in danger tonight' he mused angrily 'And I'm going to put her there, and even then she still worries about me.' He shook his head 'I really don't deserve her '

He reached the top floor during his thoughts and was startled out of his daze when the elevator dinged in arrival. Gripping his backpack, Ikuto exited the elevator and followed the hallway until he reached a door with the label: Roof entrance.

Breathing in, his pride not letting him think that his breath was unstable. He exhaled, pushing against the door , he entered the roof stairwell.

And how is it that walking up one staircase is harder then climbing a mountain?

Only the sound of his feet against the stairs and the blood pumping with adrenaline filled his ears. The stairwell stretched in complete darkness. The lights had been shut off for the night and the janitorial staff had already cleaned and left.

Of course only he would be climbing a staircase in the dead of night to face a killer.

Finally he felt his hands brush the roof surface of an old door. Taking one last breath, Ikuto opened it and stepped onto the roof.

The city lights nearly blinded him after being in the dark. The brightness of it all stunned him for a split second, and the ice cold chill of the winter wind didn't help matters much. Looking over the roof top, he felt his skin crawl has his eyes landed on the 'Boss' himself : Itoto Gorou.

The man had his back to Ikuto, his hands clasped behind his back has he stared out at the city below. Hearing the door close behind Ikuto, the man glanced over his shoulder, a thing that could be called a grin slid across his face "Ah Ikuto Tsukiyomi. Welcome to your grave."

Despite any fears or doubts within his heart, he wasn't going to go down without being a smartass. Sliding his hands into his pockets and cocking his head defiantly, he responded with a "Yo~"

The man chuckled darkly, not turning to recognize the young teenager's attempt to mock him. "Always the joker, you're a spitting image of your father. Which will make killing you easier."

"Glad to be of help." Ikuto laughed dryly "To bad I don't plan on dying just yet."

"Well not without taking out that police wire that you have laced through your jacket first." Itoto finally turned to look at the young man "Please take that out now."

Ikuto stared, unmoving.

"Ah, teenage rebellion..." Rubbing his chin in thought, Gorou smiled without any humor "I find that the easiest way to deal with that is to give said teenager a sort of push in the right direction." Raising his right hand and snapping his fingers, the sound of the muffled screams filled the air, Ikuto didn't turn as a man stepped out of the shadows, a gun in one hand, and the small body of Amu in his other.

Ikuto's gaze followed as the man dragged the bound and gagged girl over to stand off to the side next to Gorou. Gorou smirked at the flash of anger that set in the scowl upon the blue haired boy's face. "Pretty girl... now, the wire." He gestured with his forefinger. Ikuto glare was cold as ice as he reached up into his jacket and tugged the wire out. Clutching the black wire and box in his hands, Ikuto tossed it over the roofs edge.

"Did you really think that was going to work? My boy, you really are naive, even if you did get a confession out of me, I still wouldn't be prosecuted. I own half the department. Isn't that right... Takahashi-san?" The man stepped into the light with a sinister look on his face. The gun set to close for comfort at Amu's temple, the poor girls eyes brimmed with tears as she glanced back in forth between the gun and him.

"So the Bastard was lying... hn. I knew I shouldn't have trusted him." Yuki laughed with menace laced through his voice "Sorry Ikuto-chan, I wasn't lying when I said I went undercover. But I forgot to mention that I was working as a insider in the police department. Must of slipped my mind."

Ikuto turned from Yuki and stared at Gorou "Let her go, she has nothing to do with this."

"Oh my boy, but she has everything to do with this. What fun would it be without a little leverage?" He laughed and Ikuto's glare narrowed, the restraint it took not to punch this guy was weakening with every word out of his mouth.

"Ah, but as your father would say 'Fun is found in the people you share it with' but of course your father is dead."

Ikuto glare was nothing short of pissed "Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why did you kill him? He never did anything to you."

"Ah ha that's where you are wrong. He took what was rightfully mine, he first stole my passion, my talent, and then he stole your mother away from me." Ikuto held back a laugh at the thought of his mother with this bastard, it almost made his step-dad seem...cool.

"What you mean to say is that he took and was better at everything correct?"

Gorou's eyes flashed "HE RUINED MY LIFE!"

"SO THAT GAVE YOU THE RIGHT TO TAKE HIS?" Ikuto yelled back, his fists clenched.

Gorou looked ready to lose it, but he suddenly held back, calming down. "An eye for an eye I always say... but you know, his death did bring me happiness, after I killed him, I found peace in things that would make your skin crawl, I've committed sins that'd make the devil pray. I've dealed drugs to cops, I've sold women with ease, all and all my life is grand." He suddenly stopped and turned his head towards Ikuto "Except for the little detail that you are alive."

"Why is that such a problem. I never committed any fault against you, hell I didn't even know you were alive until you stole my girlfriend from me!"

"Because Ikuto, you look exactly like him. I'm not trying to get rid of you, I'm trying to get rid of any resemblance that could remind me of your father!"

'That's it, this guy is insane.' Ikuto exchanged looks with Amu, almost forcing the thought that It'd be alright soon. She gave a silent nod in agreement. Gorou laughed "Young love eh? We'd better end that before you get hopeful, dear Amu." He raised his hand "Takahashi-san, get rid of him." Gorou rotated on the heels of his designer shoes, waiting for the gun shot.

It never came.

"Yuki? Are you listening to m-" Turning towards the man, Gorou is meet with the barrel of a gun. His look was flabbergasted "What! You dare betray me?"

Yuki grinned playfully, Amu laughed right next to him as she slid out of the rope binding her hands and pulled out the robe that gagged her mouth, she took a moment to breath and wipe fake tears from her eyes before she tugged her shirt up to reveal a black wire taped to her stomach. Yuki laughed again "Sorry buddy, looks like the devil got played."

"Why! You were so loyal, my right hand man!" Gorou felt Yuki's eyes narrowed distinctly "You know, ten years ago, you had your men kidnap a women from her vacation home in Paris. She was found nine months later chained to a bed in some motel with two bullets in her skull." Yuki leaned closer "That women was my wife and she was pregnant with your child!"

Ikuto suddenly felt like he could relate to the bastard, at least a little bit.

Stepping up, Amu smiled grimly as the sudden sound of a helicopter filled the air, wind caused by the circling blades played with her hair as she looked up at the vehicle, a man leaned out from the door with a megaphone "Itoto Gorou you are under arrest for the murder of Aruto Tsukiyomi, You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed to you. Do you understand these rights as they have been read to you?"

"But your hands on your head you bastard" Yuki added.

Itoto started to laugh. "Oh this is splendid! Ikuto my boy you are despicable!" He laugh echoed across the rooftop, muffled by the sound of the helicopter. He reached his hands to the air, pausing at his suits jacket, his hand slid into the jacket and he tugged out something black.

Amu didn't have time to think when she jumped between Ikuto and the bullet. A sudden pain hit her chest and the metallic taste was unpleasant in her mouth. She felt her back hit the ground, Ikuto ran to her and was already lifting her in his arms, shaking her slightly, suddenly Yuki was next to her, pressing his jacket over her chest. Everything was so loud it was silent. With blurry eyes, Amu could see the body of Gorou bleeding out on the roof floor. 'He was shot?' was a vague thought that when through her head.

Looking up she saw the silhouette of her lover, his navy blue locks highlighted by the search lights of the helicopter, his lips formed a single word over and over, but she couldn't hear him... she was so tired all of a sudden.

"I-Ikuto... it's over." Her eyes closed and she was finally able to sleep.

Amu's p.o.v

Darkness hung around me, suffocating me, killing me.

"So this is death" I wondered, it seemed so... quiet. A ghostly laugh echoed across the halls "What'd did you expect my dear? A blinding white light? Angels at heaven gate?" I couldn't open my eyes, because my eyes were open, I just couldn't see.

"Who are you?" I asked and the voice laughed again "No one of importance...I'm just the person whose going to tell you that Heaven's not ready for you."

"Why?"

"You've got to much to lose it know, beside whatever in the world would he do if you suddenly died?" Another laugh "The big man said that he's got too much damn talent to go to hell anytime soon" The laugh, that sarcastic remark, that hidden kindness. "You couldn't be..."

"Make sure you watch over him, if he's anything like me when I was his age, then Masako has a lot on his hands."

Despite that I was talking to death, I smiled "I will."

"Then wake up Amu."

The whiteness of the hospital room blinded me as I opened my eyes groggily. I looked around, vaguely recognizing that this was a hospital room. Finding the IV dripping through a tube connected to my arm. I realized that I was the patient.

Glancing around again, I saw the tired figure's over my father and sister in the waiting chair, Ami was curled in his arms with her head tucked under his chin as they slept with quiet snores escaping their mouths. Beside them was a mountain of flowers piled in some sort of tribute on the table.

I finally saw him sleeping on top of his arms at the end of my bed, his blue hair messily sprawled out on the white sheets. I held back a giggle, knowing that the pain still throbbing in my chest would hurt more if I did.

The door opened then, and I meet the exhausted eyes of my mother. She saw that I was awake and her face suddenly lit up like a million fireworks. She rushed over and enveloped me in a giant hug "Oh honey, you're ok!" she whispered.

I winced "Mom that hurts."

"Oh sorry!" She released me and I smiled "Where am I?"

"Saint Angel's Hospital." The name registered in my memory as being the best hospital in the city.

"He brought you here and demanded the best room available. He hasn't left you're side since" My mom answered my questioning look. "How long have I been here?"

"Two weeks, the doctors were amazed, if the bullet had been two centimeters off, it would have pierced you heart." I wondered about the dream I had just had, it felt so short, but I had been in a coma for two weeks.

Kinda made me wonder what He had in store for me.

I watched Ikuto's shoulders rise and fall with steady breaths and couldn't' help but smile. My mom shared my smile with one of her own "He really is a nice young man. I like him a lot."

I closed my eyes with a warm feeling spreading through my chest, numbing the pain a bit. He was alright, and I was alive "Yeah, I do to."

My mom touched my shoulder with a comforting feeling and she nodded with happiness "I'm so glad you're alright." Kissing my forehead, she suddenly left my side to stand next to my father, who something during the conversation had opened his eyes and was staring at Ikuto with an unusual seriousness that I did not even know he had.

Standing up, he handed the sleeping body of his daughter to my mother before walking over to me to give me another kiss on the forehead, running a hand through my hair he walked back to the door stopping to grip the door frame and glare at Ikuto "When I come back, there better be five feet between you and her, Capice?"

Ikuto rose from his arms and nodded his head, my father sent me a withering look as he reluctantly closed the door. Sending a questioning look to Ikuto, I was surprised to find that right cheek covered by a white bandage, reaching out to touch his cheek, he winced.

"What happened? " I asked worriedly and Ikuto sighed "Here you are in a hospital bed and you're worrying about a simple little scratch"

"It's cause I'm a girl. Now tell me."

"Your father has a good right hook." He muttered and I felt my jaw drop "He didn't!"

...

"He did!" I sit up, ignoring both the pain and Ikuto's expression "Ugh, ouch. Why!"

He told me the story, how he had been waiting outside the emergency room when my father rolled up with my mom and without any other word he punched Ikuto. Ikuto said that my father kept yelling that it was his fault I was injured and not to ever see me again.

"I wouldn't move."He said "I agreed with ever thing he called me, but I wouldn't move." He looked up at me with his dark blue eyes "It was my fault that you got hurt, and it was my fault that you were kidnapped. I'm sorry, I am so so sor-"

Slap.

His eyes widened as my hand connected with his uninjured cheek. "If you say sorry again I will never forgive you." Surprise was to simple a term to describe his expression as he touched his cheek.

"Look Ikuto, I did what I did because I loved you. No one made me do anything, so it wasn't anyone's fault but my own. So don't go apologizing because I got hurt. As for my father...well I'm gonna have a little talk with him when I can move again."

He simply stared at me with disbelief, before he shut his eyes and started to chuckled "I love you." he muttered to himself and I smiled "I know. Now, tell me what happened, did Gorou die?"

"No, unfortunately. He was taken to the hospital and is now chained to a bed, the bullet pierced his spine, so I doubt the bastard will be walking again."

"So it's really over?"

"I believe so. Yuki has a pretty good case against him. There's no way he'll ever hurt anyone ever again." I laughed for the first time in weeks. "That's great!" I wrapped my arms around his neck, and he held me as I continued to laugh.

I pulled back and kissed him roughly to which he responded gently with a hand on the back of my neck.

It was over.

And we were alive.

And my father just walked in.

"HEY FIVE FEET!"

Ikuto muttered something along the lines of "Damn interruptions"

And I started to laugh all over again.

The End.