This chapter is dedicated to my anonymous reviewer, Aye q.q. I would actually put off updating for a while, but you leave me no choice. XD LOL. I was so touched by your review. Thanks. :)

Some more important notes: Those that were bold and italicized are flashbacks. :)

Love beyond Magic

Written by LunarChan

Chapter 15

Graves

-MIKAN SAKURA-

It's been a week since that incident happened. It was over. Persona and those men in black were caught by the police. Hotaru got the timing right.

I kneeled beside the grave and brushed the dusts away.

I didn't even get the chance to hold you, let alone touch you. I didn't even see you smile at me.

I felt this heavy feeling on my chest and I wanted to cry. I blinked my tears away.

I'd be strong. I promise I will be. For your sake. I love you.

I stood up.

"Mikan," I looked back and saw Hotaru half-smiling at me. "It's time to go."

I tried to smile, but in the end, I couldn't help it – I cried. Tears overflowed my eyes while I stood there. She came up to me and hugged me while patting my back.

"It's alright, Mikan..." She tried to soothe me. "We're here."

Right. I'm not alone.

"Right," I laughed lightly as I brushed my tears away. "You're with me. I'm not alone."

"Right." She smiled. "Let's go."

I gave the grave a parting look and turned my back on it, trying my best not to break down and cry.

We reached the parking lot where the others are waiting. Especially the most important person in my life now, My Mom.

"Mikan," She smiled at me and she hopped on the car at the driver's seat.

I smiled and rode on the passenger's seat in front, gave the cemetery a last farewell glance.

I love you, Daddy. I know you're happy in heaven. I know that you're happy I get to meet my Mom. Everything's fine now, Dad.

I closed my eyes and almost winced as I remembered what happened on the empty warehouse where we were held hostages.

My eyes widened in horror as I saw the masked-guy fire his gun at my Mom.

NO! I wanted to shout, but the handkerchief on my mouth prevented me from doing so.

Then it all happened so fast. I saw my friends and the police running. One police fired at the masked-guy and he was hit near his abdomen.

I tore my gaze away from him and shifted my eyes back to my Mom. She was gasping for air.

Was she hit? My thoughts were alarmed. I looked at her from head to toe. No signs of blood.

And then I saw someone at her foot. His hair was blonde and he was holding his arm. He saved my Mom. He took the bullet.

I don't know whether to feel happy or not. I'm happy that my Mom was alive, but unhappy because someone was hurt because of me – again.

Then we heard some more gun clicks and I tucked my head down and closed my eyes.

Please, Lord. Please, let this be the end. And I hope none of my friends suffer so much. I prayed.

It was over. My mind was finally peaceful. It was over.

There will be no danger to us anymore. My Mom and I will be living happily ever after. And as for Natsume, his sister and Ruka... I hope they can forgive me and they'll always be safe and well.

"Mikan," My Mom shook my shoulders. "We're here."

I opened my eyes and smiled. I got out of the car and eyed the hospital. The white building looked sadder as it was. The bold letters Alice Hospital was written on top of the building and was slightly dirty. Some air conditioners leaked water. Some windows were open and you could see what's inside their rooms.

"Come on," My Mom tugged my arm.

Hotaru was the one who asked about the room number and we rode on the elevator, stopped on the fifth floor and knocked on the room with the 507 sign.

"Come in," A female voice monotone and Hotaru opened the door, revealing the nurse with reddish-brown hair dressed in all white with a folder and some papers on her left arm. She smiled at us the instant we were all inside the room. "Good evening." She greeted. "I'm going now, Narumi-san, please eat the food."

"Yes," Narumi-sensei answered unenthusiastically.

The nurse left the room and closed the door.

"Thanks for visiting me –again." It was the third time since last week that we visited him.

"I don't know how I can thank you," My Mom said, worried. "I still don't think that paying the hospital bill was enough to thank you."

Narumi-sensei chuckled. "That was actually enough. I can pay this myself, but you insisted. I only did the right thing."

"And this is also the right thing." My Mom answered back. "I wouldn't be well and alive if you weren't there. Thank you,"

"Again – and as always – you're welcome." Narumi-sensei laughed.

Narumi-sensei was rushed here in the hospital after that incident. My Mom paid for everything and for the investigation that he helped for my friends. He was such a nice guy. I sometimes could see what my Dad could've been, if he was still alive.

Or maybe, what my Step Dad could've been.

I fixed my eyes on my Mom as she drowned in conversation with Narumi-sensei. This was the third time of this week that we visited.

She told me everything. She told me every little thing. Especially about my Dad and my Step Dad.

I love my Dad. I love my Step Dad, too. I admire them both. Willing to die for my Mom to be happy.

Especially my step Dad.

"Your Step Dad knew..."

"Knew what?" I asked Mom as she awkwardly stared at me.

"Shiki Sakura. He knew that from the start, I didn't love him."

"What?" I almost yelled. I knew I told my Mom that I'd be patient and wait for her to continue finishing her story. But I just couldn't help it. "You don't love him? Yet, you get m-married?"

"It wasn't like that, Mikan." Her eyes were sincere. It's as if my own eyes were actually looking at me. "I told him that I don't feel the same way about him. But he said that he doesn't care. All he wanted was to take care of you and me."

He was a martyr. I don't know a thing about love, since I've never experienced to fall in love, but... To risk your life with someone you know that was facing danger, to get married with that person... That itself was a great sacrifice.

He was never hers. Yet he was willing to stay by her side forever.

True love.

It was a total of two hours before we decided to go home.

-xXxXx-

"Thank you," Ruka mumbled after we ate dinner at our dining hall in our house. My Mom decided to let them stay here. Since Ruka's Mom were overseas and he doesn't know a thing about his Dad. Natsume's parents were gone. They were in heaven. A long time ago. And my Mom decided to let them stay, Natsume and Aoi, for as long as they like.

"That was nothing," My Mom replied that phrase for almost a millionth time for the week now. "Nothing compared to the risk you've faced just to rescue back my daughter." And she smiled at them.

Natsume nodded. I think it was still a painful blow to him when we visited her mother's grave. Seeing my father's grave made me cry, even though I didn't see him. And I think it was more painful for him to see his mother's grave, whom he missed so much...

We went over to the burnt house and there was this marked 'X' thing on the ground that was barely seeable due to the ashes piled over it. So, my Mom never lied. The money was really still here.

Some friends helped us dug it, and there were briefcases. Money.

My Mom gave the large amout of money to the charity and some other works. He also gave my friends who helped me some bonus, and to Natsume and Ruka, she promised a lifetime support.

The cemetery was a few blocks away from the burnt house. And he was in deep pain as he stared at his mother's and father's graves. I didn't know the real story behind it. And I wouldn't ask them the whole story for me. I wouldn't.

It was minutes after that when his sister clung onto his shirt and sobbed. And he hugged his sister back while his fists were balled. I wanted to soothe him and tell him he's not alone. We're here.

But I never knew what would it feel. When you're with your Mom since childhood, and then she dies. It's painful to know that I lost two Dads, even though I haven't seen them.

But it's more painful for him to lose his parents whom he have lived with, all of his life.

I never felt such pain. I've never given much thought about it, that such miserable he could feel.

It was heartbreaking.

I can hear him sob quietly there while hugging his sister.

-xXxXx-

"Hotaruuu!" I squirmed as I saw her with Iinchou walking to our house.

"Stay away from me, you're dirty." She blocked her hand from me and I pouted. Iinchou laughed.

"Meanie." I complained.

Natsume, Aoi and Ruka were there, sitting on the living room, watching the television.

"Where have you gone, Hotaru?" I asked when I let them inside our house.

"With your Mom."

"Whaaaat?" I asked, and just then, I saw my Mom came in and she smiled at me.

Mommy laughed. It was so off that I could call her Mommy – but so heartwarming at the same time. "We just went to your future school, Mikan."

"Wait. What?" I blinked.

"I enrolled you and your friends to Alice Academy for college!" My Mom chipped in the good news.

"Really?" I could feel the excitement run through my veins. To be with them on college! That would be fun!

"Yes," Hotaru replied and placed the books she had on the table. "And we have to review since we're going to take the entrance exam after two weeks."

"WHAAAAT?" I cried. "Noooo!"

"I enrolled you, too, Ruka and Natsume." My Mom smiled at them. They just nodded. "And Aoi will be enrolled on the High School division of Alice Academy."

Am I the only one that feels that excitement and fear all throughout?

"Why do we have to have entrance exams when we're already enrolled?" I frowned.

"Well, it's to classify what course do you want to take and for them to know if you're smart enough to be a scholar and some other benefits." Hotaru explained. Her eyes bright with excitement.

She's excited, too! But not for the fun – for something else I don't wanna say what that is.

-xXxXx-

"Ugh," I complained as I lay down the grass. "I feel like my brain's gonna explode."

I heard the muffled laughter of Ruka and Iinchou on the background while Hotaru threw the book at me.

"Oww," I complained.

"Get up, you." Hotaru commanded. "Study."

"I know, I know." I pouted.

I took a glance at all of them before reaching to the book. Hotaru was seriously reading and scribbling at her notes while Iinchou wasreading and highlighting her book for the important details. Natsume was on the other side of the table and was reading silently. Ruka was on his other side, reading silently, too. They were less sociable. But I still find it nice that they agreed to study here on our backyard on the grass.

Ah, how nice is it to have friends.

-xXxXx-

I scratched my itchy feet under the table in front of me and tried to concentrate. Great. X's and Y's and Z's.

Algebra was my worst subject.

I felt my forehead crease. I must try my best. Mom believes I can pass the entrance exam.

I heard footsteps coming my way so I glanced back and find my Mom in her nightgown with a cup of hot chocolate in her hands.

"Still studying?" She put the mug in front of me. "Here, drink it."

"Thanks, Mom." I smiled and sipped a little.

"Don't stress yourself too much." She smiled and kissed me on my forehead. "Good night, Mikan."

"Good night, Mommy." She waved and headed upstairs.

I touched my forehead. Mom does that always now, before going to sleep. And I like it.

That motivated me and I tried to solve the problem again with all I've got.

It was until ten minutes that I heard another set of footsteps. I looked behind me and saw Ruka holding his book.

"Oh, you're still awake?" I smiled.

He smiled a little. "Uh, yeah." He nodded and walked towards me. He sat in front of me and placed the book in front of him.

I took a little sip from my chocolate and crossed out everything I did on the notebook.

He peeked at what I was doing. He chuckled a little and I felt self-conscious. Was he laughing because I can't solve it?

"Here, let me help you a little." He sat closer to me and explained. He smelled nice. I let that scent get out of me and tried to concentrate on what he was explaining.

"Here, try it." He gave me back my pen encouragingly.

I took a deep breath and tried it.

"No, you put the X here." Ruka guided me.

"Eh?" I pouted. "Why does Math have to be so hard?"

He shrugged.

"Why do we have to study it?"

He smiled, then answered. "Math is everywhere. When you buy a candy or a book, when you measure, when you tell the time... Everywhere. And we have to study it... Otherwise, others will take advantage of you if you don't know how to count the coins the seller gave you back. He might trick you."

I frowned. "Can't Math just grow up and solve its own problems?"

He laughed. "I don't know."

-NATSUME HYUUGA-

I still can't sleep so I decided to walk out of my room and head downstairs. I heard the Mikan girl laugh and I took a peek from the wall separating the stairs and the living room. There she was, sitting on the ground with both of her hands on the table and laughing.

Who's with her? I narrowed my eyes and tilted my head so that I can see the other person.

My eyes almost widened. Ruka.

I think he really does like her.

I went back upstairs and decided to leave those two alone so that they can have their chitchats.

Author's Notes:

Actually finished this on a whim.

Sorry for not updating for so long. It's just that I was enjoying reading the manga Kimi ni Todoke and Soul Eater. XD

Hahaha. Sorry for that. And especially I'm not so hot in school nowadays.

Though I was the top 5 in our Marketing subject. I still need to cope up with my other subjects that I'm sure I am rotting on them. =.=

But I was so happy with that Marketing subject. Anwyays, I'm doing my best on that subject anyway so I still think I deserved it.

Thanks for encouraging me, guys. When I put that last Author's Notes on my last update, I was so down...

And now I think I'm still feeling down, but I don't know what life has in store for me, so I gotta play with the waves now, as long as I still can.

*Sigh*

Thanks. I love you guys a lot.

Don't forget to leave a review. :)

~ LunarChan (09-26-11)

P.S.: Sorry, this have a lot of errors, I know. I just finished this now. -_- So... sorry. This chapter sucked. There were too many flashbacks. But I hope you guys had fun reading. Thanks.