Chapter 12:After-effects

Amu tried to call out to the voices but it was as if her body and mind was lost, the darkness was thick and she could see nothing but all she could hear was a heartbeat getting weaker, then she was lost forever, because at that moment, the heartbeat, her heartbeat had stopped, forever.

Her eyes opened in shock, she immanently sat up, trying to catch her breathe. She then realized what had just happened, 'it wasn't real. I thought for sure I was dead, but it must have been a dream...no, a nightmare.' she thought to herself, as she stared at the blankets that were over her. Then she heard some footsteps, she looked up and saw Ikuto, who had just walked in the room. She noticed she was in her room, sitting up on her own bed. Ikuto looked a little shocked then smiled, "finally awake, huh?" he said, coming over to her. Amu blinked a few times and looked around, "What happened?" she asked looking at Ikuto who sat down on her desk chair that was placed beside her bed. 
"You've been...asleep for a few hours." he replied, pausing half way through. 
Amu looked at him, "and before that? what happened? it's all a blur." she said.
Ikuto thought for a moment, deciding weather to tell her about the micro chip and the fight or not. "Kukkai and I were here with you and you got...sorta sick and fell asleep" he lied.
"oh" Amu said, looking down at the sheets again then she looked up, "i'm sorry, for falling asleep, you guys were the guests so i guess i should have been more thoughtful" she laughed awkwardly.
"I wouldn't worry about that and besides you seem a little sick, so i don't blame you." Ikuto said.
Amu smiled at Ikuto then realized something, "wait, wheres Kukkai?" she asked
Ikuto looked away, a little annoyed "he's gone home, since it is late." he answered
Amu looked at the clock on her desk, reading, 11:24pm.  "it is isn't it?" she laughed awkwardly. "you didn't have to stay and look after me though" she said.
"I was worried about you" Ikuto said as he took her hand.
Amu stared at him and then blushed "thank you."

The next morning, Amu slept in for a long time, about up to lunch time. Ikuto was there taking care of her and soon Kukkai arrived, Ikuto gave him a glare but Kukkai ignored him. Kukkai sat beside her bed, he pushed some of her hair back behind her ear and her eyes began to open. 
"hey" he whispered
"Kukkai?" she blinked, trying to get used to the light.
"yeah. You feelin' better?" he asked
"i'm okay, just my neck really aches" Amu replied, sitting up.
"Kukkai would no why" Ikuto said from the doorway. Kukkai turned his head in Ikuto's direction and muttered, "i'm surprised you haven't told her yet..."
Amu sat there a little clueless, "what are you talking about?" she asked.
Kukkai looked at her and half smiled, "you've probably got a cramp or something."
"probably" Amu said. "I better go get breakfast" she said as she started to get up, she took to steps then stumbled. Kukkai caught hold of her shoulders before she could hit the ground, Amu put her hand on her head, slowly blinking. 
"be careful" Kukkai said to her
"sorry, I just...everything's blurry...I feel...a little woozy." she said slowly.
Ikuto stood in the doorway he was looking at Amu then glared at Kukkai.

When the day was almost at its end and it was around nine o'clock, Ikuto began to walk out of Amu's house. Kukkai caught up to him, "where are you going?" he asked
"somewhere"
"where? and are you coming back, because i care about Amu but I've gotta get home soon, or my family will get edgy."
"tell them your out at a friends place for the night. and firstly, why the hell would i tell you where i'm going, its none of your stinkin' business" Ikuto snapped but then turned his back to Kukkai and after a pause said, "secondly, if you cared about her, you wouldn't have done what you did." then Ikuto walked out the door and across the street.
Kukkai stared at the door that slammed itself shut. "stop telling me things i already know" he muttered then pulled out his phone and called his eldest brother, "hey, it's Kukkai. Tell mum i wont be home tonight, i'm staying at a friends place." Kukkai talked in the phone.
There was a sigh, then a deep voice came through the line, "okay, but you should give more notice next time. So don't expect to get off the hook when you come home."
"I know. It's urgent though so there's nothing I can do." Kukkai explained
"alright. later" his brother said, then hung up.

Meanwhile, Ikuto went through the doors and into the company of Easter. He walked in his step-fathers office. His step-father leaned back on his desk chair and looked at Ikuto.
"what now?" he said in an irritated tone "I have an appointment in three to five minutes, I don't have time for you."
Ikuto put his hands out of his pockets and slammed the micro-chip that was used on Amu, on his step-fathers desk. "tell me everything I need to know about this" Ikuto said, glaring at him. 
"what is there to now?" he said, resting his arms on the desk chair.
Ikuto clenched his jaw, "like symptoms or side effects. anything like that." he said impatiently. His step father lifted an eye brow and half smiled,
"eh? the boy has already taken it out? to be honest I believed he would've made it last longer than that" 
Ikuto leaned forward "are there any symptoms or side effects!?" he snapped
His step father leaned back on his chair again, "some side effects" he said in a low voice.
Ikuto banged his hand on the desk again, "like what?" he hissed
His step-father pulled out a paper from the draw of his desk, "lets see, there's drowsiness, loss of lots of blood i.e coughing it up or nose bleeds, there's the blurring of memory and the possible chance of slow death." he said.
"death?" Ikuto stood there shocked.

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