As promised I have returned. I never said when I would but I did. I'm going to reply to a review here. Some people are concerned about me saying Duck and not Ahiru. I speak Japanese and I just didn't feel like going for it. When I watched majority of the series it was in English so it's just what I'm used to. I am all for compromise though. I'll do this chapter with Ahiru and if you guys like it better let me know and I'll continue writing the story that way but if I don't get a response then I'm going back to what I'm used to. I may be writing more because I got a nice new laptop. I love Dove chocolate.

IMPORTANT 2 STORY! I want to introduce the idea that they aren't kids anymore. They have the same personalities but they are no longer children. Keep that in mind throughout the story.

:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]:]

Suddenly a crack broke the silence of the Winter air.

Ahiru screamed as the loud bang exploded through the Kitchen. Before she could think to move a tree fell through the roof hitting her head. At first all the girl could feel was a tingle on the front side of her head. Then the area felt warm and wet as a jabbing pain pulsed through her body. Blood slowly trickled down the side of her face as she fell unconscious.

Ahiru was awoken by a jabbing pain in her temple. She dared not open her eyes, for she could feel the swelling. Beneath her Ahiru felt a sea of blankets and pillows that supported her frail, delicate figure. To her left she could hear the slow turning of pages. The pages would crack from age as the were overturned. Wind howled outside the windows and branched scraped against the glass as to claw their way in.

"Humph, so your awake," muttered a relaxed voice. It was Drake.

'How does he know im awake?' Ahiru wondered.

"I am sorry if I got you in trouble last night. Ha! That Fakir has quite the temper. Oh well, I'm not afraid of a fight."

"What happened?" She asked, desperate to change the subject.

"The wind is strong," he said with a smirk in his voice " You know, you can open your eyes. I treated you with my own homemade remedy. Nothing better than what I can cook up."

Reluctantly, Ahiru opened her eyes with no pain. As her vision cleared, she looked around the room. The walls were stripped of insulation leaving merely stone and wood. Empty canvases lined the walls and a large chandelier dangled from the ceiling. The bed was large and the posts seemed to be connected to the ceiling as though part of the house. Books filled a bookshelf that was also attached in a similar fashion. Compared to the other lush rooms this room seemed simply stodgy.

"Is this your room?"

"Yes this is my little nest, so to speak. I am quite attached to it. I was born and raised in this room."

Drake set down the book and started roaming the room, admiring the personally domestic qualities. His fingeres grazed the bookshelf and moved to one of the thick bedposts.

"Like the bed?"

Ahiru turned a deep shade of red that had never before been witnessed by human eyes. With a sudden jerk she swept into the frantic trademark fit that made her ever so charming.

"Oh! Yes its delightful! Wow! Never felt a bed this great! Well I best be going! You know Fakir, he-"

She was cut off by a hand on her stomach forcing her back down on the bed.

"Ahiru Ahiru Ahiru Ahiru, will you relax Fakir is just fine. He doesn't care. He told me so."

"Huh?"

"That's right. While you were asleep we had a little chat. I was out getting herbs to make your medicine when he walked by and nearly exploded. I can only guess he was a little peeved from last night. We talked a lot about you. Man can that guy carry a grudge! He was raving about how you took away some Mytho character from him. How you stole his meaning to life the core of his existence."

Ahiru's eyes were open wide with horror.

"His eyes were fidgety and he even punched a hole through one of my beloved canvases. Oh! How he rattled on about living with you. He said it was terrible. Awful! He only did it because it was what this Mytho guy asked him to do. You know what Ahiru, I think he's crazy. Man, he said he would just leave now but the storm is so bad that nobody can walk outside. As both your host and a friend I recommend staying away from him. There is something dangerous inside him Ahiru don't tell me you haven't seen it."

Drake was an inch from her face. His brows furled, his eyes piercing and his demeanor…

" Don't tell me you haven't seen the way he looks at you. The way he disapproved of every step you take. Everything you do he is there to criticize it! Your whole relationship has been a lie hasn't it Ahiru?! You see it! You see it don't you!?"

Ahiru was whizzing through the years in her mind. That was just the way Fakir was. He was hostile and rude to everyone wasn't he?

"I, I…I-"

"Maybe I'm wrong but maybe I'm not. Try to rest some more. I may work wonders but let's not risk it ok?

He placed his hand under her chin and looked into her eyes, "There are people that really care about you."

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Ahiru had woken up for a second time in Drake's bed. However this time Drake was not there to force her to stay. Ahiru walked out into the hallway to see the living room not far away. A powerful fire was burning and the light danced casting eerie shadows on the walls.

"His home is so beautiful."

Ahiru walked over to a wall where some canvases hung. Unlike most canvasses in the house this one was filled with color. Lilacs in one, foxglove in another. Paintings of flowers cover the wall. Ahiru turned to another wall. This one was full of paintings. The most beautiful woman She had ever seen filled the frames. Her hair long and blond as the sun. Her skin was the lightest shade of pink. Nearly white but it glowed with so much warmth that the hue did not roughen her soft composure. Her lips were a red as roses in her room. The top lip sat lightly on the bottom and together they curved into a smile that took Ahiru's breath away. Her eyes golden and bright sat in the middle of her beautiful face. Long lashes framed the small supernovas that both burned brilliantly on the front of the goddess.

Her angelic picture lined the walls.

"Wow. She is beautiful! What I wouldn't give." Ahiru continued to walk up the stairs to find Fakir. "I wonder who painted all of those?"

&%&%&%&%&%&%&%&%&%&%&%&%&%&%&%&%&%&%&%&%&%&%&

Staring out the window, Fakir pleaded to everything holy that this storm would pass quickly. Never in the history of Kinkan town had a blizzard lasted this long. He had been looking through some of the books on the bookshelf in his room. Of course he found nothing of interest or relevance to what was going on. All the books seemed to be pressing flowers*.

" Why did last night upset me so much? I guess what she chooses to do is her own business but… I can't help but feel protective. God, She's just so naïve damnit! I take my eyes off her for two seconds look what happens! You get some random guy barging in my house kissing her hand and then he's there trying to get in her pants! That's probably the reason she was Princess Tutu. She is a kind, caring girl. She trusts everybody. She only sees the good and never the bad in people. Her world must be so simple and beautiful."

Fakir walked in the bathroom and washed his face. The warm water took the edge off the chill that was making him shiver. The sweet scent of the gardenia soap lathered away the crust in his eyes. He felt a stinging in his hand.

"OW! SHHH. Ooh. Oh ya that's right I broke the damn mirror."

Fakir looked down at the broken pieces of his face scattered across the floor and then looked at the cut on his hand. It had bled quite a bit.

'Man that one bled a lot all over the-'

The injury had bled all over the broken mirror shards but now there was no blood. The shards were still there but the blood was gone…

His thoughts were quickly disrupted by a knock at the door.

3E3E3E3E3E3E3E3E3E3E3E3E3E3E3E3E3E3E3E3E3E3E3E3E3E3E3E3E3E3E3E3E

Ahiru knocked on Fakir's door.

"Fakir?! Are you there?! Please let me in we really need to-"

"What," Fakir answered as he opened the door a crack. Ahiru looked into his eyes as he looked into hers.

"Holy shit what happened to your head?! Ahiru what did you do!?" Fakir threw the door completely open with a look of sheer horror on his face. Ahiru's head was wrapped in white bandages.

"It's alright I promise! A tree fell in the roof of the kitchen but I promise I'm ok! Drake fixed-"

"Damnit Ahiru I told you to stay away from him! And what was that last night?! I mean come on! Did you see the way he looked at you?!"

These words sounded all too familiar from the conversation she had had with Drake earlier. Ahiru stared at her feet and tears welled up in her eyes as Fakir chastised and yelled at her…

"Why do you even care!!! I'm a stupid DUCK to you! I know about how you despise being with me! How you are only taking me in because Mytho asked you to! I'm sorry I'm not pretty or graceful or smart! I'm sorry I am such a bother! I thought you cared about me. Boy was I stupid. I only..AH!"

Ahiru turned on her heel to leave when something caught her hand.

"Ahiru… that is dumbest thing I have ever heard come out of your mouth."

She turned around to look Fakir in the eyes. The emerald orbs were sad yet amused.

"Ahiru, when you turned back into a duck I was disappointed. I was going to miss your smile, your creative take on ballet, your shrill voice," he stepped closer to her closing some of the gap between them but kept her hand in his. Fakir reached to touch her bangs that were sticking out under her bandages."

"I would miss your orange hair, your blue eyes. Ahiru, you are the only person I have ever showed my true self to."

He put his hand under her chin and forced her to look him in the eye.

"Ahiru, you are a great person. Everything about you can light up a room. You are perfect to me Ahiru. Perfect. I admit it is kinda… nice.

A blush covered his cheeks as he let go of her face. He stood close to her and looked at his cut hands.

" Now that you are here, I..I… I can't let go of you!"

Fakir grabbed Ahiru and whirled her into his arms.

"I'm sorry we are in this mess Ahiru, I swear I will keep you safe. I won't let anything happen to you. Ahiru…"

His brows furled.

"Fakir…"

Ahiru looked into Fakir's eyes as they got closer and closer.

"Faki-" the blush on Fakir's cheeks before was nothing compared to Ahiru's now.

Before she could catch her breath Fakir placed his lips on hers. This kiss was nothing like Mytho's kiss.

His kiss was unbelievable.

Her body went completely numb and then exploded with warmth as her stomach swam in the deepest depths of happiness. Her lips pressed back against Fakir's and the warm lips tickled her own. Her senses went wild. Fakir smelled like the fresh wet grass after a spring rain. His lips were smooth and she wanted more. She could hear her heart beating like Uzura's drum. Her arms crept behind his head as she crushed her lips against his as if it could satisfy a never ending thirst. In return Fakir put his arms around her hips and picked her up. He laid them both on the bed. Under the covers they continued to intertwine their limbs throughout the night as the wind screeched furiously like never before outside the window.

WVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWVWV

*pressed flowers is when you put flowers in heavy books to dry and keep them longer.

Well I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It took a while. R&R about the name and stuff :P thanks guys!

P.S. If you ever hit your head real hard, don't go to sleep bad idea. BUT for the sake of the story I had Ahiru sleep.