Disclaimer: I don't own A.T.O.M. and never will. Unfortunately. But I do own the idea of this fic and the new characters I introduced.

A/N: Well, here's the last chapter of this story… Enjoy! And I'm sorry if you don't like the ending, but there's Arc 2 already written and Arc 3 soon to come!

Hostage.

Chapter Eleven.

Sophie shut the book she had been reading and sighed, leaning her head backwards against the bedwall. She closed her eyes and listened. It was raining. Heavy droplets were mercilessly hitting the windows of the apartment her father had bought a couple months before in the centre of Landmark City. Everything was dark outside, as it was almost nighttime.

Some random songs were playing on the radio Sophie kept turned on. The songs were seldomly interrupted by the news reports and the weather casts, that in fact promised nothing but continuous rain for another two weeks.

'How ironic,' Sophie thought, smiling bitterly, 'Why is it always raining here in August?'

After a few more minutes of lying in the same position, Sophie finally forced herself to get off the bed. She came up to her table, put the book on it and started searching for some papers.

"...Well, that was definitely this week's top hit song!" the DJ on the radio announced, as another 'crappy tune', as Sophie called them, ended.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," the girl continued to look through her papers, then at last finding what she needed. Of course, she knew that talking with the radio was stupid and, what's more, absolutely pointless, but she just couldn't resist the urge of making fun of the over-emotional DJ.

"...And now, another hit song! I'm sure most of you know it, and for those who don't remember: it's 'Who Knew' by Pink!"

And as soon as the DJ announced the song, it started playing.

"You took my hand

You showed me how

You promised me you'd be around

Uh huh

That's right..."

Sophie froze in one spot, the papers she had been holding, slowly landing back on the table.

'No!' she thought desperately, recognizing the song at once.

"...I took your words

And I believed

In everything

You said to me

Yeah huh

That's right..."

And suddenly Sophie felt her heart ache so badly, that she wanted to scream. The memories she had been so desperately trying to erase from her mind rushed back on her at once.

She remembered how she had heard the song in the park, lying on the grass with HIM beside her...

"...If someone said three years from now

You'd be long gone

I'd stand up and punch them up

Cause they're all wrong..."

She remembered how she had kissed him for the first time... Yes, he had been tired and vulnerable, and she had taken advantage of that, but neither of them ever regretted that later...

"...I know better

Cause you said forever

And ever

Who knew..."

She remembered how he had reacted the following morning and she had reassured him that everything was fine...

"...Remember when we were such fools

And so convinced and just too cool

Oh no

No no..."

"You wanted to tell something to Stingfly, Mr.Lee?" she asked, still smiling.

Lee shifted his eyes to meet hers, and simply stared at her again, as if processing what he had just been told. Sophie laughed a little, casting her gaze down, and then looking back up at Mr.Lee.

"Stingfly, Mr.Lee," she said, gesturing towards Stingfly with her head, "You wanted to tell him something, I believe."

Lee slowly looked away from Sophie to Stingfly.

"Oh, uhm… N-never mind…" he cleared his throat and proceeded towards the table, doing his best not to stare at her.

"...I wish I could touch you again

I wish I could still call you friend

I'd give anything..."

He stood there looking in her eyes, his palm cupping her cheek, and her palm cupping his.

"...When someone said count your blessings now

For they're long gone..."

She threw her arms around him, embracing his waist from behind and pressing against his back, clinging to him as if to her dear life. She was now crying openly, sobbing against him, tears running down her face as never before in her life.

"No! Please, don't go!" she sobbed, "I… I can't… I won't make it without you… I love you… Don't you get it?! I love you!"

"...I guess I just didn't know how

I was all wrong..."

"I promise," he said. And taking the pendent, he leaned to Sophie and kissed her.

"...They knew better..."

The newspaper slipped out of her hands and fell down to the floor with a rustle...

Dead. Gone. For good.

The pain from that realization made her fall. And even before she hit the ground, her heart shattered into pieces...

"...Still you said forever

And ever..."

And once again Sophie was on her knees, trying to suppress the sobs, tears running down her face uncontrollably.

She could not- she would not- ever forget that pain. There was no way to cry out or remedy that wound.

"...Who knew..."

Sometimes she regretted ever giving Janus the pendent. If she hadn't given it to him, she would now at least had a reminder… Of those times. Of her Love.

"…Yeah, yeah

I'd keep you locked in my head…"

Of him.

"…Until we meet again

Until we

Until we meet again…"

Suddenly Sophie felt bright light pierce through her closed eyelids. Slowly Sophie forced her eyes to open, shielding them with her hand. Surprisingly, she found her room all wrapped in bright light. Then there was a flash, and the light was gone.

No, the light was still there, but it formed a human silhouette…

Sophie stared in amazement, tears still slowly rolling down her cheeks.

Then, a voice spoke.

"…And I won't forget you my friend

What happened…"

"Sophie…"

The girl froze, her eyes widening.

That voice…

HIS voice!

"…If someone said three years from now

You'd be long gone

I'd stand up and punch them up

Cause they're all wrong…"

"J-…Janus?!" Sophie could barely speak and understand what was happening, "But you… But I… You…"

She could swear she saw the silhouette smile.

"I told you I'd come back, didn't I?" he said, his voice echoing.

"…and

That last kiss

I'll cherish

Until we meet again…"

Sophie stared at him. And suddenly tears began to flow down her cheeks with a new force. She didn't cry, neither did she say anything.

"I couldn't leave without fulfilling my promise," Lee spoke.

"…And time makes

It harder

I wish I could remember

But I keep

Your memory…"

He then bent down near her. Sophie had to close her eyes because of the bright light.

And then she felt it…

His lips on hers, once again…

It felt different this time. But Sophie didn't care. She just didn't want this to end.

"…You visit me in my sleep

My darling

Who knew…"

And then the light was gone. And the feeling of his lips against hers was gone as well.

Sophie opened her eyes and stared once again into the empty space.

"…My darling

My darling

Who knew…"

But there was something in Sophie's hand, and she had just now realized it. She looked down at her hand, not daring to move it, and saw the pendent.

"…My darling

I miss you

My darling…"

"I will always be there with you…" a dim voice spoke from out of nowhere.

"…Who knew…"

Yes. He will be. Sophie knew that.

She stood up and smiled. And for the first time in a very long while, it was a true and sincere smile.

"…Who knew."

A/N: Well? Watcha say? The second arc is "A Second Chance" by Dragon-Ninjagirl. Enjoy!