Disclaimer: I don't own Gakuen Alice. It is simply too awesome to be mine.

What was once a wonderful place filled with so many things that Mikan Sakura once found amazing is now nothing but a prison decorated with an intricate web of lies.

At least, that's just how Mikan Sakura saw the Academy now.

The Academy was still the same, though. In terms of everyday life, I mean. The markets were still open, the classes still resumed, students still pile in and pile out of buildings – blissfully oblivious to the truth.

Mikan let out a sigh. When was the last time she was in a bliss like them? Too long ago, she answered herself.

Ever since the school found out about her Steal Alice that was paired with her Nullification Alice, she was deemed a weapon of mass destruction. The school had already kept a close eye on her and when her second alice was unleashed, she was transferred and exposed to the dark operative ways of the Dangerous Ability type.

Since then, she was thrown into rigorous training and being the stubborn girl that she was, she sometimes refused to do such "evils" when she was new to the concept. Persona had let her off easy at first. But she only became more stubborn. Then the punishments came. At first, gentle but each time she refused, the punishments became harsher and harsher.

Needless to say, she learned her lesson.

Mikan closed her eyes and recalled what Persona told her earlier tonight, his haunting voice echoing in her head.

"You've been doing very well, Mikan," he praised her in that cold tone of his. She remained silent and just watched him, her face empty.

"I think you're ready,"

Curiosity piqued, she was after all Mikan Sakura, the ever curious girl.

"For your first mission,"

Her mind processed this information but she kept her face blank.

"I'll send you and Natsume out to your mission tomorrow. Rest well tonight,"

Mikan let out a sigh. Her first mission. She didn't want to do it but she knew she had to. It would protect Hotaru and Ruka-pyon and the others.

The warm sheets of her comfortable bed wasn't comforting her at all. She was moved to a Special Star room now. Perks of being a puppet of the school, Mikan guessed. She's come a long way from being that "new girl with the no star." She got out of bed and went out for a walk.

She didn't have a destination in mind at all. She heard footsteps behind her but she didn't mind.

She found herself in her No Star room from her first year here in the Alice Academy. That was 6 years ago already. She moved closer to the walls and trailed her fingers along the wood. The dust in the room danced in the moonlight.

She turned around and faced her company.

"Look how times have changed us," she said to the handsome teenage boy behind her that was following her the whole time.

He had his hands in his pockets, with his head hung low as his bangs covered those stunning crimson eyes.

"Are you really ready?" Natsume Hyuuga asked her. He was, of course, referring to the mission they were supposed to accomplish tomorrow night. She crossed her arms across her healthy chest.

"Of course I am," she said. She was putting up a tough front, naturally. That was so Mikan-like.

Miraculously, the girl still had the spunk in her from before the whole DA and AAO happened.

"Don't lie to me, tangerine," he said with a slight edge to his tone of voice.

"I'm not lying," she replied, keeping her ground.

"Are you ready to kill?" he asked. He looked up and searched her face for a reaction. As the question registered in her mind, he saw her face of determination waver.

"If I have to," she said, still standing her ground but her voice wasn't as clear. "Persona said that I have to risk everything out there. For the sake of the school and for the sake of the people in the school."

"Bullshit," he said. "Fuck what Persona says."

"Why do you keep stopping me?" she asked, outraged at his smug behavior. "You and I both know that I am ready for this! Its for Hotaru and our friends. I have to be ready."

"You just don't get it do you, tangerine?" he couldn't keep out the frustration from his voice. "You've got too much to lose."

"No, I don't." Yes, she did.

"Bullshit!"

"Shut up, Hyuuga! Stop saying that, you dick!" They were both full out screaming at each other now.

"You don't understand, Mikan!" Natsume shouted and he punched the wall next to him. Mikan was startled and flinched as the wood cracked under his fist. He's letting it all out now. After all these years of just being silent and sacrificing himself, he finally reached his limit.

Frustration was what he was feeling towards the girl standing across from him. Why does she always have to be so damn stubborn and selfless? - Nevermind that those are in the list of why he loves her. But in a situation like this, he didn't like it that she was the way she was.

"You know what, polka dots? The moment I saw you, I hated you," rage made his eyes burn a more dangerous shade of red. She felt the air's temperature rise as his anger rose.

Mikan didn't let this get to her, though. He just needs to let it out, she reminded herself over and over again. She'd be lying if she said that what he just said didn't hurt her. Because it really did bloody hurt. Hearing the person you love say that he hates you is never a pleasant thing.

She remained silent. If the raven haired boy wasn't so blinded by rage at that moment, he would have seen the hurt in her eyes.

"You know why?" He didn't wait for her to answer. He didn't expect an answer.

"Because you walked into this place willingly. Because you let them sway you with the deceiving 'splendor' of this place. Because you were so fucking innocent. Because you didn't know how much this place will ruin you. Because from the moment I saw you, I didn't want you to be ruined." His voice lowered down, taking on a softer tone. The room's temperature dropped.

"Because from the moment I saw you, I was already in love with you,"

He paused for a second. The air in the room was a safe room temperature now.

"He took everything away from me," The pain in his voice was so raw that it hurt to hear. Ever since being transferred to the DA Club, Mikan had her first hand experiences at Persona's 'punishments' but she knew that Natsume always had it tenfold. She just couldn't imagine the pain he had to endure.

"Everything," he whispered into the night, looking lost in his memories and thoughts.
In that instant when he muttered those words, she saw a whole new side to him. The side that was broken and vulnerable; the side that he only showed to her.

Mikan knew that if she let him wonder deeper in his thoughts, she would lose him again.

Her heart ached for him. For everything he lost and for everything he had to go through.

She felt her eyes sting as tears began to form.

"Natsume…" the brunette spoke his name softly, calling his attention.

He crossed the room and in a second, both his arms were to the wall on either side of her, effectively trapping her between the wall and him. He looked at her dead in the eye; crimson eyes meeting hazel eyes. The air around them practically cackled with the strong bond it created between them.

"I'll be damned if he takes you away from me too,"

There was another meaning behind these words.

He didn't want her to lose the side of her that tied him down to the ground. That's the only thing these days that kept him sane in the crazy fucked up world they both lived in. He didn't want Persona to crush her spirit. He wouldn't let that happen.

He leaned down and whispered into her ear, "You're all I have."

Something hot and liquid trickled down her cheek. She felt his warm hand cup her cheek and a thumb brush away the tears.

Mikan closed her eyes and savored his touch. She let out a shaky breath, opened her eyes and said,

"I'm not quite broken yet, Hyuuga." The brunette said, a small smirk played on her lips. He scowled at her response.

"I'm never going to leave you, Natsume." And now the smirk is morphed into a small smile that held promise. The scowl on the boy's lips was replaced by his rare smile.

When the words left her lips, she knew that she meant it with all her heart. Not a single trace of doubt was laced within the words and Natsume believed it. He knew she meant it.

With that promise, he felt the last strings of his self-control cut loose as he crashed his lips to hers. The girl in his arms meant the world to him and Natsume wasn't a man of many words. He was a man of action.

It took a moment for Mikan to gain back her bearings and respond to his kiss. His hand went to the back of her neck to deepen the kiss while his other hand snaked down to the small of her back to pull her body closer to his. She responded to his touch by snaking her arms to his neck, she let her fingers wonder into the lush softness of his hair.

The kiss said all of the things he couldn't say for he could never find the right words to use to articulate the way he was feeling right now, the way he always felt for her. Its funny how at the face of death, he felt nothing and still kept his composure but at the presence of the girl he loves, she can make him go crazy and render him speechless.

His tongue brushed her bottom lip, asking for entrance. She parted her lips partially. He groaned in protest. He wanted more than that.

His fingers lifted up the soft material of her shirt and let his fingers slip inside, tracing circles on the newly exposed expanse of skin.

Mikan gasped at the sudden chill of the air that hit her bare midriff then at the welcoming warmth of the hands of Natsume. He took this opportunity and he claimed her mouth.

This went on until they were both breathless and flushed with swollen lips.

Mikan rested her head to his chest and Natsume hugged her close. She felt so safe in his arms.

"Tomorrow, we're going to put an end to this." Mikan said with her voice full of determination.

"I don't want to worry about them anymore."

Natsume nodded his head. He would make it happen for her.

Mikan yawned against his chest and he carried her over to the bed. He set her down gently but he was pulled down by the brunette.

"Stay with me," she whispered her plea to him. He took the spot on the bed beside her.

She faced him. She had a smile on her face.

"I love you."

"I love you too, tangerine."

In that moment, all their worries vanished into thin air. After too long, this was their moment of blissful ignorance.

They were going to make it.

They had each other.

A/N: I totally love you if you're reading this. It means you read the whole story. Haha!

This isn't the best story, I knoooow . It had some good parts, I guess. Can't say about the rest, though. Haha! Oh well. This was originally supposed to be multi-chapter but I figured I just really can't keep my interest on something long enough, you know? So if I did make this a multi-chapter thing, I probably won't be able to finish it. :D Hoe well.

I hope you guys enjoyed. If you didn't… well, hater's goin' hate. Haha! :D