DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN KINGDOM HEARTS OR ANY OF IT'S CHARACTERS.

The main plot and OC belong to sketchywolf, who requested I write this for them :)

"I suppose he could always use you as a backup," Vanitas sneered as he waltzed into a portal, the darkness seeping out the edges like demonic flames. Minato couldn't help but sneer at his back as he disappeared into the nothing.

He wouldn't let that freak or his master near his friends again, not if he had anything to say about it...

Minato gasped desperately for air as he shot up off the dusty ground. Was he dead? No. His body hurt way too much for him to be dead. "Aqua! Terra! Ven!" He called, his voice rough and pained as if it was made of sand paper. He swallowed a few times before trying again. His frown deeped when he received no response.

He glanced around cautiously, hoping Xehanort and goons were no longer there. It sure seemed that way. It also seemed as if his friends were gone as well. What had occured before he'd lost consciousness seemed like a giant blur now.

They'd all met up at the wasteland and hadn't been able to talk and sort things out like he'd planned before Xehanort and Vanitas had shown up. The next thing he'd known, there were keyblades flying through the air at him, sparks flying as he summed Way Of The Damned to block them, his arms almost giving out from the sheer force of it all. Suddenly a barrier surrounded him and he couldn't help but grin.

"This is why I love her!" He shouted victoriously as he readied a spell to blast those infernal keyblades to Kingdom Come. The barrier fell and he released the firaga, wincing as a stary ember grazed his cheek andpanicking slightly as he fell to the ground, landing on his feet by some miracle.

Then Braig had appeared and shot at him and Aqua from the shadows as they tried to defend a frozen Ventus from him while Terra did god knew what on that ledge with Xehanort. He didn't normally use words like 'hate," but by the stars did he hate that man. And then it happened. Braig fled with a smirk and Vanitas fell from above, striking Aqua unconscious before summoning a giant Unversed to hold him down and make him watch He and Ventus beat the ever loving crap out each other.

Minato let loose a joyful whoop as Vanitas crashed to the ground, beaten and bruised and damned near close from fading from their plane of existence. The victory was short lived as he forced Ven to merge with him, a painful golden light escaping as they did.

"What do you mean you don't know where they went?! You had me under the impression you knew everything," He practically screamed at Yen Sid as he leaned against the retired master's desk. He was being rude, but he couldn't care less at that moment. His girlfriend and two best friends were missing yet again because no one thought to ask her where she was going when she'd left.

"I never said I knew everything," Yen sid told him as he stroked his beard and gazed out of the window. Minato had known him long enough to know that he was studying the stars, hoping for them to give him the answer to whatever question he was asking them. He hmm'd thoughtfully before turning his attention back to the raven haired master before him. "Radiant Garden."

"Wha?"

"There is a... familiar presence at Radiant Garden. I'm sure Master Aqua will be headed there shortly herself," The wise wizard informed him, the tightness of his expression telling Minato to be careful.

He let out a sigh of relief before bowing deeply and muttering a thank you before rushing out of the tower. If he hoped to catch her, he needed to get there first.

"Awe! Look at him blush," Terra teased as Minato turned a deep crimson. He'd only been there for a week and his crush on Aqua had already been exposed. He glared at the older boy as he chuckled at him.

"Don't get us wrong, we love Aqua too, but not like that," Ventus joined in, much to his surprise. He was normally so nice. Ven was the last person he'd thought would join in on Terra's teasing.

"Not you too," Minato whined in agitation. He really need them to stop before The Goddess-AQUA! He mean Aqua! Joined them for practice. Turns out he needed not worry because the two immediately stopped the moment she was within hearing distance.

"We were just havin' fun with ya," Ven whispered, smirking. "We have no intention of embarrassing you in front of her. Your feelings are for you to tell her in your own time, not us."

Minato smiled.

"Goddamn it!" Minato screamed as he skidded to a halt right where to portal to that place had just been. If those damned creatures hadn't gotten in his way on the way there, he would've been able to get there in time. He stomped off into the Lanes Between, not noticing the white haired man passed out several yards away.

It wasn't until many years later that he actually met Sora and Riku. Aqua had mentioned them when he'd run into her before they'd gone to the Keyblade Graveyard, but he'd forgotten about them until now. It just hadn't seemed that important at the time with all that had been going on, but now, as he gazed at the boy, no, the teenager in front of him wielding none other than the Kingdom Key of all things, he changed his mind. This was very important.

"So you're a friend of that lady I met when I was a kid?"

"I, uh, guess you could say that," Minato replied, not really feeling like explaining his life to a kid he hardly knew. It was… complicated. While he still loved aqua very much, he had no idea if she still loved him or if she was even alive... No. He needed to keep his thoughts positive.

Sora nodded thoughtfully. "Sorry I attacked you, it's just that you're wearing an Organization coat and..." He trailed off, his face heating up.

"Technically, keyblade wielders have been wearing these coats since ancient times, so they stole the look from us, but I see where you were coming from." He couldn't scold the kid, He'd made plenty of mistakes that could've been easily avoided when he was Sora's age. He rubbed the lump on his cheek were the young wielder had struck him with his keyblade. It took all of his effort not to comment on how his strength didn't match his size at all. The kid felt bad enough as it was. He held his hand out. "We cool?"

Sora clasped his hand in his and grinned. "We're cool."

"I'm going with you," Minato announced, earned him raised eyebrows all around. "It's my fault she's trapped there. If I'd only gotten there a little sooner she wouldn't have..." He trailed off then, choosing instead to stare at his boots.

"We're less likely to get in a tight spot with one more person, right?" Riku said then. It was Minato's turn to look shocked. "Plus he already has clothes that repel darkness. It's a win win."

Yen Sid stroked his beard as he thought on it. He'd known Minato long enough to know that he'd most likely go to rescue Aqua on his own if he said no… "Very well."

Minato smiled then, for the first time in a long time. He'd save Aqua and his friends if it was the last things he did, and when he was done…

Way Of The Damned practically sung in his hand as he swung it at his foe. Of course they were there. It always ended with them fighting for their lives there. He tried to ignore Kingdom Hearts shining up above him. If they didn't stop it soon it would all be over, and not just for them, for the whole universe. This had to stop now.

Minato pulled at the invisible strings of darkness that only he and a select few others could see. Maleficent would be pissed when she noticed a good chunk of her army was missing, but he didn't care. He needed their strength…

Master Eraqus's smiling face flashed in his mind then, kind and caring.

He stopped pulling at the strings that allowed him to summon and control the Heartless. No. He had to do this right. He'd cut corners last time around by using their strength and look how that turned out.

Minato felt a rush of light enter his heart for the first time in ages and smiled as it's hum filled his keyblade with warmth.

Blades crossed and sparks flew, the air filled with the metallic smell of blood and sweat and tears. They could do this. They had to do this!

It was Sora who dealt the final blow, using a technique that Minato himself had taught him. His chest swelled with pride as Kingdom Hearts faded from the sky, it's disappearance making the land fall dark before gradually lighting up once more.

He immediately set off to find Aqua and checked her over for injuries before kissing her, blushing deeply as he heard his friends, both new and old, whooping at them enthusiastically.

It had been hard since before Master Eraqus had found him in Twilight Town, but no more. He had friends. He had a home. He had… He kissed Aqua again. He had her, and that made everything alright.

fin