The waves fell over themselves toward the shore like eager children toward mother's white apron. The two combined odors of baked earth and green leaves made Sora's hairs stand on end. For one thing, the cold north did not sound like an island, or smell like an island, and definitely didn't feel warm and muggy. Otherwise it just was not the 'cold north'. His hands groped against the ground for something familiar, something to grab onto. His touch came across something smooth and warm, and alive. He traced the bumps and shifting flesh, the warmth of the sun on his skin.

"Sora" His body ached, like someone had taken his body and smashed it onto the shore where he now sprawled, abandoned like an old toy. He felt like a toy, and he was tired of being played with. "Is that you"

Their fingers twined and pulled on his hand. A soft cry rose from the body next to him, from the boy he loved, for he knew that voice although it was strained and tight with pain. He brushed his hands over his arm and slowly sat up, scooting over to him. He heard voices crying from somewhere and coming closer, but he wished they would go away.

"Are you okay" He pulled him up into his arms, sitting him between his legs, his giant sneakers tilted outward.

"...'m okay..." the boy groaned, tilting his head back and biting his teeth together as he adjusted himself. He stared at the blue sky. His free hand found the sand, and pulled up a fist of it, and he watched it drift from between his fingers. "...Home" A smile blossomed on his face, full of light, full of life.

Riku felt his own lips tugging upward. "Yes, home." He tugged his hands down and held them in his lap. They stared at each other for a long time.

Soul mates never die...

-

Kairi stood before them in the green shade of the trees, her hands clasped behind her back. Her face was a picture of demure sadness and a little apprehension. A boy of white hair and another boy of bright sunlit hair stood before her, their hands clasped tightly together with their eyes fixed boldly on her face. The wind blew, whispering and hushing on some distant corner of their island world.

Kairi brought her hands out front, twisting them together. She asked for the second time"Are you sure"

Riku nodded. Sora said"Yeah."

Tucking a piece of hair behind her ear was only a mask to hide her tears. She wasn't unhappy - nay, she was more happy than she had ever been in her life. If anyone in the universe was incapable of jealousy, it was Kairi. She understood, even after hours of explanation, of stories that didn't seem to make any sense at all. At length she hurried toward them, throwing her arms around them both with a broken sob for every other breath she took. The two boys hugged her in return, Riku's eyes brimming with tears; Sora's with joy.

"I love you both" she whispered brokenly"no matter who you become, or what you do."

"We...We love you, too, Kairi! You don't have to be sad; why are you crying"

"I'm not crying because I'm sad" she said. She pulled away.

"Then why are you"

She turned away from them, looking toward the ocean with new eyes. "I think I'm happy. Yeah... I'm happy." She heard the dim sound of bells ringing in the distance and started down the shoreline toward the boats. "I have to go home... are you coming"

"Yeah, we'll be there in a minute" Sora called, watching her row her way back to her house.

Sora was about to run after when Riku caught his wrist. The two boys then glanced at each other and then, silently, walked toward the beach together, hand in hand. They clambered up to the lone islet sitting out alone, where Riku sat in the tree. Sora bunched up his legs and sat on the sand beneath.

"What do you think will happen to me, Riku" Sora said in a quavering voice, his face appearing orange and pink in the sunset. "I don't want to die."

"I'll figure it out, Sora" Riku replied confidently. "I promise. Whatever happens... I'll take you with me, and I'll never let you go."

Sora tilted his head back, and watched the sun's light on Riku's face darken, leaving his whole expression look young and courageous. The young boy stole an uneasy breath and reached up, touching his hand. "Please... Riku... can I stay with you tonight? Then we'll be able to protect each other."

Riku looked down, and took his hand, sliding down the tree to sit next to him. "Sure."

Sora grinned widely, and wrapped their arms together while gripping his hand. "Alright! Now we can relax"

-

Later that night at Sora's house, Riku sat at the dinner table eating vegetable and chicken teriyaki with soda. He was glad for the soda - the carbonation helped make him feel... more bubbly. Like he belonged. Sora's mother was absolutely ignorant of what had happened while they were away. She was under the impression that they all had decided to camp out for awhile on the islands, as a school experiment.

"Riku, aren't you going to finish your chicken? You've been staring out the window for the five minutes."

"Huh? Oh, yeah. Sorry. It's good, ma'am."

"Call me Cailla, for goodness' sake! I'm not a military officer" she smiled, swooping down to give his forehead a kiss. "I'm so glad you two are such good friends" she went on, frowning. "But I wish you'd tell me what happened on the island"

"Riku got sick" Sora said quickly. "But he's better now. His parents are all cool with it. So can he stay over tonight"

Cailla stopped and glanced over, appraising the two boys who sat next to each other at the kitchen table, the oval placemats slightly askew from each other. "Well...alright... but where will he sleep"

Sora jumped up from his chair, pumping his fist in the air. "YEAH"

His excitement caught, making Riku blush and wish he wouldn't be so animated. But a moment later, Sora had grabbed his hand and dragged him from the table, up a short set of stairs into Sora's somewhat messy room. He shut the door and plunked down on his bed and opened the shades, letting the moonlight spill into the bedroom.

"What are you thinking about" the younger boy asked Riku, who had chosen to sit on the chair and look around.

"My father" he murmured. "My real father. Sephiroth. Timeheart. Everyone we left behind."

"I'm sure they'll be fine" Sora replied cheerfully. "We managed to save some of the worlds..." Here, he frowned. "I wanted to save them all. I don't even know if we did anything right. Is Timeheart dead"

"You mean, am I dead" Riku growled wistfully. "How do I know? Will I be able to feel it if he dies" He wringed his hands together, his arms flexing and twitching. "I'm sure he'll come for us if he's still alive."

"Riku... I don't want you to worry. Next time, we'll get him" the boy answered sharply. "I don't like to hear you talking like that. It's not like you."

"I'm different now. What makes you so sure I should sound like I did before? I can't. I was stupid... I should never have left the islands... I shouldn't have gone with Ansem... I shouldn't have kept things to myself."

Sora approached him slowly, his body veiled by the moonlight, his hands on his hips as he leaned forward and stared him in the face, smiling. "It turned out alright so far, didn't it"

Riku looked into his face, unable to truly shake off his despair and ill-feelings until he saw the true light in that guy's eyes. Soon he was smiling back indefinitely, his throat aching from the tumultuous ambivalent emotions raging inside of him. Joy. Sadness. Deepening loss and wonderful gain. He brushed his fingers through Sora's hair, who slipped onto his lap in the chair. He held him close, sighing and breathing in his scent.

"We'll be ready... in the meantime... we'll keep challenging each other. We'll keep getting better, right, Riku" Sora murmured, his half-lidded eyes gazing into the future.

"Yeah, Sora. In the meantime." Riku kissed his face, and Sora tilted his head and caught his lip, blushing red. No one could take Sora's confidence away that everything was going to be alright... in the end.

-Author's Notes-

Yes, this is the end. Because I've been playing Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, my mind has found more fuel with which to write. Don't be afraid. I'll probably end up writing something in the future, concerning Kingdom Hearts II. WHEN it actually comes OUT! Ahem. Thank you for my friend Becky who let me borrow her GBA and KH: CoM...she's a doll and I wuv her so...