Author's Note: I began this story last year, but unfortunatly couldn't write too much at first. Luckly, I've picked the story back up and have decided to finish it. Due to lack of information this continuation of Kingdom Hearts is just a story I came up with almost three years ago, so there's no Terra, Aqua, or Ven. But I still hope everyone enjoys! ^^

"Riku?"

A young girl, around the age of seven, said. "Will you protect me? Till I get stronger?"

A nine-year-old Riku looked down at the girl sitting next to him. A puzzled expression on his face. "Why?" he asked her bluntly.

The girl lowered her head and answered. "Because what if something really bad happens? And I can't defend myself," She sounded ashamed to be asking him this. "Or I can't protect the people around me?"

Riku looked at her sympathetically now. He could tell she was fighting back tears, so he put his arm around her small shoulders in an effort to comfort her.

"Don't worry. I'll always protect you. No matter how strong you become."

Before Riku knew it, the girl had wrapped her arms around him, and had her head buried in his chest. Even thought she was crying and her voice was muffled, Riku could still hear her talk.

"Thank you," She sobbed, and her grip tightened. "Don't forget. Don't ever forget your promise to me."

Those last words rang in Riku's head like an echo, almost causing tears to come to his own eyes. Not knowing what to do, he embraced the small girl in return, allowing a single tear to run down his cheek, and then everything went dark.

Seconds later the present day, sixteen-year-old, Riku woke up in his room. He ran his fingers through his hair in order to push some of it out of his face.

"I guess it's true what they say about dreams," He thought. "They either tell you what's truly on your mind, remind you of memories you'd rather forget."

Knowing he couldn't go back to sleep, Riku turned and opened his bedside window, allowing the fresh salty air to lightly blow through his long silver hair. Propping his elbow on the window sill and resting his head in his hand to what the early dawn lighten the night sky.

"Has it really been that long ago?" He asked aloud. "Has it really been almost eight years since you left us?"

As the sun continued to rise and reflect its brilliance across the calm sea, Riku could hear a familiar laughter. The laughter of a young girl.

"You really don't want me to forget do you?"

The laughter faded and the soft voice of his mother entered his head.

"Oh Sweetheart, It wasn't your fault. There's no way you could have known that would have happened."

Riku sighed. Now was the worst time for a flashback. Especially one like this. As he turned away from the window, to get ready for the day, a final familiar echo invaded his mind.

"I'll always protect you…always protect…always…"