(A/N: Greetings, mortals. I hope you're in the mood for some angsty, fluffy Sora/Namine, because that's what you're getting.

The idea behind this fic came to me after finishing Re:CoM a little over two years ago (...my how time flies), I was completely swept up with the emotions in the final cut scenes for Sora's half of the story. Namine is such a deep character, and all her potential has been completely wasted in later games; you might be a die hard RokuNami or SoKai shipper, but you can't deny that her (platonic or romantic) feelings for Sora were very touching. So, after I died a little bit inside after I saw the scene with her crying and saying that Sora will forget her and thought about how Namine and Sora never actually had that reunion in KHII, I decided...what if Sora had chosen differently? What if he had, at the last moment, chosen to stick around with Namine while Donald, Goofy, and Jiminy slept?

So. Expect a believeable semi-AU filled with some sweet, sweet love, a healthy dose of angst, the reappearance of some familiar faces, and (hopefully) a happier ending. Now, enough with the lengthy author's note and happy reading!)

Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts belongs to Disney and Square Enix...but not for long.

The inevitable question.

After battling Heartless across 13 floors, eliminating two Organization members, facing a replica of a friend, and saving the girl, the heroes call for the return of normalcy. As they deserve to. They didn't choose to have their minds stolen into, their thoughts and dreams shuffled. The conscious is, after all, supposed to be the one place a person should be safe in. The ultimate sanctuary.

The Witch knew it would come to this, somehow. Maybe some small part of herself even dared to hope for it. Even though she knew what victory for the trio would entail, it was the right thing. The best thing. Not what she wanted, but then again, the decision wasn't hers to make. At least she would be free.

Free.

Such a miraculous word, so much perfection wrapped into that one syllable. A new beginning for the child cooped up for so long with only crayons for company. No longer would she shiver under the touch of the Organization, shrink under its glare.

Truly free.

For a time, at least, something spiteful whispers. Until you slip into the body that is not your own, until you are forced to observe the life you can never be a part of…

But she has time, plenty of it, she reassures herself. Naminé knows how to handle time-to stretch the minutes, fill her days with as much meaning as they can possibly hold. And she knows what she must do in the meantime.

And so here they are, the end of the story. Well, the conclusion of her personal tragedy, at least.

"Can you put our memories back? Donald asks, the same quiet wistfulness mirrored in the other three pairs of eyes.

"Yes. Not remembering something doesn't really mean it's gone."

Sometimes she really wishes all the things she touched would vanish, leaving a pure white void to be filled by herself. They would be lies, of course, but couldn't lies be pretty? So much easier to swallow, so much nicer to believe. But alas, the terrible power has a regrettable limitation.

"What d'ya mean?" Goofy asks, stupefied.

She tries to explain it as best as she can, not entirely sure herself. The mind is a confusing, albeit clever, creation.

"When you remember one thing, that leads to remembering another-and then another and then another," she says, automatically thinking of the charm and all the trouble it caused. "Our memories are connected. Many pieces are linked together like they're in a chain that makes up each of us."

She can still picture their original "links." The mage and knight's upbringing in a castle, undying loyalty to their king, their meeting with Sora, their adventure through their individual eyes-almost the same but with a few significant differences. Both were simple, uncomplicated lives destined for happy ends. She didn't need any other powers to see that. Most of that was even applicable for the non-combatant of the group, Jiminy. All so untroubled, all so safe.

But Sora-obviously she paused a little bit longer to sample his memories.

To quietly sit back and watch the fleeting childhood so abruptly ended by higher callings. She envied him for his many days of doing nothing but idling away the hours on his small island; was jealous of his early mornings and home-made breakfasts from his mom, afternoon of make-believe play with friends, nights of staying awake to gaze at the night sky. Watching the life she would never have, feeling the heat of a phantom sun, the crash of already-broken waves, empty laughter and black skies.

It had taken her quite a while to muster up the courage to follow the Organization's orders and begin dislodging his chains, but after the initial unshackling the process was easy as it always was. She even felt some sort of perverse pleasure lodge inside of her, as she sat stealing away what she didn't want and claiming him with fabrications that were as sweet as she wanted to be. Gradually the Other faded and she appeared, then flared into his conscious.

The one she should have been. The girl she'll never be.

"I don't actually erase any memories-just take apart the links and rearrange them. You still have all of your memories." Even now she is still unsure of whether this is a good or bad thing.

Oh, what a character flaw.

The cricket speaks next, optimism apparent in his voice. "So you can put them back together?"

The Witch nods, knowing that after she says this there will be no turning back. But there was never much of a choice, anyway, she gently reminds herself.

"Yes, but first I have to gather up the memories scattered across each of your hearts and then reconnect them."

She sees something dawn in the faces, but hesitates to put a name to it. Amazement? Revulsion? Dare she dream to see a bit of pity? It seemed like Organization XIII could never make up its minds about that, either.

Upon hasty reflection, she refrains from tell them about the process's high degree of difficulty-after all, there's no sense in sending them into a troubled sleep. Knowing their sense of chivalry, misplaced as it is, they'd probably refuse to undergo the treatment just to save her the embarrassment of failure.

A part of her would like this…but she stops herself from thinking too long about that. Stop talking like that, she chides, and show that you're a fraction worthy enough to be on the right side this once; prove yourself wrong.

"It might take some time," she begins, failing to leave out her uncertainty, "but I think it might work." Naminé shakes her head, the action alone giving her a tinge more of bravery as she steeples her fingers and continues, "No-it will work. I'm sure. It's my turn to look after you."

She has said the right thing, maybe even the most honest thing she's said in her entire pitiful existence. The Keyblader agrees.

"All right," he says with that smile that her chest finds unsettling. "We all really trust you."

It pains her, this innocence they all possess. She is the one who has done this to them, who has utterly destroyed their memories, and they don't even mind. No shouting, no physical abuse, nothing. Just this blind faith that she really has the power and, furthermore, the will to right her wrongs.

Jiminy is the one who locates the sore spot, the girl employing every ounce of self-control she will ever possibly have to not give away the weakness.

"Oh…wait a second! You said you'd have to undo the links of the memories you made. But that means-"

A whisper of a sigh escapes. "Yes."

Every decision in life requires giving up something else. The lucky few give up the things of no significance, the stuff better left behind. But the majority must weigh both sides of each deal, not the gains each would bring to them alone, but all that would be lost to them as well. It is the only way. It will always be the only way.

"You won't be able to remember anything that happened here."

"Not even you?" The boy grasps it immediately. It's not the castle or the enemies he hesitates to forget-his one concern is her. And she feels a glimmer of something appear, something that she won't put a name to lest it vanish.

"I'm sorry." More than she has ever been. "But it's the only way, I'm afraid."

Contemplation begins to occur and she turns her back, doing anything to keep from seeing his face. She doesn't want to watch as he makes up his mind, the determination setting his mouth into an unpleasant frown. As he says what will surely be the end of her, invisibly slipping away from her weak hold.

But.

She's not giving up just yet.

Call it a defiant streak, call it trying to change fate-she suddenly feels the need to put up a struggle. His departure will mean the only chance for happiness has slipped through her fingers…and she didn't even fight for it. If she says nothing more, then she will forevermore blame herself for the possible opportunity lost. And…well, doesn't she deserve to have a shred of a dream, just this once?

She wants him-maybe even needs, she doesn't know for sure. She's ignoring all the questions why should you? and answering them with a flippant why not?

She could be enough. She could be more than enough.

She could be real to him.

The Nobody inhales. "Sora, you have a choice." She can almost feel his unsure eyes on her. Eyes that perfectly match the sky she's only seen.

"You can lose your memories of this castle and reclaim your old ones…" And lose me too. "Or keep your memories here and give up the memories that you've lose." And stay with me.

"Do I have to…to choose?"

Naminé closes her eyes, wishing to freeze this moment forever. The only time she was worthy enough to be compared with Kairi. The Witch actually in running with The Princess.

She's done all she can, offered all that could possibly attract him, prayed all the useless words. There is nothing more.

"Yes."

Sora would say that this was the toughest decision he'd made in as long as he could remember, but given that he could only be sure his newest memories were the only true ones he had, that would only be about five minutes.

It should be an easy answer.

The boy deserves his true memories, not the ones of a fake childhood and this castle. There is nothing appealing about keeping what never should have been yours. If he chooses to retain them, he'll continually wonder what would have happened had he traded them in for what was real. His actual memories are probably happier, or at least getting them would put him a step closer to finding Riku and the one most special to him.

Yet…

If he chooses this, he'll be leaving her. He can picture her face twisting in silent pain, and then swiftly changing into a small smile to erase any second guesses when he gives his answer. Naminé might have done this, but forgetting her would be spitting in her face. If he goes, she will just be the silent girl again, now all alone in this empty place. There will be no chance of someone returning to save her day again.

Why doesn't she get a happy ending? Who has decided that she will forever be lonely, an eternal, unhappy outcast? He doesn't need any memories, true or false, to see that this girl is precious. She deserves more.

And maybe…

His mind and body begin to resist this train of thought. Are you crazy? You don't even know this girl! You'll be making a horrible mistake!

But he tells himself to really look at her—past what he's only allowed himself to see, to the girl willing to sacrifice the only friendship she might ever have for the good of others. She isn't being selfish, she's just allowing herself do dream for a moment for offering him this. And…she should.

So he listens not to his mind or his body. He listens to his heart. As it beats out, You could make her happy…

The weight immediately lessens. Yes, he could. He could fill her time with as much happiness as he knows. He could make her laugh and smile-he loves her smile, and that's based on actual experience. No more being alone. He could make her important.

He could, he could, he could…

He will.

"I want to keep these memories."

Her eyes snap open but she's too afraid to face him. Did she really hear him say that? Did he really choose…?

His friends are up in arms.

"Sora, if you do that-!"

"You Can't!"

"What about-?"

They list every possible reason until she's sure he'll change his mind, paining her even more. But he's silent, mute until their tongues still.

"One of us should remember Castle Oblivion, so why not me? Besides, I haven't forgotten the really important stuff-like Riku. He can catch me up when we find him and the king." They can't argue to his optimistic logic, knowing that he is too stubborn to change his mind now.

Donald and Goofy say nothing about keeping their false memories; they want to remember the real places and people that have slipped their minds, like any sane person. She can't blame them. And she knows Sora doesn't, either. It passes unsaid between their eyes.

She takes it upon herself to move them forward. "For me to reconstruct your memories, you'll have to sleep for a while…maybe a year. I'll take you to the room where you'll sleep now."

Only when she makes sure she can hear the echo of their footsteps behind her does she continue. "I made pods for you to sleep in, just in case you three were successful. They allow you to stay in slumber and help me monitor your progress. You'll be able to wake up and think you only took a short nap, remembering everything you've forgotten up to the point you saw the castle."

Naminé risks a glance at the group, noticing the looks of disappointment radiating from Goofy and Jiminy and the glares from Donald directed at Sora, who seems happily oblivious. Something settles in her gut that she can't ignore, pretty sure that it's guilt. She tries to ignore it and opens the door to the room.

All four immediately stop to marvel at the intricate design of the flower-shaped pods. She permits herself a small smile before going to the control panel and pressing the buttons to open each of the three pods.

Donald and Goofy make one last quiet plea with their eyes then walk almost mechanically into their pods, Jiminy now transferred onto the mage's shoulder. As much as they care for Sora, they know they can't make his decisions. Naminé lets the doors on their pods close and hesitates to close the one meant for the Keyblader.

"Sora…are you sure you want this?"

A flash of his grin answers her. "Of course I do."

"What about…" she swallows the lump in her throat. "What about the girl you don't remember?"

He shrugs. "I'll remember her, somehow. But in the meantime, I'm okay." His smile stays this time.

It's such a beautiful sight that she can't help feel tears prick up in her eyes. He's too much for someone like her. And he'll realize that when it's too late.

"Naminé? Wha-" he notices the tears falling but freezes, unsure of how to stop them. She covers her face with her hands, ashamed.

"I'm sorry, Sora. I'm so, so sorry. You don't need to stay here. Don't do it just because you feel bad for me. You need to forget. Forget me and remember her and everything else and-"

"Naminé." His voice is low and firm. "I want to stay with you. And there's nothing you can say or do to change my mind."

She lowers her hands and he grabs one of them playfully. "Now stop crying! I hate it when you do that."

Their fingers entwined somehow give her the courage to face her final doubts and she closes the last pod. Never letting go of his hand. Sealing off all that wanted to take him away from her.

He is hers, she tells herself. For a year, for more than she ever hoped to have. Hers to laugh with, hers to dream with, to make true memories of them together.

She silences the voice that says But in only a year he'll be gone, and then you'll see…

It is enough.

Nobody needs to keep a bunch of memories that aren't real. Anybody would want to remember all of the people who are really important to them.

But he isn't Nobody, and he isn't Anybody.

He is hers. For now.

(End A/N: So...I could be mean and put up a big "The End" here, but most of you might be happy to know this is only the first part. As of now, this fic is completed with four more chapters, but I have a feeling that, with some reviews and encouragement, it could easily be expanded to 8-10 chapters. I'm thinking I'll update regularly with a new chapter every Friday afternoon. So. See you guys then with Chapter two!

...Oh, also, I would be flattered if you would be kind enough to drop me a little review. Or put the story on watch. Either way I would be a very happy author :D)