Title – The Final Battle

Author- Brittany

Disclaimer – I don't own anything… sadly. I would like to own Axel, Sora, and Riku, oh and Xemnas…. Okay anyways my point is, I don't own anything or anybody. Squaresoft and Disney do.

There are some lines from a song by Wilco called How to Fight the Loneliness. This song is not mine. So…. Yeah.

Author's Note – I cried writing that last chapter! I got soo emotional! I don't even know why! Okay anyways… this is the last chapter. I think. So…. I will try and make it wonderful hehe. Thank you SO much you guys for the reviews, and thank you so much diehard SxK fan. That was the best review!

Flutes and other soft instruments were heard playing in the distance. It was a soft sad melody that calmed Sora's soul as he stood on a balcony over looking Radiant Garden's crystal fissures. It was sunset time and the crystals looked like a burning red. The wind was blowing softly making him shiver. He felt his whole body shake from pain and exhaustion. He needed to get home soon. How would he face his family? Her parents? How? Bring her home and say she died there? What would he say?

He shook his head not wanting to think about the future right now. It was too painful to think that Kairi would not be with him. She was gone, dead. Never to come back.

He was numb yet his heart ached. He felt like he could no longer go on, but he knew that if he were to join Kairi in the under world she'd be so disappointed in him. She'd want him to live life to it's fullest.

A warm hand was placed on his shoulder, he turned to look whose hand it belonged to and saw a smiling welcoming face that belonged to Axel.

"Hey, they're beginning it now." He said softly. His eyes were a bit red just as the rest of everyone else's. Kairi was their best friend, and was loved by all.

Sora nodded and picked up his keyblade that was lying on the ground. The weapon that pierced his wife's heart. He followed Axel back down to where everyone was. They were all wearing black cloaks and holding candles. It was almost near dark now. They all stood by a small river drifting out to sea. And it wasn't just Riku, Axel, King Mickey, Merlin, Cid, Leon, Yuffie, Tifa, Aerith, and Cloud, it was everyone from the newly restored village. Familiar and new faces all surrounded the perimeter.

He put the hood of his cloak on and moved to the center of the giant circle next to Kairi's coffin in the water, it was being held by a rope. The coffin was closed due to Kairi's gory sight. Sora could not bear to see her so helpless anyways.

The town of Radiant Garden were humming a haunting tune. King Mickey had told him it was a farewell and parting song they would sing when someone should pass away. They were freeing her spirit.

Aerith walked next to Sora and handed him a candle. She smiled at him and whispered, 'I'm sorry.' She gave him one last smile and turned away joining the giant circle of people.

After the humming was over with many hands touched the coffin in peace and touched Sora's shoulder. They were giving him their strength, he was to send her off and set her soul free.

Tears began to flow freely from his eyes. The brunette fell to the ground and held onto the coffin tightly.

"Why Kairi, why!" He cried against the cool wood. Sobs and gasps were heard from behind him inside the crowd of people. But Sora did not care, he only wanted Kairi back. He banged on the coffin asking why over and over until a hand pulled him up into a standing position.

Strong arms wrapped around his smaller body in a tight embrace. "She was my best friend Sora. But nobody will ever know her as you did. And that is enough to show everyone you know and love how amazing she was." Riku whispered. Sora collapsed against his shoulder and cried harder then ever before.

It was hard to see the man who loved her fall apart like he was before their very eyes. There hearts went out to him. Some saying silent prayers and others wishing this never happened.

An elderly woman came to stand next to Sora and Riku. She moved her hand so that it grabbed Sora's right. She smiled at him once he looked at her in confusion.

"It is time Sora." She whispered and held his left hand still holding the candle up.

Riku stepped back knowing what this meant. Sora nodded too. He had to let go and set her free.

He walked over to his love's coffin and untied the rope that was keeping it here. It began to drift off down the small river, but before it had a chance to escape Sora had lit the top of the coffin on fire. The fire was his passion for her. It burned on forever. And his love would consume her, just like the fire. The fire would also release her soul back into the heavens. She would be free.

Once her coffin was nearly out of sight Sora fell to the ground in tears once more. He threw his candle out in the river and shouted incoherent words at the sky. Everyone took pity on his poor soul.

It was now dark. The sun had set and the stars were now starting to appear. Most of everyone disappeared back into their homes leaving bushels and bushels of flowers and roses.

Riku and the gang decided to let Sora be for a few hours, but by the time Riku finally walked out to go check on Sora, it was nearly nine at night. Sora was hiccupping from crying so much and his eyes were puffy.

"Come on Sora, it's time to go inside. Let's get you something hot to drink." The older boy said picking the younger one up. He wrapped Sora's shoulder around his shoulders and used all of his strength to carry Sora.

"I loved her." He chocked out. His voice was raspy.

"No Sora, it's not you loved her, you still do love her. You know those gusts of wind that causes chills to go down your spin?"

Sora nodded.

"That's Kairi's spirit going through you. She loves you Sora, don't you ever forget that."

More tears began to fall down Sora's cheeks. But not from pain, this time from happiness at understanding.

The two young men stepped up the steps into Merlin's house. Everyone was sitting in the living room drinking hot tea. All of their eyes turned on Sora and Riku as they entered the house. Aerith immediately got up and helped Sora sit down on the couch. She smiled at him and handed him a hot cup of tea.

"Drink this dear. It will help soothe your pain." She coaxed.

Sora was obliged to drink the hot tea. To his relief it did soothe most of his aches. But now he felt exhausted. Having your heart ripped in two really weakens you emotionally and physically.

He needed rest anyways, tomorrow in the morning, Riku and he would be leaving. They were going back home. What a going away party. Sora was aware of almost every single eye was trained on him. They were wondering how he was. Are they thinking he'll do something stupid?

Sora sighed and set his empty cup down on the table. He managed a weak smile and stood up. Axel followed suit and smiled also. Sora looked to the corner of him and saw Riku already heading to the room they shared and decided to go with him. Axel must have felt it time for bed because he too followed the two boys.

"Good night everyone, thank you so much for the tea Aerith." Axel smiled and turned around heading to bed.

"You're welcome Axel." She smiled sincerely.

Aerith turned back to everyone else. Leon was shoved in a small corner drinking his now cold tea. Cloud and Tifa were cuddled up on a small sofa. Cid was on his computer but not doing anything on it. Merlin stood next to him wrapping his silver beard around his thin long fingers. Aerith stood in the small kitchen tears falling every so often. Yuffie was sitting on top of a dresser wiping free tears that kept escaping.

The only thing that seemed to make more noise then the rest of the gang was the fire that crackled peacefully in the corner. It was beginning to rain lightly outside. how strange how the weather always matched their moods.

Sora didn't say a word to the two boys as he sat down on his bed. He really was exhausted, but wasn't tired to sleep, it hardly made sense at all. The balcony on Sora's side of the room was open slightly letting in cold wind and some rain.

Axel got up off of his bed to shut the doors tightly. He sighed and put his forehead against the window pane.

"Sora?" He asked, he was still leaning against the window pane. His hot breath left marks against the glass.

Sora looked at him. Riku gave him his attention also.

"I want to go back home with you."

"Are you sure?" Riku asked.

"Of course." Axel turned around and started at Riku. Sora was looking at him, but a dead blank stare was all he got.

"Of course you can come back home with us, but I mean is it where you want to live?" Riku spread out on his pillow.

"Well actually what I was thinking, Sora maybe I could keep you company right now? I mean you'll be by yourself… do you want some company?" He looked hopeful and uncomfortable at the same time.

Sora sat up and looked at the red head, "I'd like that." He managed a half smiled and laid back down.

Axel smiled too and ran to his bed. Riku smiled too and pulled his sheets up and over his head. Since Axel was the one next to the lamp he was the one to extinguish it. Leaving them in a blanket of darkness.

Leaving Sora alone to his thoughts. He tried to go to sleep. He needed it. Somehow he knew that this would be one of many sleepless nights.

He kept being reminded of her beauty and the things she did when she was alive.

"Who killed her?" a voice in his head spoke.

"Stop it, I had no choice. I freed her soul."

"How can you be so certain?"

"Because I followed my heart."

"Your heart told you to kill her?"

"No!"

The battle in his mind continued on for hours. There really was no sleep for Sora tonight, but by the time he opened his eyes he felt sore, sick, and helpless. He sat up and looked at Axel and Riku. The boys were still fast asleep. They weren't haunted by nightmares. This would bother him every single day of his life. But…. He did what was right? …. Right? He did what Kairi wanted. She wouldn't want to be a devil in an angel's body. She pleaded for him to save them. He did the right thing. He tried to convince himself.

He looked outside in the balcony. It was early, but the sun was already beginning to shine. Sora pushed his sheets off of his legs and padded across the floor. He needed some fresh air before heading home.

Nobody was sleeping in the living room tonight so he had an easy time sneaking outside. He closed his eyes and breathed in the mourning dew.

He had to fight this loneliness. He stepped off of the porch and looked around. He began his walk. Not to make questions arise is smile all the time. Shine your teeth till meaningless, sharpen them with lines. That was how to fight the loneliness.

Was it worth it? Was any of this worth it? Was it fair that he gets to live and his love has to die? She's gone, forever. And it's all his fault.

He bite his lip and ran. He ran and ran until finally he crashed into a wall overlooking that same small river Kairi's body was released into.

"I love you." He whispered. A tear fell softly down his cheek.

A gust of wind blew across his face causing him to shiver down his spine.

"You know those gusts of wind that causes you to shiver down your spine? That's Kairi's spirit going through you." Riku's voice echoed through his mind.

"You really are free aren't' you." He chocked out. His throat hurt from keeping his tears in. He smiled and brought his fingers to his lips, he blew the wind a kiss and whispering an 'I love you'.

He saw someone from the corner of his eyes. Down below the stairs was someone with red hair. For a second he thought it might be Axel, but this was a woman with long red hair. Familiar long red hair.

"It… can't be." He said growing curious. He jumped off of the stairs and down onto the ground where the woman was walking. She was gone.

"Keep it together Sora." He said to himself grasping his head with both hands.

He heard footsteps to the side of him. He swirled around to see the same girl with the long red hair. He only saw her form the side, but she looked oddly exactly like Kairi. She was standing in a small flower garden holding a lily and smelling it. She wore a simple purple dress with brown boots that went to her ankles. Her hair was loose and the same length as Kairi's.

"K-Kairi?" He asked. He was shaking now. This girl looked identical to Kairi. Was she a ghost? Was he seeing an apparition? Was he loosing his mind?

The girl stopped smelling the lily and turned to look at Sora. No, this couldn't be a ghost. This girl looked exactly like Kairi. Her eyes did the same twinkling thing that they did when she was confused. Even the scar on her neck was the same from Sora and her playing to rough.

The girl was only a few feet from him but he could still see her kind face. She simply smiled at him but looked confused. She moved her flower basket to the other hand and asked, "How do you know my name?"

THE END