Chapter 8: Shadows

Author's Note: Hey Everyone! Thank you so much for you patience! I apologize again for the wait. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do no own any part of the Kingdom Hearts, I just like to write. =D

Terra shuddered in pain as pieces of the Cornerstone grazed his skin, tearing his shirt exposing skin where scratches started to appear from the glass. Master Xehanort, Replica Riku and Vanitas disappeared through a dark portal. Master Xehanort was bearing a grin from ear to ear as he disappeared into the darkness, watching the chaos ensue. A dark cloud appeared where they had disappeared, growing quickly and devouring everything in its path.

"We got to get out of here." Riku said. " This place will soon be devoured by darkness."

King Mickey fell to his knees in shock. He felt numb, letting everything around him fade into the background. His world, all that he had worked hard for, all of his hopes and dreams were in this castle, the same castle that was abou to disappear into nothingness. Nothing would stop the darkness from devouring his world now. He didn't notice when a pair of hands lifted him off the ground and threw him on their back. Everyone headed out of the Hall of the Cornerstone, the darkness following closely behind.

After a few minutes, the King came around from the shock. He looked up to see he was on Terra's back.

"Put me down." He instructed and Terra followed suit. He gently crouched down to let the king hop off. They were in the garden, getting ready to head back to the hanger. "We have to warn any one we can so they can get out." The King said, looking at the others desperately. The King was happy to see that his wife and the chipmunks were among the group. Terra shook his head.

"It's too late, your majesty" Terra said. " The darkness will spread fast." A dark roar came from behind. The group's eyes widened as a dark cloud started to seep over the wall into the garden.

"TIME TO GO!" Aqua bellowed. Everyone started to run towards to the door to the hanger. Out of the corner of her eye she saw two figures running towards the group with the cloud close behind.

"Max! Daisy, HURRY!" Goofy exclaimed. "Come on." Donald grabbed Daisy's hand and they headed through the door. The ran down the flight of stairs to the hanger and onto the black cloud starting to grow, engulfing the garden and trickling down the stairs.

"DONALD TAKE OFF!" King Mickey bellowed. Donald tried to start the engine. Nothing.

"Ohhh! Start you little piece of junk!" Donald said as he kicked the dashboard.

"Donald don't do that!" Goofy exclaimed. He climbed over Donald and started pressing buttons. After a few moments the engine finally started, the floor of the ship trembled.

"PREPARE FOR TAKE OFF!" Donald bellowed.

Kairi looked outside, watching the cloud draw closer. She saw a boy with spiky hair outside, his keyblade was drawn drawn trying to draw off the dark cloud. She gasped pulled on the door, but the door did not open. She pulled on the door again desperately. "Come on," she muttered.

"Where are you going," a deep voice asked. "You do not want to go out there. I won't let you."

"Riku," Kairi pleaded, "Sora is out there, we have to help him."

"Kairi, there is no one out there besides the darkness, I promise. I won't lose you. Sora wouldn't forgive me if I did." Riku replied.

"I don't care, if you won't do anything, I will" Kairi said, pulling on the door again.

"Kairi, forgive me," she heard Riku whisper. She felt pressure on the back of her neck, and then darkness.

She heard the roar of the waves as it crashed against the shore. The smell of salt filled her nostrils, overwhelmly for a moment. She opened her eyes, only to be greeted by darkness. She groaned and sat up. In the darkness, little specks of light flickered in the sky. She peered outward and saw a lamp being held by a pole and a figure of a boy sitting by the ocean. Now standing on her feet, she swayed for a moment but grabbed a tree to catch her ground. Now, finding her balance she walked carefully over to the light and the boy.

"Sora?" She called out now recognizing the spiky hair in the light.

Sora said nothing, he just continued to look up at the sky. Kairi moved forward and sat besides Sora, letting the sand compact under her weight.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Sora said, now realizing that Kairi was next to him.

"Mhm, it is." Kairi replied. "You miss them, don't you?"

"Is it really that obvious Kai?" Sora asked. Kairi nodded.

" You have been quieter since we returned. And you have been out here every night since you came back." Kairi answered.

"I just wonder how they are doing is all. It's been almost a month. I love being home, but at the same time, I miss being out there, with all of my new friends." Sora said sadly.

"Is that why you chose not to go back to school?" Kairi asked.

"Yeah. I have come to realize so long as I bear the burden of being the Keyblade bearer, I won't stop traveling to other worlds to protect the light, and what is most important to me." Sora answered.

Kairi sighed and looked up at the sky sadly. "You know Sora, you never got around to telling me about your adventures."

" Oh come on princess, I thought you were with me for half of it, you should know a good part of it already." Sora teased.

"Oh come on Sora, tell me please. I want to hear all about it. I was asleep you know." Kairi huffed.

"Actually, why don't show you?" Sora said with a grin. Kairi looked at him puzzled. "Come on." With that Sora stood up and grabbed Kairi's hand, pulling her up from the sand. He ran, still holding onto her hand tightly, passed the beach and waterfall to a nearby forest on play island. After a few moments of running he stopped.

"Sora, what is this all about?" Kairi asked now huffing and confused.

"Kairi, close your eyes." Sora instructed. Kairi closed her eyes, now hearing a rustle and some whispers.

"Sora, where are you? What's going on? This is not funny!" Kairi cried. A few moments later she felt strong arms grab her from behind, now gripping firmly around her waist.

"Think of the happiest thought you can think of." Sora said, now whispering in her ear tenderly.

Kairi thought for a moment. The first thought that came to mind was Sora, being able to stay, and the three of them being together., just like it used to be. Seconds later she felt her stomach flutter.

"Open your eyes," Sora whispered gently. Kairi let her eyes flutter open, now noticing her feet were not on the ground. She panicked for a second, starting to feel herself fall slightly.

"Don't panic, just keep thinking that happy thought." Sora said. "Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to you." Kairi kept the thought of the three of them together in the forefront of her mind, she felt herself lift back up again. Sora let go and backed away a bit, giving Kairi some room. Kairi turned around to face Sora, noticing a glow around his features. She looked down at her hands and noticed they were glowing as well.

"Sora, what is this?" Kairi asked.

"May we have this dance?" Sora asked extending his hand out to her. Kairi giggled.

"Of course,"she answered, taking Sora's hand. Sora grabbed her waist with one hand and placed the other hands in hers. Kairi gasped as she watched the other trees surrounding them light up. Sora spun her outwards, the pulled her back in.

"Kairi, I have something I need to tell you." Sora said.

"Yes, Sora?" Kairi breathed.

"I honestly, didn't think you believe me when was going to tell you the story of how I flew. But I have to admit knowing that you were with me, believing in me, has given me so much courage. It has given me the strength to continue on this journey. I just wanted to say thank you, and that.." Sora paused for a moment. " I guess what I am trying to say is.. I am not good at this at all." Sora looked down at his feet for a moment,

"Sora?" Kairi asked.

Sora looked up again, letting his eyes greet Kairi's, his eyes sparkled from the light of the trees. "Kairi, I guess what I have been trying to say is that.. I love you." Sora whispered.

"NO!" Kairi covered her ears and screamed. Sora's face twisted in horror.

"What's wrong Kairi?" He asked.

"I am sorry Sora, I can't do this." Kairi answered. Sora felt his heart begin to sink. "I am in love with Riku." Sora was now fighting back tears. His heart was now breaking.

"Kairi, What about the drawing on the wall? I thought you felt the same way" Sora said. He started to descend to the ground now.

"Sora, we drew those when we were kids. When I was so depressed from missing you that I couldn't breath if I thought of you. Things have changed. Face it, you will never be here, you will be off saving worlds, and I will always be here, waiting for you. So long as you carry that thing, we will never be together." Kairi said, now descending as well.

"What if I gave up being Keyblade Bearer? I won't be the Keyblade Bearer forever." Sora said now landing on the ground.

"Are you stupid? How selfish can you be? The worlds need you. You have clearly proven you miss being out there!" Kairi bellowed. "You will just have to accept things as they are. I love Riku. Whatever I felt for you, is long over. All I am left with now are feelings of disgust." Kairi let her feet touched the ground and walked away.

Sora sank to his knees. He pulled the papou fruit from his thigh pocket, and threw it at the tree in rage. He hunched over, letting the tears fall from his eyes. Tinkerbell descended from the trees, she stuck her tongue out in the direction that Kairi had walked off to. She flew over to Sora, hugging his arm sympathetically with her tiny body.

"Sora," Kairi moaned sleepily. A tear fell from her eye. Riku's frowned in worry. He picked Kairi up bridal style and lifted her to the nearest bed. He laid her down on the bed and covered her with the nearest blanket.

"What did you do?" Asked a voice from behind. Riku turned around and noticed that Axel was standing behind leaning on the post of the doorway.

"Kairi will be sleeping for awhile. That is all you need to know." Riku answered gruffly.

"You know that doesn't answer my question." Axel said with a tinge of annoyance in his voice. Riku huffed and brushed past Axel, walking back to the control room.

"Gee and I thought I had problems," said Axel sarcastically scratching the back of his head. After a few moments, Axel walked off in the other direction to another room, shrugging off the Riku's cold manner.

Riku sat down at the nearest seat of the control and sighed, now gazing out the window. He felt himself fall back into memories of when he and Sora were younger.

He was racing with Sora across the boardwalk to the trees. Riku was in the lead with Sora on his heals.

"What's wrong Sora, giving up already?" Riku called back teasingly.

"That's it, no more." Sora cried. The stopped when they reached the papyou tree that had been bent over for some time. Riku stopped and looked behind, Sora had caught up and was now leaning over his knees, panting. Riku smiled, climbed onto the tree and sat down. Sora followed suit. They sat in silence, now watching the sun set. Bright hues of oranges and reds lit up the sky as the sun began to set in the horizon. Sora looked over to their right and stood up, now spotting something in the distance.

"Heyy over here! Riku now lets race to see who gets to the boats first." Sora said. With that Sora lept off the tree trunk and started running, giggling as he disappeared into the distance. "Take that. Come on I will leave you behind."

Riku felt a pit grow in his stomach at the memory. He felt guilty for leaving the Islands when he did. Maybe if he had stayed, Sora would not be missing and Kairi would not be left behind, heartbroken. Although he didn't like to admit it, he had once had feelings for Kairi. He knew Sora felt the same way. It was the reason that Riku knew he could get away with teasing Sora, he always knew he would get some sort of a reaction if it involved Kairi. Over time, though, Riku realized that his feelings were just a meer crush, he really saw Kairi as a sister, a family member to protect. And as for Sora, he felt that he owed everything to Sora. Sora was the reason that he was able to climb back through the mess that he had created. When they had finally all gotten back home, he still felt guilty about betraying Sora. He felt that he owed everything to Sora, yet when he told Sora this, Sora would just grin his goofy grin and tell Riku not to worry about. At the same time, Riku was slightly worried that if Sora ever got brave enough to admit his feelings to Kairi, that he would become the third wheel. But now, seeing Kairi in the state she was in, Riku now knew for sure. Kairi could not live without Sora. Sora had been the one to find Kairi, to introduce her to the group. He had been the one to save Kairi, to protect Kairi's heart. They were really meant for each other. "Sora," Riku thought, "we will get you back soon, I promise. Just hang in there. You too Kairi."

Riku's thoughts were broken when a voice came over the intercom. "Donald Duck to crew, prepare for landing in thirty minutes." Riku walked back into Kairi's room and kissed her forehead. He took a seat in a chair next to her, and let the grips of sleep take hold.