XXX

In the weeks that followed things started winding down slowly and peacefully. Sora and Kairi had become official boyfriend and girlfriend and Roxas was more than happy to support them. Sora started showing the two siblings how to gather and build various items out of the resources from the island. He brought them around the island, showing them a few landmarks and the best routes to get back to their cabin (which Kairi had insisted on adding a few warm colored tulips to the roof). He showed them how to wash their clothes in a stream that was nestled deep in the greenery, and he even made them both their own small knives out of stone, sticks, and vines.

In turn, Roxas and Kairi told Sora about their life before they were washed onto the island; how their parents were, the things they did for fun, their friends, and the school they went to. Though most of what Roxas had to say about school was just how pointless it was, even though Kairi said Roxas was a straight A student. Sora thought for as much as they talked about it, they were probably desperately missing their old life back home. Sora didn't though, he never thought about it much because, even if he did want to go back, the reality that he would have nothing to go back to crashes down on him like the waves crashing on the shore.

Life gradually got easier with the three of them living there. Though they lost track of time a long time ago it didn't seem to matter; they enjoyed each other's company and laid out on the beach every evening to watch the sun sink below the horizon.

The three of them had broken the barriers of survival. They weren't surviving, they were living.

"Do you think it will always be like this?" Kairi asked one evening as the sky was being painted a beautiful orange to signal the sun making its decent across the sky in its usual cycle.

"I dunno, maybe," Sora replied, wrapping his arm around Kairi's shoulders as she nestled up next to him on the beach. "If it is, I'd be okay with that."

"Don't you ever want to go see what's out there again though?" Roxas wondered, sitting next to Kairi with his legs spread out in front of him and his hands behind his back, pressing into the still warm white sand.

"Sometimes," Sora replied simply.

"You know, this island can really be beautiful," Kairi said, resting her head on Sora's shoulder and listening to the waves gently lapping the shore. "If we got the chance, I don't really know if I'd want to leave." She sighed contently. Yeah, life wasn't so bad. At least she still had the two people she cared about most with her. There was a long pause; the sun was nearly half way below the horizon. "But a part of me does wonder," Kairi continued, "What would happen if we went back? Did anything happen to the outside world while we were gone?"

"Well we could find out," Sora said suddenly, surprising Kairi and causing her to draw back and look at him.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

Roxas glanced over as Sora smiled, "We can build a raft."

Roxas smirked, "A raft huh? Not a bad idea. I'm up for another adventure, what do you think sis?"

Kairi looked from Roxas to Sora and drew a long breath before answering. "As long as I'm with you guys I don't care where we go, but let's just stay here a little longer," she said, siding back up next to Sora, "after all, our destinies have become intertwined."

Sora's eyes widened as Kairi's words sunk in. Of course! How could he have forgotten?! "Hey Kairi, that reminds me, I want to show you something."

"Huh? What do you want to show me?" She asked curiously.

"I'll show you," he replied, standing up and helping Kairi to her feet. "But you have to close your eyes."

"Close my eyes? What is it a secret or something?"

Sora shrugged, a playful grin sliding onto his face, "Maybe."

Kairi smiled, "Alright alright," she turned to Roxas who had turned back to the ocean and was now basking in the last of the sun's warm rays, his blonde spikes dancing around his face. "We'll meet you back at the cabin okay Roxas?"

Roxas just looked at them out of the corner of his eyes, "Okay, have fun you two," he smiled as Sora led Kairi back into the jungle.

"Do you trust me?" Sora asked once they had left the beach behind them.

"Of course I trust you," Kairi replied. Sora smiled and told her to close her eyes as he took her by the wrist and carefully maneuvered through the foliage. He remembered it was deep in the jungle, somewhere he had found only once but the pathway had been burned into his mind. He just couldn't believe he hadn't remembered it until now.

"How far is this 'surprise' exactly?" Kairi asked, "Feels like we've been walking forever."

"Don't worry Kai," Sora said, gently guiding her though a patch of long green leaves hanging down from a nearby tree. "We're here. Open your eyes."

The redhead slowly slid her indigo eyes open and gasped at what she was looking at. There was a patch of sand surrounded by what was almost a perfect circle of dark green grass. To the left were three coconut trees that stood so tall Kairi wondered how she had not seen them from the other side of the island. But the thing that sparked her interest the most was a bent tree, almost completely sideways before it curved up and gave way to luscious green palm tree leaves and three of the most peculiar looking fruit.

Sora grinned at her expression and led her over to the bent tree in the middle. "Sorry I didn't show you this earlier, I had completely forgotten about it. But I didn't bring you here just for the scenery," he said, hopping up onto the sideways tree and carefully plucking one of the yellow fruits off of the stem. Sora brought it back and stood in front of Kairi with the fruit in front of him.

Kairi gazed down at it. It was shaped perfectly like a star, with a small patch of leaves growing from where the stem had been. She wondered what sort of tree made such a fruit.

"This is a paopu fruit," Sora explained, "the legend behind it is if two people share one, their destinies become intertwined and they'll remain a part of each other's lives, no matter what."

"Sora… It's beautiful…" Kairi said, awestruck at the whole thing.

"So are you," Sora smiled and held the fruit out to her, "I don't ever want to be apart from you. Will you share this with me Kairi?"

Kairi looked into Sora's gorgeous cerulean eyes, her heart fluttered as she held onto the other side of the paopu fruit, "I'd be happy to Sora."

With that, Sora broke it in half, kept one for himself and gave the other to Kairi. Neither of them hesitated as they both took a bite of the fruit at the same time. The sweetest juices Kairi had ever tasted filled her mouth, her taste buds coming alive and her heart thumping wildly in her chest.

They didn't say a word as they leaned in and shared a passionate kiss with each other. Their love had become an unbreakable connection, one that not even the hardest of times could sever.

…

In the day that followed all three of them awoke to the shining sun. They ate a breakfast of coconut shavings, which Sora had snagged from one of the coconut trees last night before him and Kairi left, and half a jug of water from the stream. They discussed the raft as they ate their breakfast and by around noon they had decided to build it and finally see for themselves what had happened during their absence. Roxas planned out how to structure it, Kairi was the one to fetch the resources Roxas needed, and Sora stayed at the beach with Roxas to help build it.

It was a slow process at first but over the next few days it had become a daily routine and was quite easy. All of them were on board with the idea, although Sora was worried if Kairi really was okay with it. But when he asked she just told him that she didn't care as long as she was with him.

In what Sora guessed to be about 10 days it was finally ready to go. Packed with provisions and a structure Roxas was certain would not fail, they concluded that they would all set off the next morning.

Kairi sighed, wiping the sweat from her brow and plopping down on the sand while she admired their work. Night had just fallen but the moon had lit up the island in a silver glow that made Kairi look like a goddess. Sora walked up behind her and set his arms around him from behind, smiling sweetly as he looked at their now finished raft.

"It looks fantastic," Kairi complemented the two boys.

"Thanks Kairi," Roxas said from his place on the raft docked on the sand. "It's sturdy, it'll certainly carry us a long way."

"Well good thing you're smart in these kind of things because I would have never figured out a structure like this, usually I just wing it," Sora said, resting his chin on Kairi's head.

Roxas chuckled, "I don't find that hard to believe."

"Hey!" Sora yelled, smiling.

"Hey guys… what's that?" Kairi asked, pointing out to the ocean while getting to her feet.

Sora stood and squinted out to the waves. An object was flashing in and out of sight as the waves moved up and down. From what Sora could make out it was a piece of drift wood but with something on top of it. "What is that?" Sora asked no one in particular.

"Is that a… person?" Roxas stated, gazing out as well. Sora squinted harder and, as the object got closer, sure enough it looked like a person was lying on top of the driftwood. Although they didn't appear to be moving.

"It's headed in our direction," Kairi said walking closer to the edge of the shore.

All three teenagers waited at the shoreline until the supposed 'person' got closer and closer. When it was just about a few yards from the water's edge Roxas ran out and began to pull the driftwood that the figure was laying on. Sora was quick to act and ran out with the blond, pulling the driftwood to shore. The two boys laid it down on the sand and looked closely at the person. It was a girl; she appeared to be passed out. Kairi walked around and knelt next to the girl on the side opposite Sora and Roxas.

"Hey are you okay?" Sora asked the girl, bending down on his knees. The girl groaned slightly and shifted, cracking open her startling light blue eyes.

"What…?" The girl asked, her voice was scratchy and she slowly got into a sitting position with the help of Roxas. "Who—who are you?"

"I'm Sora, this is Kairi and Roxas," Sora introduced, pointed to the red head and blond respectively. "Where did you come from?"

"I-I don't know, I don't remember…" she replied in a small voice.

"Well what's your name?" Roxas asked.

"...Namine."

XXX

And with that I am finally done with this story! (after falling off the face of the planet of course) Thanks to all of you that reviewed and no I do not own Kingdom Hearts, though Im sure its everyones dream here that you did.

I cannot thank those enough who favorited and followed this story I love you guys!3

Uh... sequel? I'm not sure. If I do it'll be in the summer after school finally gets out and I can be stress free! But let me know what you guys think. Till the next time, See ya!