Declaimer: "I do not own Kingdom Hearts…."

Kiome-Yasha: "Here it is my fellow readers and reviewers, the sequel to The Way You Remember Me. Now, enjoy the first chapter of The Way I Remember You!"

Chapter 1 1,213 Days

Drifting as far as I can sleep…

Memories beneath my dreams…

Recalling the day, where nothingness was born…

I awaken now, to where my heart was sworn…

-Roxas

Each passing image and reflection came like a hot flash of smoke and powder, exploding inside the crevices of his mind as he dreamt. He recalled every moment, every slither of information that dealt with the horrifying truth. It all started out slow, bits and pieces forming into columns as they built themselves up inside of him. He cherished the shards of memories that were of him and his friends in Twilight Town, dubbing them to be one of his most precious memories even though they were lies. He could recall little of his birth as a Nobody, detailing the scene of when he was given the name Roxas. After that, everything swooped by to the next set of sequences, taking him back to his precious time with Xion and Axel; which who he slowly began to remember. He could feel the small smile forming in his sleep when traveling through the shattered memory lane, jumping to the next scene.

The next memory he strived to remain in, no matter how much he struggled to hold was the time he had met Namine. But it wasn't just that alone, it was every memory that dealt about the blonde witch. He could feel his arms swarming about in the darkness, trying to reach for the chains as they drifted further away from him. He wanted to halt the process, but no matter how many times he tried, it all ended the same unwelcoming result. Of course, this had happened a year ago.

It wasn't until the second year that his dreams began to make a dramatic turn, recollecting events he couldn't decipher in being his or not. It was like he was in someone else's life, seeing himself travel to each world as he searched desperately for a friend. The sensation was familiar and yet foreign, gripping his hand as he felt the presence and power of a keyblade. He could feel the swarming dark element of darkness as it filled his chest, tainting his core and demolishing it slowly as it gained hold of him. He sensed a bond that was torn away, friends who had all lost their way from the separate paths they took. An evil plot that threatened to change the fate of the worlds; that threatened to disrupt the balance of Kingdom Hearts. It all washed over him like some unknown prophecy waiting to be foretold as it slowly erupted his mind to remember, tilting his dreams to awake within him.

But before Roxas could even make sense into why such a false consciousness was dwelling inside of him, darkness would always settle back inside his heart, reviving the sins he had tried so hard to forget. It brought back his misery of the people he had murdered, the lives he had destroyed, including one of his own. He was always brought back in that moment in time, where he had struck Namine's chest to become one with Xemnas's replica of Kingdom Hearts. Once he could recall the unforgiving pressure of his keyblade sinking into her chest, everything swept by him to his last encounter with his beloved.

And it would all begin and repeat in the same agonizing pattern each time he slept, developing further as days pass into months, and eventually, into years. The formed illusions of memoirs always ending with Namine having her back turned to him, slowly turning herself around with a new attire of ominous shadow, her eyes blazing yellow as she whispered hauntingly.

Roxas…

It was right after that, that he would feel something sharp pierce through his chest, spilling his existence to come to a halt as everything went black.

Roxas suddenly jolted up from his slumber, gasping abruptly as he tried to quell the aching pain they threatened to suffocate him. He clutched his chest, easing the rapid and haphazard beats of his given heart, as it wasn't used to such elaborate settings of emotions. He breathed heavily as sweat began to drip off from the top of his head, scorching his body as it became drenched from the uneasy nightmare he just had.

'Dammit, you would think I be used to it by now…' He mentally chastised, his eyes glancing upwards towards the large open window next to his bedside. His long blonde locks swept over his dark-cobalt orbs like a mask, revealing the maturity of his age that have risen over the course of years. He kept the back of his tresses the same, letting a few strands to grow slightly a bit over his neck, but not enough for a ponytail to be needed. His boyish appearance had all disappeared, showing a well lean male with hard and tense muscles that flexed flawlessly each time he moved. He wasn't built or brawny, but thin enough to prove he had skills in combat and was perfectly agile to be quick on his feet.

Roxas scrunched his defined male visage as he eased one of his hands onto his forehead, closing his eyes momentarily before opening them again, 'Namine…' He looked over at the calendar he had on his bedroom wall, counting off the days he had crossed so far, 'Has it really been that long since I've started living here? Since these dreams started haunting me…?'

He heard the bell outside strike loudly across the distance of the golden and urban neighborhood, taking it as a sign that it was now noon. It was then that a sharp twinge came and evaded his head, prickling his joints to fall numb as a migraine started to form. He tried to shake off the feeling, already having a bottle of pills and a glass of water set next to him from his bed. He popped the lid, sprinkling the two gels into his hand before dunking them into his mouth. He was prepared for everything, having experienced this many times before. He took the glass of water, swallowing it whole as he engulfed the pain-relievers into his system.

"Dammit…" He cringed as his throat felt sore from the harsh swallow, coughing roughly as he tried to clear away the discomfort. He took off his white t-shirt, feeling the material begin to stick to his sweaty flesh from underneath. He threw the top on the floor as he let the open breeze from outside soak over him like a blanket.

He resisted the tears that were at the urge of dripping off his face, blocking the flood as his mind always came to wonder on one person. He shook and shivered from the tremor he released from his clutched lungs, easing himself off the bed, "I might as well get ready for the day…" He commented dryly, even though his throat should have been moistened from the glass of water.

He headed inside the shower, unleashing the band to his grey sweat pants as he let it drop to the floor, leaving him only with boxers. He entered the private bathroom he had in his small apartment, twisting the knob to the shower to cold. He discarded his boxers, entering inside as he tried to wash away the filth that was plastered all over him from his morning perspiration. While under the rushing pour of water, Roxas hit his head against the back of the tiles, examining his dreams more deeply as he tried to make sense of them. He connected everything together, taking in account over how some of them were his memories; but that's not what bothered him. It was the other parts that he couldn't even comprehend in being his that left him baffled; the person who looked like him, the familiar feeling of a past he couldn't even remember. And what about Namine? Why didn't she look like the Namine he loved, the angel of light that brought him out of the darkness as she brought him inside a world where he could exist? The one in his nightmare was dark and foreboding, tainting his image of her in a form he would never dared to envision.

It was then that Roxas heard a knock vibrate through the walls, indicating the sound to be from the door to his apartment. He sighed jadedly, already predicting who the visitors were before even condemning himself in opening the door. He washed away whatever suds were left on him, drying himself off quickly as he turned off the valve to the shower.

"Hold on!" He called out monotonously, fishing out his usual attire for the pass couple of months.

He patiently got himself dressed, his friends waiting for him on the other side of the entryway, as they were already used to his slow routine in answering the door. Roxas wore a typical red shirt underneath, which had black-checkered designs horizontally across his chest and vertically from the right side, a zipper like collar attached to the shirt. He sported a milky tan long sleeve sweater which looked similar to his old pullover, only this one didn't have the checker patterns on it; instead it had pockets that had shuriken symbols on the zippers and a hood at the back. The pants he slipped on were a faded tan like color, much like his old ones, but they were tighter than his original ones, having some loose areas for comfort. His sneakers were the same, only that the colors had switched in certain places. As he fully got himself clothed, he wrapped a loose scarf around his neck, which was ink black, having black and white square patterns at the tips of the cloth; a shuriken symbol stitched at the corner at one end. He had long ago burned his old Organization outfit, refusing to wear the thing ever again as he cursed it to the abyss of ashes.

'I don't deserve this…Namine…not after what I've done…' He began to explain inside his mind, feeling something pulse inside his chest in response towards his words.

He ignored the feeling, opening the door to his apartment to reveal three concern smiles plastered on his friends' faces. Olette, Hayner, and Pence were the only three who knew he still existed, holding little information of his past when they had found him on the beach shore years ago. They all grew and matured over the course of time as well, changing from the three carefree and rambunctious teenagers to responsible and developed pre-adults. They haven't changed though, they still consisted the same style of clothing that they always wore with the same selection of colors, though there was slight alterations. It was thanks to Pence that he was able to get a cheap place to live in, Olette and Hayner providing him the part-time jobs he needed to support the rent.

"Hey, buddy. We were going to grab some sea-salt ice cream just like in the old days, want to come?" Hayner spoke pleasantly, though his tone held some desperation for him to cooperate.

"Yeah, Roxas. You keep drifting away from us lately, is there something wrong?" Olette asked carefully, hoping he would share his feelings to them.

He avoided their gaze, 'I can't tell them…they won't understand…' He brought his attention back over to them, "Sorry, guys. I have other plans today."

"Oh, come on, Roxas." Pence tried to reason, "Don't be like that."

"Sorry guys, but I'm really not in the mood to hang out." He replaced his gloomy expression with a façade and friendly smile, "I promise, we can all hang out together next time." He brushed through them without another word, giving a short wave of his hand in order to signal his departing.

The three just stood quiet in the hall, glancing back and forth at each other with regretful looks, finding they weren't able to tell him other information they wanted to share. They watched the blonde descend down to the stairs as he headed off towards his own business, finding their first day of summer together to be incomplete.

KHKHKHKHKHKHKHKHKH

Roxas walked through the town with no care in mind, passing waves of hello to the neighboring citizens he had come to recognize since he started living in Twilight Town. He quickly withdrew himself though from their inspiring conversations to chat with him, avoiding the attention as he only had one goal. He bid them a good evening, keeping everything polite and casual as he made his way to the abandoned mansion that resided in the forest. He passed through the tall trees as he spotted the clearing ahead, his mind migrating to another plane that wasn't quiet visible.

He entered the mansion like he already knew all of its dark secrets, passing through with no sense of insecurity of it being haunted. He remembered the rumors he once heard from the Pence Namine had created from data, recalling the myth of a girl in white who was said to be a ghost. He chuckled hollowly from the memory, wishing for the legend to be true each time he came back to the isolated manor. He began to make his usual way up the stairs, walking across the hall on the second floor until he reached the room he desired to visit.

He took a moment to arrange his thoughts, grabbing the hatchet to the door as he twisted it open. He was welcomed by the blazing white color of the room, blinding his sight momentarily before adjusting his vision to the light. He breathed nostalgically as he examined the place, resting his eyes upon each drawing that was left to rot there. Some of the texture to the papers already began to transform into a sandy color of yellow, but the moist and cool air that was provided inside the room kept them all from turning into ashes. He took in the aromas around him, taking in the scent of the dry color of wax as it mixed with the lavender fragrance of the previous owner that once lived here.

Roxas took it upon himself to walk around the secluded area, heading over to the window side of the room. He positioned himself on the wall, gazing out into the glass as he pushed the curtains away, "Namine... why did you leave me here?"

He couldn't understand it, no matter how many times he asked the open space that once belonged to the witch maiden, "I've destroyed many lives. Why did you leave me here to exist? How can you?" He gulped with a struggle, "No matter how many times I come here, I'm still left confused. I don't deserve to be with them in the light, I need you…" He shuddered as he tried to keep himself composed, "And these dreams I keep having, what does it all mean? Please…tell me…Namine…." Again, he was only met from the silent calm of the room, cursing the limbo he was in, as he had no way to escape it.

He gripped his chest as a sudden cramp made itself notice, pulsing a discomforted feeling throughout his body. He convulsed forward as the pain only grew worse, "What's happening to me?" He had this feeling for a while now; ever since his departing with Namine at the clock tower of the Twilight Town she had created, though he was still left mystified in why.

He gave a hoarse cough, releasing a heavy sigh as he began to mourn over the dreadful past, "I promise…" He repeated from the memory, "But…what am I supposed to do? I need a sign, Namine…" It was the reason why he always made trips to the mansion in the first place, to produce some sort of light to appear and give him the answer; but it never came, forsaking him inside the darkness of his existence alone.

He looked over at the last drawing she had last made, taking in the details of the piece as he did his best to revive it. He walked over to it, placing his hand over the sensitive surface as it crinkled beneath the pressure of his fingers. He frowned at the burnt edges, ignoring them as he took in the sight of scene she had sketched for him. He gave an empty whimper of grief, replacing his hand with his forehead as he tried to discern the traces that were left of Namine's presence.

"I've been revived into this world, only to come back as a corpse…I'm truly am a Nobody…" It was then that something sharp pierced itself inside Roxas's chest again, striking him as it traveled up inside his brain.

He gave a silent gasp as he tried to suppress the rising ache inside him, his vision slowly going fuzzy as darkness threatened to cloud over his sight. He growled at the pain, collapsing to the floor as he gripped his head in agony, sequences of memories occurring inside him as they impatiently couldn't wait any longer for him to dream.

"What the hell…?" He grinded his teeth together, "What's happening?" He exclaimed with alarm, passing out on the floor as he whispered out one name.

Namine…

KHKHKHKHKHKHKHKHKH

"Superior, it would seem like we have a very strong reading this time! This detection I'm picking up looks promising!" Vexen explained with a delightful tone, his eyes twitching with excitement.

"I hope you're right, for your sake, Vexen. I would like for us not to have anymore false readings." The hooded figure deeply replied, holding a hint of annoyance.

"I swear it! This is the real thing! My invention could sense her! Kingdom Hearts is not too far now! Just look, we'll have her in our hands soon enough!" The Nobody scientist pointed at the monitor, showing his leader the symbol where the detection was coming from.

The room was very dark as the leader popped out from the shadows inside the cramped laboratory, keeping the area private of any intruders. He brought himself over to the device, his eyes focused on the screen as the lights from the monitor illuminated his face, revealing his wicked and yellow orbs from beneath his hood. He gave a satisfied smile, "After three years, I finally found you my dear." He scuffed at the computer screen, bringing himself around as he headed for the door.

"Master, what do you intend to do now?" The Chilly Academic inquired peculiarly.

Xemnas turned around from the opened doorway, a clever and devious smile slowly surfacing across his lips, "What else? I'm going to take some friends with us to retrieve back our Kingdom Hearts…." He soon closed the door behind him, silencing his next words to himself, 'It won't be long…'

KHKHKHKHKHKHKHKHKHKH

Roxas squinted his eyes as he felt the cool tiles of the floor upon his cheek, wincing as his pounding headache throbbed fiercely. He moaned excruciatingly, lifting his body off from the floor as he tried to translate what had just happened. It had all happened so fast he couldn't even remember what he was witnessing, grabbing the ledge of the table for support as he brought his body up from the ground.

He placed a hand over the back of his head as he tried to unravel the events that appeared in his consciousness. He failed to return the illusions though as he ruffled his mane with frustration. He looked outside to see that the unchanging position of the sun, showing no sign of it being night or day. He concluded though that he was still in the present of today, not feeling too fatigue for it to be the next day already; which meant he wasn't comatose for too long.

"Still, it might be late…well, as late as it could get here. I should probably head back." He claimed evenly, taking one more glance around the room before bidding the place farewell for the day.

He excused himself out, leaving the mansion behind as he journeyed off into the woods in order to reach back into town. He passed over the forbidden forest, entering into the golden sunlight. He shielded himself from the blistering waves of the sun's rays, gazing up at the clock tower at the far hilltop of the urban neighborhood.

"I really should keep other promises as well; right Namine?" He pointed out mournfully, realizing how he had declined his friends' desires to hang out.

"I'll make sure to make it up to them tomorrow. For now, I'll just head home." He confirmed with a strain of guilt, heading down the roadway as he walked passed the mobile trolley.

Roxas was about to cut off to the hill nearby the area, but stopped as someone caught his attention, someone he never expected to see again. He slowly turned around, doing a double take in order to make sure he wasn't imagining things. As the portable train drove across from the rails, a figure walked right passed through, catching Roxas's eyes immediately.

"No, it couldn't be…!" He spoke in shock, his mouth gaping open, as he remained stunned into place.

End Chapter

Kiome-Yasha: "Okay, after much debating, I decided to post this up before the date when BBS comes out. Many of you have waited a long time for this sequel, so I think you guys deserve it; think of it as a New Years gift from me :D. Also, yes, I know, this chapter was short as hell, but I promise things will get longer in length. I don't want to rush everything into one chapter; I need to build some things up before I can continue on with the plot. Also, I bet all of us are excited for the release of the new KH game BBS when it comes out to our own separate locations, and cannot wait to play it. Now, a few things about this sequel, it does revolve around a lot of what has happened over the course of each Kingdom Hearts game; yes, that includes BBS. I do not have any spoilers as of now, but when the time comes when I have played BBS and have beaten it, it will surely meld itself into the conclusion of what I have in store for this story. Also, this story is rated M so far because of the violence and cussing that will appear; I don't know if there will be any lemons, I might think about it by the number of reviewers who believe there should be one or not. Well, Happy New Years everyone! Lol, and what a new way to start it indeed with posting the sequel The Way I Remember You ;D."

Ventus: "Do leave a review for the marking of a new beginning! Also, the title to the next chapter is: "As Daylight Falls".