Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts. That'd be Square Enix/Disney. This is completely non-profit creative writing.

A/N: This is for sunflowerb's "Us" contest. I couldn't resist. Took me a while to fish for an idea, but here ya go. If the grammer and plot seems a bit scatter-brained... keep in mind that this is SORA we're talking about! Enjoy!

R&R, if you please.

The Longest Year

He hadn't seen her in a year.

As that sentence passed through his mind, his heart gave a sudden lurch. It didn't sound right to him at all.

Sora continued running towards the beach, fighting the waves, fighting to reach home, fighting to reach her. She was the very reason the word "fighting" had even entered into his vocabulary on that dark night long ago. She was the reason, along with the silver-haired teen struggling to keep up with him. He fought for peace. He fought for them. He fought to reach her again.

And yet he hadn't seen her in a year.

How in the world was that even possible? Yet it was true, plain and simple.

Then his train of thought, along with his momentum from racing towards the beach at a seemingly breakneck pace, was brought to a screeching halt. Instantly her silhouette-housed against their idyllic, tropical island home-wasn't alone anymore. Three more had appeared. That couldn't be right.

Sora blinked.

The image of Donald, Goofy and the King lunging for the teenage duo was immediately replaced by one of the sky as he was tackled into the water. Far from cross, Sora shook salt water out of his hair and eagerly returned the embrace of his friends, laughing hysterically with joy. Unfortunately, the combined weight of his two comrades putting all of their mass onto the Keyblade Master ultimately won out, knocking him back into the ocean.

Seriously, Sora. If you've spend your lifetime on this island making friends just like these guys… we've GOT to talk.

Sora smiled to himself as he lifted his head out of the water, knowing exactly who the owner of the mysterious voice was. Yes, they would have to talk soon… Sora had yet to fulfill his curiosity on exactly who Number XIII, his Nobody, was.

Their desire to see him fulfilled, Donald and Goofy released Sora's midsection, allowing the boy to try and remember what he'd been trying to think about earlier…

Then he saw her. For the first time in a year. And he remembered.

Sheesh, a year? Waaaaaay too long.

So what if she had shown up at The Castle That Never Was? As long as he was still light years away from home, that didn't even count.

But now that he was here… he was breathless. From his previous duel with Xemnas, from his wrestling match with Donald and Goofy, and from relief at returning to the islands. He took a deep breath, inhaling the salt of the sea, the sweat from his brow, and the scent of palm trees.

"Sora?"

He blinked again, bringing his mind out of his nostalgic reverie. And he saw her again. For the first time in a year.

It was really the first time he had ever gotten a good look at her in the past few hours, anyway; the constant battles and the gravity of the situation at the time had turned his overall perception into a blur. But now he truly saw her auburn hair shining in the sun, her pale pink lips curled into a small smile, and her deep, deep, violet eyes shining with a million emotions.

The sight in front of him made his heart race, and he managed to maintain enough of his sanity to remember to grin back, all while he continued reaching for a familiar lucky charm in his pocket. In a flash he saw a pair of blue eyes stare at him beneath blond-colored bangs, while feeling a similar pair of blue-under-blond stare back.

But he blinked once again. And there she was again. For the first time in a year.

What a year it must have been, he suddenly thought, hesitating for a split second. He couldn't ever remember seeing her hair so long or her eyes so deep. That was when he realized: they were changing, the three of them. Physically, mentally, emotionally. Shaped and molded through the oceans of time.

What else had changed?

Was he still the cheerful young lad he was a year ago? Was his best friend still the friendly-but-determined rival he was a year ago? And… was she still the object of his undying affection she was a year ago?

People change. Voyages end. Feelings fade. There had always been a spark between them, but what was it now? A bonfire? Or simply ashes?

Then he blinked once more.

She was still there, waiting for him with an expectant smile that instantly melted his fears away. His grin widened, and he opened his mouth to speak.

"W-we're back!"

Her hand reached out for his, and she replied:

"You're home."

How he wished he had heard those words a year ago.

Yes, it had been the longest year of their lives, he thought as he clasped her hand in his own. And people can change. But right now, it didn't matter. He was home. He was patient. He had time to make up for his absence.

As long as Kairi was with him, he had all the time in the world.

EDIT: Re-uploaded due to technical difficulties. Thankfully I still had this on my computer. While you're here, though... you could always check out my new Sonic re-boot series... y'know, if you're bored... just sayin'.