Prologue: Aurora

Sora stood stark still as he pressed his hand against the glass window peeking into the spacious NICU room. His eyes widened as they set their sights for the first time on the tiny creature that had been the cause of all his distress.

The baby was lying in the incubator in the middle of the room. The condition of her skin was un-natural compared to his ideal vision of a newborn. Wires were attached to her body, and a respirator was running to help get oxygen to her little lungs that were still slightly under-developed. Her eyes were closed, and she stirred only slightly, possibly recuperating after her early arrival into this world.

Sora felt a lump of emotion well up in his throat, and both hands were now placed against the window, framing his face in-between them. His fingers gripped into fists. The darkness from all the fear and uncertainty he had been wallowing in crept back into his mind, the image in front of him only reinforcing the helplessness he felt.

This was his baby. His daughter. All he could do was stand here and watch behind plated glass as she struggled. His heart clenched.

Suddenly, he was tapped softly on the shoulder, and he turned his head skittishly to find a smiling nurse.

"Excuse me sir," she said with a sympathetic air, as if she were used to dealing with parents like him all the time. "Your daughter is fine, she's been stabilized for a few hours now. You have nothing you currently need to worry about."

Sora didn't respond, he just nodded half heartedly and re-glued his eyes to the window, not believing her.

The nurse smiled again, knowing a remedy that usually worked for the uncertainty of new parents of premature infants.

"Sir," she continued, "You do know that since she's stable, I can take you into the room to interact with her for a few moments, if you'd like."

Sora turned on his heels quickly.

"Can I really?" he asked with urgency. In reality, he had been briefed about the NICU policies when Kairi was first checked in, however his mind was such a mess he was eternally grateful for some one to help point out the obvious to him.

"Of course." she nodded cheerfully. "You just need to come in the back and get all disinfected, and then we can bring you right up to her incubator to see her."

Sora said nothing, he only nodded again and followed the nurse like a timid puppy dog. After making sure he was completely sterile so no pathogens could negatively effect the preemie's environment, Sora found himself standing right in front of the automated container that shielded the newborn from the outside world and himself.

There were holes in the isolette that allowed access to the baby by either medical staff or parents, but Sora couldn't even bring himself to reach out towards it. He just stood gaping, since the view of his baby was even more shocking up close. He bit his lip, trying to hold back everything. He felt guilty. He felt pitiful.

"You've got quite the little fighter here." the nurse said to him from behind in a hushed whisper, since sound needed to be monitored closely so the baby would not be over stimulated.

"How bad is she?" Sora said breathlessly, fearing what dangerous truth may be hiding behind the nurse's encouraging tone of voice.

"The only scare was in few hours after the transfer in the isolette, like it is for most preterm babies, but after that she evened right out." she said, taking a step towards the machines and checking the baby's monitors out of routine habit. "Her breathing's a little off, and she might have just a touch of asthma when she gets older, but it won't be anything to worry about."

Sora's fists balled up once more. He was getting sick of her telling him not to worry. Could she not be watching the same infant he was? She must have been around this environment for too long. She must be desensitized.

"I can you tell what though..." the nurse continued fondly, placing a hand softly on top of the baby's incubator. "This one is going to turn out special. Just by looking at her, I can feel it. Plus, the doctor said she has one of the strongest heartbeats he's seen for a preemie her gestational age in a while."

Sora suddenly felt his eyes prick at the compliment, a small ray of hope seeming to open up.

"A strong heart, huh?" he said softly, a feint smile twitching onto his lips at the irony. "Guess it runs in the family."

He bravely took another step forward so he was right by the incubator opening, a tentative hand raising.

"Now make sure you're very careful." the nurse said gently. "Stroking her too much will cause sensory stimulation that she can't quite handle yet, so you should try one still touch."

Sora nodded and held his breath, moving his hand toward her tiny fingers that were just within reach. The minute he touched her, it was like a shock to his senses. She was too soft. She was real and she was right here, after all that waiting. Suddenly, little fingers started moving, trying to grasp around his. He noticed her head start to move, and then she looked at him.

She opened her eyes, revealing bright grey blue irises, and the world was met with an explosion of light to Sora that drowned out the darkness of the entire room. He finally understood.

This is why he had needed valor. Every trial he had ever faced seemed to have occurred so that he could stand here unbridled at this very moment. This is why he had needed wisdom. Every lesson he had ever learned was to put him in preparation for this very purpose. To teach her.

No…to protect her.

This was the beginning of his true journey, and not even the light of all the worlds combined could outshine the glow of this tiny child who now radiated as the center of his universe.

Once again, he vowed that he would not fail. He would not fail her or Kairi. He swore on his very life that they would know happiness and nothing but, or he would fall trying. No exceptions. No excuses.

"Have you and your wife decided on a name for her yet?" the nurse suddenly asked, breaking him from his internal proclamations.

Sora's eyes widened. Kairi and him had perused over a few names in the beginning, but they had just decided that the right name would come to them at the right time. And ever since the scare of the delivery conditions, the name had been the farthest thing from either of their minds. He assumed Kairi was still sleeping as she had been for the past few hours, and he was perplexed to come up with anything without her guidance.

Then, he looked back into the eyes of the infant. They were still fixed on him, alert and curious despite her physical state.

There was a light in them now. In her eyes, he could see an endless sky. An endless ocean. The vastness of each radiating with vivid colors and possibilities.

"Aurora…" he mused out breathlessly.

He wasn't even registering his word choice, yet somehow though, it felt right. He knew it.

X

A/N-

Well, here's part two of the epilogue. You happy? I'm weak okay…

For those of you who are first stumbling upon this story, please read it's prequel Dearly Beloved, which will help you all make at least a little more sense of what is to come with this next generation story. It's been my brain child for so long, and now that it's finally coming to physical fruition couldn't make me more thrilled!

Please tell me your thoughts or predictions for this story. Any feed back at all will help me become inspired!

And yes, yes…I KNOW Sleeping Beauty's name is Aurora….I will explain it in later chapters, and she's going to have her own full namesake and nicknames that will help the two to remain unconfused. I tried to think of something else in the beginning…but it just stuck? That's happened to everyone with naming their characters, right?

See ya hopefully very soon! I'm on a role lately!

Feeling good to be back,

-Tasia'sENDLESSDreams…