Inspiration: Kida Returns Score by James Newton Howard.

Disclaimer: Rights go to Disney. Image rights go to Simpsonsquire on DA.

"Everything happens for a reason, even the bad."

Kida floated gently down into his arms. The crystal had given back it's host. Her skin had paled to a bronze. With the mists from the colliding water and lava, it was the closest thing to heaven that he had ever come across. "Milo?" Kida stirred in his arms that were still cut, burned and bruised from the battle with Rourke. Her blue eyes locked on his and everything around them disappeared. A strange feeling of warmth grew in my chest.

Kida looked at something in her hand. It was a small band of gold with a pink jewel set in the center with a smaller blue gem on each side. "Mahtim." Kida whispered. "Mother." Somehow, someway the crystal had given her something of her mother's. Wordlessly Kida threw her arms around him and he held her. His heart grew warm.

As the steam cleared, he saw a beautiful sight. The ruins that had so long been underwater were exposed to the open air. He broke the hug and motioned her to look at the New Atlantis that the crystal had uncovered. Aqueducts led from the heart of Atlantis to the edges of the kingdom, ending just short of the final waterfall. Temples and larger buildings dotted the water. It had been left in ruins by the millennia underwater, but the adventurers, the Atlantians and one cartographer and expert in gibberish saw it as it could be.

It would take a lot of work, but restoring the beauty of Atlantis would be worth it. Kida's hand brushed against his and he held it. "The old makes way for the new." "Where is my father? He should hear about this." At Kida's words he felt like Rourke had just punched him again. He had no idea how to say it. She ran to the throne room before he could get a word in. He could never keep up with her.

When his parents died, it was grandpa that told him the news. Compared to the call from the hospital that his grandpa had passed, hearing it from a loved one was a bit more human than the call from the doctors who experienced death every day. Having a loved on nearby eased the pain.

He ran to catch up with her. The guards to the throne room where the same ones from before. "We are sorry Milo, we couldn't stop her. " He spoke in prefect english. From inside the throne room he heard something he had never heard before and hoped never to hear again. The sound of someone's heart breaking. A sound somewhere between a sob and a scream.

Kida was crying on her her knees next to her father's throne. "Tahbtoap." She croaked out the word over and over through her tears. I approached and waited, she didn't notice me. She was in so much pain and I wanted to comfort her somehow. I sat own next to her, she didn't notice. "Kida?" She looked up, her eyes red and face tearstained. I opened my arms. After a moments hesitation, she fell into them. "Let it out, you'll feel better if you let it out." I began rubbing her back.

Her sobbing eventually faded to be replaced by a gentle shaking. "Why did he leave me Milo? I am alone." "What about friends?" Her people loved her, surely she had friends. She looked down. "I have no friends, Milo. Only acquaintances." She wiped her eyes. "You are the first person I have felt close to." She looked away from him, ready to run again. "You must think I am weak." How could she say that? "You are the strongest person I have ever met, you'll do fine." She would need faith and support to get through this.

"And I'm not going anywhere." I had never really thought about what would happen next, he had only thought of finding Atlantis. Now, after seeing Rourke's greed, Atlantis would have to be kept hidden from the surface. The world would probably never be able to accept the fact that Atlantis wasn't a myth. I also had nothing except a boiler and a cat. Kida as well as the whole of Atlantis would need him. None of the Atlantians could read their own language.

Kida looked up shock written across her face. "You really mean that?" I nodded "Yes." She smiled. "I guess I should tell them, I am staying here." "Who?" She didn't notice my friends had joined me against Rourke. "Audrey, Sweet, Vinny, Mole, Packard and Cookie. They helped defeat Rourke, without them we wouldn't be here." Kida broke from his hug. "Feeling better?" "A little, thank you."

They greeted their friends on the steps leading from the throne room. Kida spoke first. "Atlantis owes you a debt of gratitude for your courage." "We were just doing the right thing, your Majesty." Sweet replied. "A few gold dollars would be nice, though." Cookie murmured. If Kida had heard she didn't give any sign. Her royal mask was in place.

"I have decided to stay in Atlantis." His decision didn't surprise anyone. "We kinda figured you would." Vinny said. "And we won't tell anybody except Mr. Whitmore about what happened here." "Thank you." Kida nodded. The sky had grown dark. The crew parted ways to rest up after the battle. Sweet stayed. "Princess Kida, the King said that he loved you, even in his last moments he had the faith that Milo would save Atlantis and you." Kida eyes turned misty. "Thank you for your kind words." "Your welcome."

After Sweet walked off, he looked at Kida. She was healing but it would take time. "I'll see you in the morning, Kida." She grabbed his arm. "Wait." On contact, he grimanced, some of the burns still stung from the lava and the heat of the pod that she was trapped in. She seemed to realize the extant of his wounds for the first time. "Your hurt." She took her crystal and passed it over my wounds. Praying in Atlantian as she did so. Now he just felt tired after the adrenaline of battle.

Kida smiled, her blue eyes sparkled. Then she blushed. "Milo, could you stay with me tonight?" "Wh What?" I stammered. "I just do'nt want to be alone." There was no saying no to the big blue eyes. I nodded too dazed to speak. She led me deeper inside the palace. Beyond the king's throne, a series of steps led up higher. For an indoor place, it felt airy. Kida's room overlooked Atlantis. Lights had been lit in the people's homes and along some of the paths. The crystal washed everything in a dim blue glow.

He turned aside as Kida undressed. He was fairly certain his face was red. "You can turn around now." Kida was wearing a light blue gown that went to her knees. It was almost like a greek chiton that he had seen some ancient greek statues and figures in pottery wear. He took off his shirt and left his boxers on. He looked at his flat chest and stomach. "Nothing worth commenting on." When he became Atlantian he would have to put on some muscle.

The bed was made for one person, so Kida slept on his chest. Silks and few pillows filled with wemot feathers lay on a type of hammock, cleverly strung up to make a kind of bed that seemed to float on air. "That crystal, where did you get it?" She asked the question from her resting position, her white hair steaming over to one side. "Your father gave it to me when he passed, saying that his burden was passed on to me. Her postion shifted slightly than relaxed. "He must've trusted you greatly Milo. My father and I had different ideas on what was right for Atlantis."

"It belongs to you now." He tried to take off the kings crystal, but Kida put her hand over his. "Milo, it belongs to you now." The king's crystal seemed to glow brighter. "I'm sorry, Kida. If I hadn't led Rourke to the crystal your father would still be alive." "Do'nt apologize, Milo. Meeting you was the best thing that ever happened to me." Kida sighed. "I just hope I am strong enough to assume the throne." I put one arm around her. "You will be strong enough Kida and I will be your side."Her breathing grew more relaxed, she had fallen asleep. With her scent of the waters of Atlantis and and the cool evening breeze his eyelids slowly closed.

Meanwhile in the crystal chamber the markings on the wall changed from blue to green, changing with the rhythm of a heartbeat. The colors and sound slowly vanished to be replaced by the sound of the water slowly lapping on the surface.

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