Support Breast Cancer Awareness peeps! Well, any type of cancer awareness really! Oh, and I know very little about Surrogacy, sorry if I get anything wrong.
Disclaimer: I think we've established Squeenix owns Kingdom Hearts.
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"Hey Kairi, can we talk to you?"
"Sure, what is it?"
"Well there's something really important that we wanted to ask you."
A slim red-head led the two other figures into the living room, and motioned for them to sit down. They had spent many times in that room, just hanging out and watching films or talking. Every weekend, the whole group would descend upon someone's house, and chaos usually ensued. It was the only time they got to hang out, since most of them worked during the week. But even though they had grown up, they still stuck together.
Laying her hands in her lap, she watched the two men sat across from her. The brunette, Sora, was fidgeting and seemed quite nervous. Riku seemed to have noticed this too, as he gently took Sora's hand in his own and kissed it, smiling at him reassuringly. It was a sight that she had grown used to, her two best friends together like this. At first it had hurt, seeing them holding hands and kissing. She herself had had her own feelings for the brunette, and when the news of his and Riku's relationship had spread, she couldn't face them. But after a heart to heart with Selphie and a long talk with both Sora and Riku, she had accepted it. She was happy for them though. Even she had to admit that they were a cute couple.
"Is something the matter" she finally asked. Both men avoided her gaze, before looking at each other. As if silently agreeing something, they both turned to face Kairi.
"Well, you see Kairi, we wanted to ask you a huge favour. Me and Sora have been together for 5 years now, and we…well we've been talking. We want a family."
"Really! That's awesome!" She exclaimed happily. Riku smiled in return.
"Well, the thing is, being guys, neither of us has the right…equipment to carry a baby. We could adopt, but it wouldn't be the same. I mean, I want a little kid of my own, and I know Sora feels the same way."
Kairi's eyebrows knitted together. She couldn't understand what this would have to do with her. Seeing the confusion upon his old friend's face, the silver haired man continued.
"What I'm trying to say, is that we talked about it, and we finally decided to look for a surrogate mother. And well…you were kinda the top of our list" He said, scratching his head. His nerves seemed to have overcome him.
"I…I don't know what to say" she said, the shock still evident in her voice. She hadn't expected that little bombshell at all. A surrogate mother? It certainly was a big thing to ask of someone. She didn't know what to say. It was at this moment that Sora, who had remained quite thus far, spoke up.
"I know that it's a huge thing for us to ask of you Kairi, and don't feel that you have to say yes. It's just that the reason we wanted to ask you was because you are one of our oldest friends, and we trust you more than anything. It would mean so much to us if you said yes. I'd understand if you said no, because it's not a decision you can make lightly. But this is just something that I want to share with you…we both do." He finished, smiling gently.
The woman watched her best friend carefully, before looking down at her hands, carefully folded in her lap. Yeah, he was right; it wasn't something you could just agree to without careful thought. But deep down, she knew that she would do anything for the pair. They had spent all their childhood together, and they had always looked after each other. When her mum had left her and her dad, she had fallen apart. But Sora and Riku had visited her everyday, trying to cheer her up and make her smile. And she knew that they would make brilliant parents. It wasn't as though the child would be mistreated or unloved, because they were two of the most caring and considerate people she knew. The child would be truly lucky with those two as parents.
Raising her head, she regarded her old friends. They were holding hands again, looking both nervous and hopeful. Smiling sweetly, she rested her hands on her knees
"I'd do anything for you guys".
Realising what she said, they both looked at each other before a blur of brown raced across the room and pounced on the small female, hugging her tightly.
"Thank you so much! You don't know how much this means to us!" cried Sora, tears of happiness streaming down his cheeks. The red-head just laughed happily, before feeling two strong arms encircling her and Sora. She looked up to see Riku, who had a joyful glint in his eyes. He leaned down, and kissed her gently on the cheek, before hugging both the younger adults.
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After that, they had planned everything that would happen. They had booked an appointment at the clinic, and decided that Riku would be the sperm donor. They were hoping that they would be lucky the first time, but Kairi had told to them that no matter how many tries it took, she wasn't going to let them give up. When they told their other friends what was going to happen, they were ecstatic. Wakka and Axel had slapped Riku on the back. Tidus had taken it upon himself to ruffle Sora's hair. Roxas and Naminé had both congratulated the pair and wished them the best of luck. Zexion had smirked and exclaimed that it was about damn time. And least surprisingly, Demyx and Selphie had both glomped Kairi, squealing like girls and shouting about how sweet Kairi was for agreeing to it, and how cool it would be to have a baby.
At which point Wakka had shouted "What about Vidina? He doesn't count anymore, ya?" much to everyone's amusement.
Glad to have everyone behind them, they made their first nerve-wracking trip to the clinic. It was a difficult process for them all. Their first try was unsuccessful as was the second and the third. No matter how many times they tried, each attempt was failure. On the brink of giving up, the two men decided that they would try just one more time.
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"Is it done yet?" a voice asked eagerly, but tinged with nervousness and worry.
"So', will you just calm down. You have to wait!"
This was it. The test that all their hopes rested on. If it was negative, then their dreams of having children of their own would be broken. To say that Kairi felt pressured was an understatement.
"How long has it been 'ku?"
"Two minutes….now."
"Kairi? Are you ok in there? Can you see anything?"
The door opened slowly, and a pale faced Kairi peered round the door.
"You guys, which means what again?" she asked quietly.
"Two lines is positive" answered Riku anxiously.
Slowly stepping out from behind the door, she extended her arm to show the boys the test.
One line.
Two lines.
This was it, what they had been waiting for. In typical Sora fashion, he started jumping around, exclaiming that they were going to have a baby. Riku picked up Kairi and swung her around, both of them laughing hysterically. It was hard to believe that this was the easy part. Something much worse had yet to come.
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Everything had been going according to plan. Kairi went for regular check ups at the doctors, always accompanied by both boys. When they had returned from her first scan, Sora had happily shown the scan around to all his friends. Excitement among the group was increasing, and they were all eagerly awaiting the new arrival.
They had all pitched in with the decoration of the nursery. Three of the walls were painted a pale blue colour, since they had discovered they were expecting a little boy. On the fourth wall, an amazing underwater scene had been painted, courtesy of Demyx and Zexion. All sorts of toys and stuffed animals were placed about the room. Stars adorned the ceiling, and there was even a mobile bearing stars and moons hanging above the babies crib.
Kairi was nearing her eighth month of pregnancy when it happened. She hadn't been feeling well for a few days now and had found a lump in her breast. Sora had worriedly told her to go to the Doctors but she had just brushed it off as hormone changes. A week later, the pain got worse, and Sora insisted that she go to the hospital. Making a quick phone call to Riku, telling him where they were going, they got in Sora's car and drove to Radiant Heart University hospital.
They were seen by Kairi's GP immediately. Aerith Gainsborough was an old friend of the trio. Even though she was almost eight years older than them, the age difference instigated a motherly attitude towards the younger adults. Given the nature of the situation, it was also more comforting for Kairi to have a female doctor.
Due to her current condition, it would have been dangerous to the baby's health if she had a mammogram, so instead, Aerith conducted a partial biopsy. Although it would only take about 30 minutes to get the results, it was a nerve wracking 30 minutes. After about 20 minutes, Riku turned up at the hospital to join the duo.
Ten minutes later, Doctor Gainsborough beckoned the trio into her office and asked them all to sit down. Complying, they all took their seats, with Sora and Riku on either side of her. Judging by Aerith's expression, the results couldn't be good.
"It isn't good I'm afraid" she said softly. Addressing Kairi, she continued. "You have cancer. I've booked you an appointment for tomorrow to have a full biopsy and look at treatment options."
Gasps erupted from the men on either side of her, but Kairi remained motionless. Cancer? But she was only 24, how was that possible? She couldn't register anything. Her world was crashing around her. She could hear Riku whispering reassuring things to her whilst he clasped her hand in his. She could hear Sora asking Aerith if there was any way she could be mistaken. Maybe it wasn't cancer? Maybe it was something to do with the pregnancy. And then it hit her. What about the baby? What would happen to him if she had treatment? Was he going to be ok? She felt her eyes prickle as tears began to fall down her cheeks.
"What about the baby?" she asked. Both Sora and Aerith stopped talking and looked at her.
"It's dangerous to have the treatment when you're pregnant. But before we begin, you'll be induced, so that there isn't any risk to the baby." She reached across the desk and placed her hand over Kairi's. "I'm really sorry sweetie. Go home and get some rest, and I'll be there tomorrow. You're going to get through this. You're a tough girl, and we'll all be here for you".
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The journey home had been a blur. None of the three spoke. Kairi stared numbly out of the window, whilst Sora cast her worried looks. It was so unfair.
Riku pulled up to the house that the three of them shared. In the later stages of the pregnancy, Riku and Sora had insisted that she move in with them, so that they could look after her properly. They'd told her that it was the least they would do, and they were going to make sure nothing happened to her. It seemed like such a stupid promise now. But there was no way any of them could have seen this coming.
The trio exited the car, and walked up the path to the front porch. As Sora pulled out his keys and unlocked the door, Riku placed a comforting arm around Kairi's shoulder, guiding her into the house.
"We're going to get through this together Kai. I promise." He said as they sat down in the living room. She hadn't cried since they had received the damning news, and it was as though a dam had burst. Wrapping his arms around her tightly as she sobbed into his chest, Riku looked up to see Sora standing in the doorway with tears streaming down his cheeks.
It was so unfair.
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Early the next morning, they had travelled to the hospital for her appointment. They had fallen asleep on the Sofa together, with Kairi wrapped in the arms of both her companions.
At the hospital, Aerith had greeted them like she had promise. During the diagnosis, Kairi was told she would be induced in a few days, and then she would be given a few weeks to recover from the birth. After that, she was going to have chemotherapy, and she would have to have a mastectomy.
The thought that she would die kept crossing her mind. She didn't want to have to say goodbye. She didn't want to leave her friends or the baby. If she died, then she would never get to see him grow up. That was what bothered her most.
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A few days later, Kairi, Riku and Sora once again made the journey to the hospital. It was the day that Kairi would be induced, and despite the circumstances, they were all excited about finally meeting the baby.
At 6 o'clock on the 15th May, baby Reno entered the world weighing a healthy 7lbs. He was the most beautiful thing any of them had ever seen. He had a small mass of bright red hair and piercing green eyes like emeralds. Lying in the hospital bed, Kairi held her son in her arms. Moments later, Riku and Sora entered the room with a huge bunch of flowers. Smiling softly at the woman, they made their way over to the bedside.
"He's beautiful"
"He's got your hair, Kai!" smiled Sora.
"And 'ku's eyes
"And Sora's nose!"
At this, Sora and Kairi had looked at Riku like he had grown another head.
"What"
"How can he have Sora's nose, you silly bum!" All three of them broke into laughter, the dreaded events of the future in the back of their minds.
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After six weeks of recovery, it was time to start the treatment. A few days before, Kairi had made the decision to shave her head. She had told her friends that she couldn't face losing it in the chemotherapy, so it was easier to do it now. In support, Riku and Sora had declared that they were going to shave their heads too. It would have been amusing to watch those two having their locks sheared off, if it hadn't been for the fact that Kairi had broken down into tears again.
It was so difficult. She didn't feel very womanly. She was going to lose her hair and her breasts. Naminé and Selphie had then decided that they too were going to get their hair shaved off, and then had told Kairi that this whole thing wouldn't make her any less of a woman. She would still be beautiful in their eyes.
After her first session of chemo, Kairi had gone home to her shared house with the boys, and crashed on the sofa. It was horrible. She felt so weak and sick. As though she could feel the poison flowing through her veins. But she had promised herself that she would be strong. She was going to beat his.
Her friends would visit her often, to make sure that she was o.k. Well, as ok as someone can be when they have to have poison injected into their body on a regular basis that left them feeling spaced out and half dead. But she drew her strength from the fact that they were there for her, and they weren't letting her go. And whenever she could, she would help Riku and Sora caring for baby Reno. He was another thing that made her strong, and she cherished the moments when she could just hold him in her arms, as though there was nothing to worry about.
Her fourth treatment fell just before her 25th birthday, so she was too weak to do anything. But the gang had come together, and a few days after, when she wasn't feeling as drained, they had thrown her a surprise party. Sora had taken her shopping, under the pretence that they were buying baby clothes for Reno, and when they had returned, the house was decorated stunningly. All her friends had cried out the usual "surprise!" before hugging her. It was over-whelming to know that her friends cared about her this much, and she once again felt herself crying.
It was a fun evening, and temporarily distracted her from the awful treatment.
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After six cycles of chemotherapy, the first part of her treatment was over, and she was given a month to recover before she had the mastectomy and lymph nodes removed. Although it was still heartbreaking the operation was success. When she awoke the next morning, she was greeted by Selphie and Naminé. It was nice to have female company. Albeit not entirely, they had a better idea of what she was going through. They talked about stupid things, like Axel's disastrous attempt of a romantic meal for his and Roxas' anniversary and Demyx's hilarious efforts of trying to teach Zexion how to swim.
And it helped. Because things were still the same. Sure, she was different, but this whole experience had made her stronger.
Four weeks after the operation, she was scheduled to begin the radiotherapy. Unlike the chemotherapy, it was a daily occurrence, but it didn't leave her feeling as drained or in as much pain. She found that she was able to do more things with Reno. She could take him to the park with Sora and Riku, or play games with him. Even bathing him or changing him was a possibility now, because she didn't have to crash all the time from lack of energy.
The radiotherapy didn't take as long either. In total, the red head had about 25 sessions, and after a month was prescribed Tamoxifen. It was a relief when the treatment ended, but there was still the worry that the cancer could return. While she worried about it, she resolved to push it to the back of her mind and think about the present.
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It was nearing Christmas when they had received the call. They were busily putting up the tree and hanging up the decorations. Riku and Kairi were hanging up the Tinsel and lights on the tree, whilst Sora was playing peek-a-boo with Reno, who was giggling happily. Everyone was going to spend Christmas at Sora and Riku's place, so this year they had gone all out with the decorations. Streamers hung from the ceiling, and the tree in the corner was exquisitely decorated.
The phone rang shrilly in the landing. Riku dropped the tinsel he was playing with and walked into the hall. A few seconds later, he returned into the room and held the phone out to the red head.
"It's for you Kai. It's Aerith."
Biting her lip nervously, she took the phone and brought it to her ear. Unable to hear what the voice on the other end of the line was saying, Riku and Sora waited anxiously for what had been said.
"Yes. Yes. Uh-huh. I understand. Thanks Aerith. Bye" She clicked the phone off, and then placed it on the coffee table. With a blank face, she looked up at the two men. She stared at them for a few moments before breaking the silence.
"That was Aerith. She had the results from my latest tests."
"And?" asked Sora, worriedly.
She paused for a second, leaving them hanging. With a sigh, she continued.
"She said…she said…" she whispered, before looking up with a beautiful smile. "She said that the cancers gone. It hasn't spread. I'm clear." Seeing both of her companion's jaws drop, she burst out laughing.
"Kairi! How could you do that? I thought it was bad news! You're mean!" Sora pouted.
Having recovered, Riku smirked and then walked forward and picked Kairi up, spinning her around. It reminded her so much of before. When she found out that she was pregnant. Before all this happened. She smiled.
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It was a unanimous agreement that Christmas that year was the best any of them had ever had. Everyone was together, everyone was well. As she sat back in the recliner, Kairi looked at all her friends. Sora and Selphie were playing with Reno. Naminé and Riku were laughing as Axel whispered obviously dirty things into Roxas' ear that made the young blonde blush profusely. Tidus and Wakka were having a heated debate about Blitzball, whilst Lulu sat with Vidina, shaking her head at them. Demyx was sat on the floor playing his Sitar as Zexion rested his head on his shoulders, smiling at him lovingly as he placed a kiss on his cheek.
It was more than anything she could have wished for. She was here with the people who loved her. Nothing could take that away. She was confident that she could fight anything the world threw at her.
Because she had survived.
-end-
It'd be awfully nice if ya left me a review! XD