A/N: I own absolutely nothing of Kingdom Hearts. This is a story I have wanted to write for years, but I suddenly got the passion back in my life to write it. If you'd like to review, favorite, or follow, I would so much appreciate it. Alright, please enjoy Chapter 1 of Heart to Heart! ^^


1

People were screaming. And running. Tears were fogging up my eyes, but I could still hear the stampede happening around me. Pointed nails dug deep into my ankles. I had stopped for too long. I broke out into a run again. I wasn't going to leave her until I was absolutely sure… sure that I couldn't save her.

That there wasn't anything left to save. A gasp scraped at the back of my throat. She would be fine. She was just a kid. She'd have to be fine.

My eyes were jumping from face to face as they fled past me. I couldn't see her. I couldn't find her. I was just about to give up. I was turning around, and then I saw them.

They were slipping through the crowd, heading back towards the castle. My mouth went dry. I called out to them. Over and over, but they didn't stop. I took a second to breathe… and then I was running after them.

I woke with a start. Sticky sweat soaked through my shirt. My head whipped back and forth, my arms coming up to cradle my sides. My bedroom. Traverse Town. I took a deep breath.

I was safe.

"Another nightmare?" Leon leaned against the doorframe of my room, a deep frown tugging at his lips. I didn't respond, so he let himself in. He took slow, steady steps over to my side. As he passed, he flicked on the lamp at my bedside table. I grabbed the glass of cold water from his hands.

"That bad?" He settled down at the end of my bed. I must have been loud enough to wake him. He patted my foot, which was about as comforting as he could get. I appreciated the sentiment.

"Same as usual." I'd been having these dreams for years now. Ever since that night.

"Emme." His hand had found its way into mine. I didn't like the sympathy that was etched into his face, but I held onto his hand just the same. "We'll find them. We will." He stood from his spot, keeping a tight hold of my hand all the while. My eyes were filling with tears again.

"But for now, this is our home."


KINGDOM HEARTS


"Well, good morning. I almost didn't expect to see your lazy bum up at all today." Yuffie's voice was the first one I had heard that morning. I gave her a tight smile as I passed her to enter the kitchen. There was silence for a moment before she followed after me. I reached the refrigerator door, opening it, and assessing the little food we still had. It must have been a while since someone went out to shop. I collected a few things in my arms, checking off a list of ingredients in my head.

"Hey." Her head was peering over the top of the refrigerator door. She was frowning too. "You okay?"

I took a second (a long second), and then took a deep breath. I turned to meet her concerned gaze. "Y-yeah. Yeah, for sure. Just a… long night. I'm going to run some errands. Do you think Aerith would mind cooking this up for lunch?" I shoveled the food into her arms. She teetered from side to side with the added weight.

"Oh… um, not at all! I'll tell-" I grabbed the family coin purse off the counter. A scowl itched at my lips. I turned slowly to face the space where Yuffie used to be. The food was scattered across the kitchen table and I could hear her scurrying up the steps.

"I thought you were a thief! You steal everything! How did you manage to spend… This was for the family!" I roared after her.

"Cid told us to start breaking those bad habits, remember? Have fun with the errands, Emme! See you tonight!" Her bell-like voice tittered down from the floor above me. I pouted, counting the petty amount of coins left in the sack.

"And don't forget the ice cream!" I glared up the steps, hoping my frustration would reach her from here.


The streets were lit and buzzing with life from all the morning shopping. I struggled with the things in my hands, slipping the grocery list deep into my back packet. A little bag of food for Cid's breakfast was tied to my belt loop. It clacked noisily against the mandatory blade Cid made all of the kids keep with them when leaving the hotel. Even though the residents of Traverse Town lived (for the most part) in harmony, new people were arriving every day. The newbies were always pretty unpredictable. Scared and lost. It wasn't uncommon for a fight to break out when a new batch appeared.

I had gotten just about everything. The new shipment for the Accessory Shop, Aerith's favorite tea, ingredients to make at least ten large meals for the week, and even the ice cream. I was making my way over to the Accessory Shop when I heard it.

A scream. A blood-curdling, teeth-chattering, spine-tingling scream. My hand immediately fumbled for the knife at my hip. It was dull and I didn't particularly have any training with such a thing, but some weapon was better than no weapon.

I checked my surroundings. Once. Twice. There was nothing. I inched closer to the door leading to Traverse Town's First District. I just had to make it to Cid, and it would be fine.

Another scream came. This time, it was closer. I broke into a dead sprint for the door. I heard the sounds of nails scratching the pavement behind me. I pushed my legs to move faster and didn't dare to look behind me. I was almost there, when I felt a hand tug at the back of my boot.

I crashed to the ground. Bags and food littered the ground around me. I chanced a glance at the hand that had now gotten a better grip fastened tightly around my ankle. A man, tears streaming down his grubby cheeks, stared piteously back at her. His face was ground into the pavement, as a lanky, little shadow dug greedily into his back. A shadow.

My body was cold. I couldn't speak. I just watched, as the man cried even louder. What… And then it was quiet. An almost crystalline object was ripped from the man's back. His eyes were still watching me, but they were empty now. It was a heart. The object was a heart. I held my breath as the heart began to rise, soaring eerily into the night sky.

And then the shadow's eyes were watching me too. They were golden. Almost beautiful, yet so angry. It began to detach itself from the man, and my blood finally began to move again.

I screamed and yanked desperately at my leg. It was still held firmly in the man's clutch. The shadow squirmed closer, crawling up the man's shoulders, onto his head, then onto his arm.

I reached frantically around for the blade. I must have dropped it somewhere with the bags. I felt the shadow's cool touch for only a moment, and then the man's body was gone. Another shadow took its place. The heart I had seen before descended into the creature's chest.

There was a moment of hesitation from the first shadow, and I took it to run. My palms scraped painfully against the street as I pushed myself up to my feet. I left my belongings and dashed towards the doorway. My hands were ramming open the door, tripping over my own feet, when I heard a grunt from somewhere behind me. I faltered for an instant. Another victim.

The shadow's eyes stared back at me even behind my eyelids. I steeled myself and shook the thought from my head. I rushed through the doors and held them closed behind me. My knees gave out against the door. My head pounded, but my ears searched for more screams. There were none. It was silent.

Then, there was a knock. The sound ripped a wet gasp from my lungs. My hands shook violently against the door handles.

"Hey." A gentle pressure was pushing open the door. The door's movement stopped as soon as it bumped against my knees. I could just barely make out a face. A mouse?

"Are you alright over there?"