DISCLAIMER: I do not own the characters in this story. They are owned by the amazing Tetsuya Nomura and Square Enix.
I also do not own the sporadic lyrics that I placed within this story. Those are owned by the also amazing, Amy Lee and her band Evanescence.

AUTHOR'S NOTE, and WARNING: This story IS shoujo-ai. Meaning the coupling is NaminéxKairi. There are mentions of Shonen-ai too, with Soriku and Akuroku..

DON'T LIKE? DON'T READ, FLAME, OR COMMENT.

To those who do, PLEASE DO READ, COMMENT, AND ENJOY. :3

More Time

All thats left of yesterday...

Pale lids lifted, opening to reveal bright azure orbs that stared at a blank, white ceiling above her. Her eyelids felt so heavy, and her eyes burned as if she'd been crying. Her young head throbbed, and her whole body felt weak. 'What happened?' She asked herself, though she'd wanted to voice it. As she tried to part her lips and speak, she found not her voice, but that a soft groan escaped her lips. Her throat was sore too.. What had happened?

As the groan had left her lips, she heard a few gasps and heard urgent footsteps. "Kairi!"

The voice was easily recognized by the auburn haired girl, and she turned her head, wincing as she did. Note to self, don't move too much.. it just made her head hurt that much more. "..S..ora?" She asked weakly, looking at the brunette through tired eyes. She saw him smile, and worry was plastered upon his face. She could see tear stains on his cheeks, though they were dried. There was great sadness in his eyes as well. Again it just made her ask, What happened? "Riku is here too, and Axel, Roxas, and your Mom and Dad."

Something about that seemed off, seemed wrong. Someone seemed to be missing from the list he said, but the girl couldn't focus enough to think it through. Her mind was slow in thought, and it hurt to much to think anyway. "How are you feeling? Are you alright? The nurses said that you were and that you needed some rest. They took care of your cuts and all that, along with your head. but... that doesn't tell me how you feel.." The boy continued with a weak smile. His voice was strained to hold that usual happiness and even that weaker smile. "Sora... what? What happened?" She asked, finding herself confused. Nurses..? Cuts... head injury?

The smile disappeared from his face, but only for a moment before he shook his head. "N-Never mind." He said, immediately wishing that he hadn't brought it up. If he'd just waited or asked about something else, then maybe he could've given her a bit more peace. He should have known by how she awoke, that she hadn't remembered yet. How could he have been so careless? He wished he could make her forget forever.. but then again, that wouldn't be fair to...

And since the girl had no strength to argue, she let it go for the moment. "..Where am I?" She moved her head just a little, wincing though, as her eyes scanned the walls around her. They were... so white. And the smell, she had never liked this smile, ever since she'd experienced it as a child. It was the hospital. She remembered that she'd come here a few times as a child, for check ups after her adoptive parents heard from her that she couldn't remember anything from before her arrival on the island. They had been concerned, and thus she'd spent time in the hospital, being tested. It had brought her dislike for the place into being.

She grimaced, eyes narrowing at the room around her. "..Why am I in the hospital?" And her mind returned to what Sora had said earlier, she found that it was getting easier to think. Her mind had been so cloudy.. had she been drugged? Cuts.. head injury... she'd been hurt? When? Why? She thought further, and her eyes widened and she darted up in bed, forgetting any pain that came with it. She pushed passed the dizziness and weakness trying to push herself out of the hospital bed. A single name tore from her throat in a piercing scream.

"NAMINÉ!"

Their final bell rang, and all students ran from their classrooms and hurried to their lockers, getting their essentials for that night before they would tear out of the school as well. Two girls walked from their classroom, probably being the only two that did so. People pushed passed them in their hurry, while the two just continued their conversation, grinning and laughing. One held her books in one hand to her side, while the other clutched them to her chest. "Mrs. Sanders couldn't make that class any more boring, I don't think.." The red head said with a grin while the blonde beside her just laughed and shook her head softly, as if disapprovingly. "Oh come on Nami, you know you agree."

A smile graced the girl's lips as she heard her friend. "I never said I didn't, Kairi." She said as they finally arrived at their lockers. The two of theirs were side by side, making it quite convenient, but that had been arranged as Kairi had asked at the beginning of the year for it. Naminé had transferred to their school at the end of the year before, so this was her first full year. The two had become fast friends, in fact, she was Roxas' cousin, she was surprised she hadn't met the girl sooner, even though she should've expected such a thing. Roxas' family was always so scattered, he lived with Sora half the time, after all.

The two had started as friends, and just two months before had that changed. The two had confessed their like for each other, their shared feelings. And so, for two months to the day, they'd been going out. It had gotten around school fast, though they'd tried to keep it a secret. Sora and Riku had been going out for nearly a year now, a little less for Axel and Roxas, and to tell the truth, they hadn't gotten the best reaction from those around them. And they hadn't gotten an more comfortable with the idea as time went on. Axel and Riku had gotten to the point of... violence, to have people keep their opinions to themselves. The evident dislike of their.. arrangements went from verbal and written... all the way to beatings and destruction of property. In all truth, none of the ways had been pretty and none of the four had ever gotten out of it easy, though Riku and Axel had endured it better than Sora, and even the same for Roxas, though the last two had gotten it much worse than the first two mentioned.

Nothing had happened against the two girls as of yet, nothing except for shunning, so they hadn't really worried, or rather, Kairi hadn't really worried. For young Naminé, it had been a whole different story. She wasn't so trusting because she could easily see the hatred and darkness in people's hearts that they tried so hard to hide. She could read people, and quite well.

"Hey, Nami, wanna come to practice with me today? Its shorter, and I know the team misses you." Kairi was referring to track. The two had run together, that is until the young blonde hurt her ankle. It was healed now, after getting the cast off this current week, but she'd been instructed to not run for the rest of the season. "And then you could come home with me after school and we could do our homework together, and then watch a movie.. with popcorn and everything!" Kairi grinned at the offer she gave to the blonde, especially as she saw her nod in reply.

"Sure. I miss coming anyway, and I think I'd like to see the progress you all have made, even if I can't run with you.. and you know I can never turn down a move at your place. Your mom always makes much more than popcorn." She laughed softly and closed her locker, Kairi soon doing the same after a moment or so. Each had a small backpack that they slung over their shoulders. "Let's go then! The sooner we get to practice, the sooner we get to my mom's goodies!"

And so the two had started away from the lockers and towards the track field outside of the school.

Don't try to fix me, I'm not broken.

"Kairi, PLEASE!"

"No! NO! Let me see her! I have to get to her, I have to get to Nami! Its my fault.. all my fault!" The girl screamed, thrashing against arms that held her back now.

"Kairi! I'm sorry! You can't! You'll hurt yourself! Please.. lay back down..!" Sora pleaded once more, gently but firmly holding the girl around the waist, hugging her tightly to keep her in place. He'd sat down behind her, pulling her back to him, while Riku was to the side of them, holding the girl's arms down, making sure not to hurt the one that was broken and in a sling. "Kai.. you have to stop.." Riku said calmly, staring down at his friend with a saddened gaze. He knew her worry, he knew her rage. He'd felt it before, just not in the same way, not of the same magnitude.

'Stop it! I don't care about me! Her! She's hurt! She's hurt so much more!"

The cries that escaped her lips drowned out the sound of the door slamming open. Her mother hurried in, her father hanging back though the pain was obvious in both of their eyes. They weren't near as close to Kairi as her friends, though they wished to be. They were just never home..

"Kairi.. dear.. please, listen.."

But Kairi wouldn't hear a word.

"Don't touch me! Don't TOUCH me!" She screamed as nurses entered, one holding a needle. They were going to sedate her. She wouldn't have that. Not again. And so her parents called them off, saying they were causing her even more stress than was needed. They disagreed, and held back, a doctor coming in and being just as firm on his order, but he agreed to wait. If she wasn't calmed soon, he would sedate her, no matter their wishes. He claimed it was for her health. But her heath, Kairi's own health, that was of no importance, not to the girl herself.

"Let go of me!"More screams ripped from her throat, tears beginning to slip from her reddened eyes in miniature rivers. She didn't even stop as her mother neared her, and the two boys that had been holding her back, let go as the saw the silent request in her adoptive mother's eyes. "Kairi." She whispered, softly trying to wrap her arms around the girl, though she was hit repeatedly she endured it, not flinching at hit after hit until she had the girl secured in her arms, but even then she did not stop struggling. "Baby... I'm so sorry.."

"She's hurt! Let me help her! She'll die! She'll die without me!" 'That can't happen..!'

"Baby.. she's gone. I'm sorry.. but she's already gone.."

Her breath hitched, and she tensed, freezing in her actions. Her bright blue eyes had gone wide and her heart ripped in two. They were lying. They had to be. She would know if she was gone. She would KNOW. "You're... you're wrong." She breathed, still not moving, barely able to form the words she had. Her body trembled. She would know. She would...

But then what was this.. empty and broken feeling?

It wasn't. She was alive. She was... in the room, or the bed next to her. Or.. they were still cleaning her up. They were just wrong.

"..You're so wrong."

'If I smile and don't believe, soon I know I'll wake from this dream...

"Kairi! You beat your record by four seconds!"

The girl squealed happily, grinning as she stood in the girl's locker room, leaning back against one of the metallic storages as she waited for her friend to get from the shower. They were the last two remaining, the rest of the team having been much quicker than she and Kairi. They had talked after practice for a little bit, before the two retreated to the locker room. And by that time, the rest of the girls were drying off from their showers and were getting ready, if not already so, to leave. The girls had maintained friendly conversation, but they weren't as friendly as they used to be of course. Most of the girls didn't approve of.. them.. either. But they didn't cut them off completely.

Soon they'd all left with their soft goodbyes, and it was just the two girls who remained, leaving them in their current situation. Blue eyes looked up as she heard the soft dripping and footsteps of the other, and she smiled to the girl that was wrapped in a fluffy white towel that she'd brought from home. She smiled to the girl and watched as she got into her bag, getting new and clean clothes from her bag. She saw her pick out a pair of bright pink shorts, and a white tank top, as well as a white jacket and any undergarments she needed. The auburn haired girl pulled her clothes on and smiled brightly to the waiting blonde. "I've been training hard, so I would hope that I did." She said, responding to what her girlfriend had said excitedly earlier.

Naminé grinned. "I can tell! You're so much faster compared to when we last ran!" She giggled as her hand was then grabbed by Kairi and she was then led away and out of the locker room and out onto the school grounds. It was near dark, the sun was setting. So by the time they got to Kairi's, it would probably be dark. "Practice took longer than originally planned.. Sorry for that." Kairi said, looking back at the blonde who trailed behind her a bit with an apologetic look. Naminé just shook her head though. "Its fine! I more than enjoyed seeing all of you run. I miss being part of that." "Next year. Next year you'll run the whole season, and we'll all be even better! I'll even help you train over the summer to catch up with us, or whenever you're allowed to."

And so the two continued, passing the main school building and then onto the street. It was slowly getting darker, but the two weren't bothered, nor did they notice. They continued talking and laughing, drawing farther away from the school, and bit by bit they grew nearer to Kairi's home, but still they were far away. Things were fine, all until someone stepped in front of them from an approaching alley, making them stop in their tracks. They were in dark clothing, and their face couldn't be seen. Immediately, both girls stopped, and Kairi grabbed Naminé's hand. "Let's.. go back a street. We can still get to my house that wa-" She stopped as they turned, and were greeted by two more. "O-Or the next street ov-" And as they turned once more, three of them now stood to greet them. They were backed against a wall, literally. The two girls stepped back nervously, their backs colliding with the brick wall of an apartment complex soon. No one was around this part of town around this hour..

That was no reassurance.

At this point, there was no denying that they were now in serious trouble. "W...What do you want?"

She got no reply.

"K-Kairi.. I don't think.. I think that we're in trouble." She said, knowing she was stating the obvious, but still.. "..Trouble like.. Sora.. and Roxas.. and the others have been in.." Naminé had no idea how right she was, and exactly how much trouble.

The two girls found themselves petrified as one ahead of them pulled something from inside their jacket. Naminé saw it shine in the light. "Kairi..!" She whispered urgently. "We have to get out of here! Now!" She kept her voice as soft as she could, though it was high pitched, and she was close to crying. She knew what was coming. The other three of the group moved to group with the three in front of them and Naminé clenched her hand tightly. Kairi's eyes narrowed. She wouldn't let them just be taken down and beaten. Within a moment, she dashed to the side which was now open, dragging Naminé behind her though the girl was doing her best to keep up. She knew it would be hard for her to run as fast as normal, with her injury and all, but.. they had to run.

They couldn't stop, not until they were safe.

"Nami! We have to hurry! My house is just a few blocks ahead.. Just a little more, and we can make it!"

The girl didn't respond, but she looked back to see how close they were behind them, because she knew they wouldn't just let it be. Her eyes widened as she saw the group that was in pursuit, behind them. They were so close... they would be right on them within moments, they were just so much faster than them, and Naminé was the one holding them back. "Kairi, I'm too slow! You have to go ahead! You can out run them and get help! Please!" The blonde girl begged her, but she received an abrupt and final answer. "NO." She said firmly, speeding up though Naminé winced, her ankle being sore already. She knew now was no time to fight and try to get her to change her mind. The had much more important things to worry about.. much, much more.

They were even closer, just three streets from their safe haven in fact, when Naminé tripped behind Kairi, falling to the concrete below and making Kairi stumble. She quickly turned and saw that three were already upon each of them. "Naminé!" Kairi screamed, seeing that while upon the ground, she saw them kicking her and beating her. The girl was whimpering, curled into a fetal position and her hands over her head to try and protect herself. Kairi's heart was wrenching at the sight. She turned to glare at the three that were ready to start their.. punishment... on her. "STOP THAT!" She roared, lunging for them. She was knocked back, and she felt her head painfully collide with the ground, along with her shoulder. She cried out, but quickly looked up at them and saw they were approaching. The girl quickly sat up, almost falling back as her head gave her such a strongly dizzying feeling. She stumbled back, away from them. "What do you want?" She asked shakily.

She, again, received no reply.

Even without one, she knew the answer. "Please! We... we haven't done anything wrong! We're just.. loving who we love! Is that a crime?" She cried before she heard a growl and was smacked harshly, forcing her to stumble back. "So twisted." The person growled. "You have no idea how wrong you are.." This angered her inside, but it couldn't stop the fear. She ran passed the darkened people in front of her and pushed passed those that were surrounding Naminé still, laughing as they continued her deed. She was crying, screaming. But that just encouraged them. Kairi hated, and couldn't understand people like this. How.. could they be so heartless?

She knelt down to Naminé, glaring up at their opponents, and held her arms out to the side. "I won't let you hurt her anymore!" She cried. "Are you hating us, condemning us, because we are who we are?! What's so wrong with following your heart?!"

They ignored her, and one pulled out another object from within their clothing. "It seems that in your case.. everything." They said, pointing the object straight at Kairi's head. Her eyes shut tightly, but the next thing she knew, she heard a shot.. and felt nothing..

Confusion filled her mind, and then fear. She quickly looked up, and saw not her executioner in front of her, but...

"Naminé..?" Her voice was soft and shaky, and tears began to fill her eyes. She saw beautiful gold in the moonlight.. but that beautiful, sweet, innocent white dress, she could see the crimson that stained it. She was frozen, her body beginning to tremble. She watched as her beautiful heroin turned around to face her, a soft, loving, but saddened and pained smile graced her pale, blood stained lips. "K-K...Kairi..." She whispered with a smile, her body collapsing, being drained of all strength.

A gasp escaped the red haired girl's lips and she quickly moved to catch her, holding her close and cradling her form, lovingly, in her arms. She'd heard the group curse and run off as they heard shouts from neighboring apartment complexes. Of course they were yelling.. a gunshot had been fired.. in their quiet, perfect little neighborhood. Of course... they were worried.. but they had no idea.

"N-Nami.. Hold on." She said, smiling. Her smile was not one of happiness, it was of fear, worry, but it also held her deepest love for the girl that she held, dying in her arms. "Its gonna be okay! They... They're gone. We can.. get you taken care of. Get you all cleaned up!" Her voice was beginning to shake. She damned it... damned it for making her so unable to comfort her properly. "And then.. then we can go to my house.. and.. watch that movie! And mom.. she can make all of our favorites. She can even make that cinnamon sugar bread.. you know.. the one that gets so sticky.. but we always love it.. you.. always love it.." She babbled on, trying to convince both the blonde in her arms who was shaking and pale, and herself as well.

"Kairi.."

"Shh.. don't talk. Save your strength, alright? I'm.. not important right now. You are. So just.. shh.. and stay with me. Just.. listen to me, and watch me.. and stay... oh please stay with me.." She said, sobbing now and shaking. Oh.. she was so pale. So.. so pale. And that bright crimson that stained her lips.. and her chest.. there was so much.. so much spilling from her chest. She quickly took off her jacket, and messily folded it, pushing it firmly upon the wound. She heard the girl cry out and whimper. She felt her heart break a little more, if it could. "I-I'm sorry! We.. need to stop this bleeding! And.. this is all I have.. and.. I need to hold pressure on it.. I need to.. I need to.. I'm sorry!" She said, her head lowering and sobs wracking her thin frame. "I'm so sorry.. I couldn't help! I should've known.. I should've gotten us away quicker. I should've skipped practice so we could go home when it was still light out.. we could've.. just gotten our homework.. and had more time to.." 'More time to do everything.. Have our first true date that isn't interrupted by track.. or homework.. or mom.. or Sora.. or anyone or anything! Have our first kiss..I haven't even told you how much I l-' Her thoughts were cut short as she felt a shaky hand on her wet cheek.

"Kairi... its alright."

Her soft voice, that smile on her face, the look in her eyes. She wasn't afraid, not for herself.. and that killed her. She was so selfless. She was never worried about herself. Ever.. and to Kairi, this was a time where.. she needed to. She deserved to be selfish. To cry. To say she was afraid. To say it hurt. To tell her all those normal human things and fears. But.. she just smiled.

The blonde's thumb softly wiped away the salty tears that continued to slip from her eyes. "Don't cry.. its alright. Don't be sorry.. I trust you. It will be okay, whatever happens."

Again, she felt her heart shatter into smaller pieces.

She trusted her, and yet she couldn't do a thing.

"Don't cry.. don't be sad.. I'm okay. I saved you. That was all I wanted to do."

That smile..

"There was no way you could have known.. I didn't either... no one did. Not anyone."

'Except them..'

"So don't be afraid."

'How can I not?'

"I love you, Kairi.."

'You're leaving me!'

"Nami, I'm fine! So are you! Its gonna be.. just fine.. So stay with me okay? And.. we can-"

"...I love you.."

Her heart stopped beating as she felt that shaky hand begin to slip from her face. Her eyes were wide, and she watched it fall, no breath leaving or entering her own body. Her eyes darted to the girl's face, and that vibrant beauty in her eyes.. it was leaving..

She was leaving.

"NAMINE!"

Suddenly I know I'm not sleeping.

All of them had let go, and her eyes were simply wide, but the look within them showed she was a million miles away. She wasn't gazing at the wall, but through it, within her own thoughts. She felt broken. She had no will. She raised her hands a bit, her eyes staring down at them, still wide, as her hands began to tremble and shake. Her blood.. had been.. there. It had been on her hands.. on her clothes.. but now, there were bandages, a cast, a hospital gown.. no trace of Naminé

A pained cry escaped the girl's lips as she grabbed whoever was nearest to her and clung to them for dear life, trying and sobbing uncontrollably. She couldn't control herself.. she didn't want to..

'I couldn't save you..'

'Why did you save me?'

'You should've never gotten hurt..'

'It should've been me.'

'I should have known..'

'I should've been able to save you..'

'I'm sorry."

"I'm so sorry that I couldn't say..."

"I love you too."

A/N: SO... what did ya think? I do hope you liked it. It was an idea that popped into my head at listening to Amy Lee's song 'Hello' from her fallen album. I've listened to the song a few million times, but.. didn't get it until a few weeks ago.

I think it turned out alright.. I hope you agree? X3 Please review and tell me what you think, and I'll try to have some new stuff up here soon!

-Kit-chan