A/N: This is simply my take on how his mom would react. She's not a fully fleshed character, as I'm sure you can tell, and this is only a rough draft. While I appreciate all reviews, what really helps me to produce quality writing is feedback fro you guys, the readers. If you could take a moment at the end and tell me what you liked or disliked, you're helping me way more than you know. Happy reading! -Nyeerg

Mina wandered into the kitchen, to prepare something for lunch. Not that she was particularly hungry; ever since Kairi's second disappearance a few weeks ago, Mina hadn't been able to eat- or sleep. Her own son was missing, as was his best friend. And then the last surviving member of his little group went missing without a trace, same as he and Riku had done- there was nothing left in the town that was a part of her son. Of course there was no reason to believe the events were connected- it was accepted that Sora and Riku had died in that storm, the one that rocked the island. Kairi had probably just run away in a fit of teen angst.

But Mina knew better. Sora wouldn't've died. He couldn't've. She knew he would come home eventually. He had to. His memory was all she had left of her only child.

She moved to the fridge and pulled out a loaf of bread and a package of cheese, and set about making a small sandwich when the phone rang.

Mina grabbed the cordless off of its charger, and hit the talk button. The caller ID was unknown; it was probably just a telemarketer, trying to sell her something she didn't need and wouldn't use.

"Hello?" she asked. She didn't even bother trying to keep the depression out of her voice.

"Mom? Is that you?"

Mina dropped the phone, and it clattered to the floor at her feet.

His voice was different- deeper, stronger, confident, but it was her baby. Her Sora! She grabbed the phone, and with a shaking hand lifted it to her ear. "Sora?"

"Mom-"

"Baby, where are you? Are you safe?"

"Uh, yeah- I'm on the beach. Riku, knock it off, I'm talking to my mom! Sorrry, Riku's being annoying. Yes, you are, shut up! Um, I need to talk to you. And I'm fine, and I promise you, I have an explanation for being gone, and can you come down to the beach? Your majesty, I kinda need help explaining this…I think you know more than I do…"

"Your majesty? Who're you talking to? I'll be right there, don't go anywhere, I've missed you so much-"

"Riku needs to borrow Kairi's phone too, Mom, and I won't go anywhere. We're at the pier."

Mina was slightly put off. Her baby sounded fine but how could he be? It had been two years, two miserable years, and how could he have been alive, this whole time?

She slipped into a set of beat-up flipflops and grabbed her car keys, and bolted out of the door.

--

She pulled up at the pier, and parked the car. The entire ride, her heart had been pounding, and she was convinced it was a trick. How could he have been alive the entire time, and never contacted her? He was a smart boy, he sounded alright on the phone- was it even possible? Could she have imagined the whole thing?

Mina got out of the car, and scanned the pier. It was close to sunset, and all she could see was a group down at the water's edge, lit up from behind by the falling sun enough that she couldn't make out who was there.

Until one of them jumped up from the sand. "Mom!"

Mina's hands flew to her mouth, and her eyes filled with tears. Her baby boy was running up the sand, trailed by the others, and then his arms were around her and he was laughing and she wasn't sure but she thought she saw his eyes a little shiny. "Sora!"

Her arms tightened around him, and they stood there, silent but for her crying, and Sora said over and over, "I'm home, it's okay, I'm home," and she never wanted to let him out of her sight again.

"Sora?"

He pulled back against her will and he knelt down in the sand. "Your majesty, this is my mom. Uh, you can call her Mina."

A rather large mouse stared up at her, and she stared back, perturbed. He held out his paw, and she bent down to shake it. "My name is King Mickey, and I'm afraid it's kind of my fault that Sora has been gone."

Mina narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms. "So you're to blame?"

"Mom, no!" Sora stepped between them, and held his hands up, to placate her. "It's not King Mickey's fault!"

"That would be the Keyblade's fault, wouldn't it?" Kairi butted in.

The others had gathered around them, and Mina took a step back to take them in. Sora, the mouse, a duck and a dog, and Riku and Kairi. What was going on? Riku was supposed to be dead as well- and Kairi was here, safe and sound. She turned back to Sora, at a loss for an explanation. "Explain."

Sora glanced down at the king, who nodded. He stepped back, a few feet away, and held his hand out in front of him.

"Sora, this isn't funny, I want an-"

Her eyes widened perceptibly as the huge…thing materialized in her son's hand. He looked down at it, almost sadly, then locked eyes with her. "This is a keyblade, Mom. It's mine."

"You're its," Riku said. "Keyblade master. I could wield it better."

Sora snorted. "Yeah, I'd like to see you try."

"Boys!" King Mickey cut in. "Please, behave yourselves. Riku, will your parents be here soon?"

"Should be, yeah."

Mina shook her head, more than lost. "Sora, I want to know where you have been for the past two years!"

Startled, he turned to the king. "It's been two years? I know I was asleep for the year, the whole Roxas thing, but I didn't know it had been that long."

Riku laughed. "You're so oblivious. I knew that and I was trapped in the dark!"

Mina was close to snarling. "Explain it now."

--

An hour later, Mina was sitting on the pier, patting Riku's mother on the shoulder, while his father paced. The king, after introducing the other two members of Sora's adventure, had proceeded to explain as much as he knew of Sora and Riku's two year absence, with occasional comments thrown in from the two, and heavy augmentation by the other two, Goofy and Donald. Mina was quietly amused by Donald; from what she could tell, he had been a major part in keeping Sora out of as much trouble as possible, though Mina knew her son well enough to know that short of tying him down, when he was flat determined to do something, there was no way to stop him.

Sora had gotten bored a few minutes into the conversation and he and Riku had moved down the beach- but still within sight of the three parents, as none of them were letting the boys out of their direct line of sight- and they were sparring. Sora had shown his keyblade to them, and then Riku had taken it. Mina had watched, stunned, as Sora laughed outright and it materialized in his hand. Riku's own weapon, a dangerous-looking sword, had been pulled out of literally nowhere, and the boys were screeching and insulting each other as they danced about the sand. Kairi was already gone, her grandmother unwilling to hear any explanation from anybody other than her granddaughter.

"So what you're saying is my son was evil?" Riku's father demanded. He was angry, though at who Mina wasn't quite sure. He and Riku had spoken briefly, both of them looking stiff, while his mother fluttered around him, and while his father had been mad, he hadn't directed it at Riku

The king shook his head frantically. "Not like that, not at all! Riku simply became darkness. His heart didn't change."

"And where was Sora during all of this?" Mina interrupted. "All you said was he was asleep."

"He was, in a pod. Goofy and Donald were as well- they were perfectly safe during all of this."

They were all startled by a loud yelp. Mina jumped, and was halfway to her feet before she realized that Sora had pinned Riku to the sand. "See who's stronger now, Riku? You're not the best anymore!"

Riku's father started towards the boys, when Sora was flung to the side. His blade- the keyblade, she thought- skidded into the sand and was soon followed by Riku's sword as the boys fell to plain wrestling.

The king shook his head with a smile and returned his attention to Riku's parents. "Riku saved many people, though he didn't have to. He warned them of the Heartless, and turned to fight with Sora and Kairi at the end. He's a hero."

"Hear that, twerp? I'm a hero! What're you, still a junior hero?" Riku taunted Sora, who he had trapped in a headlock.

"How do you even know about that?" Sora struggled against him, and settled for bringing his heel back into Riku's shin. "You didn't talk to Phil, did you? Don't believe anything he told you!"

Mina turned back to the king. "Junior hero?"

"Sora, Donald, and Goofy were declared Junior heroes at the Coliseum. It's just a title. They're all heroes," the king explained.

The boys ran down the beach a bit, before Sora tackled Riku into the surf. Mina wondered for a moment why they weren't even effected by it- Sora and Riku seemed the same as they had always been. Loud, excitable, at least in Sora's case, and unconcerned with the world around them.

She couldn't even detect a bit of difference, beyond the physical. Sora was taller, stronger, and his untamable hair was longer and spikier. How could he have possibly gone through all of that and come out unchanged?

Although, now that she thought of it, now that she was looking for it, she could see it, a little bit. He held himself taller- when he wasn't being tackled into the water or writhing around in the sand, trying to one-up Riku- and he contained himself more. His actions were exactly what he intended; his jumps, his tackles, they were all no more than they needed to be. He had the air of a trained fighter.

And that both worried and saddened her. She knew what he had done, yes, at least superficially. She could tell the king was keeping some things, which she fully expected to have to pry out of Sora. But while he was the boy who had disappeared two years previously, he was that and so much more. He had seen death, had come close to it himself, more times than he or the king could even begin to guess at. He had lived on the run at times, constantly under attack, and had sought it out at times, all in an effort to track down Kairi and Riku down. He had faced a god, a man so taken over by evil that he had not faltered at the idea of attacking a fourteen year old, had struggled in a world of darkness where he knew nobody, had absolutely no idea where he was or why he was there-

Mina shook her head to clear it of that train of thought. No matter what he had done and gone through, he was here now and everything would be alright.

She tuned back in to hear the King say, "and that's where they got trapped in the Castle That Never Was. The door closed on them, and then they appeared here, not long after."

The king called out to Sora and Riku, but they were too far down the beach, and too intent on winning their match, to hear. Mina took a deep breath, and was inordinately pleased at the thought that she was now able to yell "SORA!" again, and not have it be out of misery or depression- and that if she did it, he could come running.

"Sora!" she called out. The boys froze, and tumbled apart.

"Riku, you too!" his father yelled.

"What?" Sora called back. Riku stood, then offered his hand to Sora and pulled the smaller boy to his feet. They started up the beach, and then Sora sprinted ahead. It ended with a yell, and with Sora sprawled across the wooden pier at the King's feet with Riku standing sedately behind his mother.

"Yeah?" Riku asked.

"Would you two explain what happened in Kingdom Hearts, after the door closed on you?"

"Riku flew a hovership! And we fought a dragon." Sora sat up, grinning like he'd done something not life threatening not two hours previously. "And we fought Xemnas."

Riku nodded. "To put it simply, that's what happened. When we defeated Xemnas, a door opened and we came out here."

The king let out a sigh that Mina echoed. Why couldn't they go into more detail?

Actually, Mina wasn't too sure she wanted more detail. Flying a hovercraft sounded dangerous. And Xemnas- he didn't sound like an easy fight, not at all. If she ever learned the whole story, she wasn't sure she'd be willing or able to let Sora out of the house. The world was a dangerous place!

"So here we are now." Sora glanced over at Mina, and then at the King. He wanted to say something, Mina could see, but he wasn't opening his mouth. He looked apprehensive.

The king noticed as well. "Yes, Sora?"

Sora looked over at Donald and Goofy, then at Mina. She tilted her head, and he dropped his eyes.

"Will the worlds be disconnected again? Will I ever see you guys again?"

"Gawrsh, I sure hope so!" Goofy said. "Can't he use the gummi ship, your majesty?"

King Mickey nodded. "Yes. The worlds have been connected now. It would take a great amount of power to separate them again, and they are tied together by you, Sora."

Mina expected him to be startled by that, but Sora just nodded and took it in stride, like he expected an answer like that. Was Sora really that important to all these strange worlds?

She wondered if he had an ego from it all. He had saved the world, and multiple smaller worlds within that, and had defeated the worst people to crop up.

"And now, it's time for me, Donald, and Goofy to go home. Minnie's probably worried sick by now."

"And Daisy!"

"And Max," Goofy said, a wistful look in his eyes.

Sora stared blankly at him. "Who's Max?"

Donald's cry of both outrage and shock at Sora's apparent obliviousness left her shaking with laughter until she got to the car and got it under control.

--

Mina pulled up to the house, and Sora let out a tiny gasp. She looked over inquiringly, only to see him slamming the car door and bolting up the front steps and into the house.

She got out and locked the car, and followed her son into the house.

She found him a few minutes later in his bedroom, standing in the middle of the carpet and looking around.

"Mom?" He asked.

"Yeah?"

She was slightly worried; maybe something was wrong, or he needed to tell her something she didn't want to hear, or-

"Why is my room clean?"

The question hit her like a ton of bricks, and she dissolved into laughter. She clutched the door frame, and when Sora turned to look her her, a bewildered expression on his face, her eyes filled with tears and she couldn't help the half-sobbing, half-laughter that burst out.

"…are you okay?"

It took a few moments to get herself under control, but she managed it and opened her arms. Sora obliged and she wrapped him in another hug. "I'm so glad you're home," she whispered.

He was so much taller now than she remembered. Before, he was just a smidge taller than her. Now, she could rest her chin on his shoulder without a problem. His shoulders were broader, and his face had lost its baby fat.

"What else?" she asked herself.

"What else what?"

She pulled away, and wiped the tears from her eyes. "Talking to myself."

Sora beheld her for a moment. "So..."

"Yeah?"

"...I'm kinda hungry."

--

Mina wasn't sure how she had survived two whole years without Sora. His humor lit her up, even when she was upset- or mad at him. He knew that and used it to his advantage. His little noises were a welcome relief from the emptiness of the house. Scattered snoring throughout the night when she couldn't sleep made her smile. The destructive sounds from the bathroom when he tripped on the new bathroom carpet and took out one of the towel racks and all of her toiletries on the sink reminded her that there was another person in the house now. The muffled yells when Riku came over and they fought over food, or games, or who sat where on Sora's windowsill reinforced the fact that her child was back home and safe and sound.

It wasn't easy, getting back into the routine of being a mother, and taking care of a headstrong, assertive sixteen year old. Sora had been on his own but for Donald and Goofy for two years, and those two were his friends, not his caretakers. He was used to being out at all hours, traveling somewhere new every few weeks, and spending his time saving people.

Coming back home meant rules, chores, a curfew, and the dreaded school.

He had missed his freshman and sophomore years, and that meant night classes and summer school at the local high school, and hours of homework. He got Sundays off from working; that much she had to give him, or else he'd complain and not do his work and climb out his window to go hang out with Riku who, according to his parents, did the same thing.

It was late May when he arrived back home; by September, he was still a few classes behind, but Sora declared he was more than able to catch up.

So, after a summer of having him home and learning who her son had become, she was forced to let him off on his own for school. It felt a lot like letting him off for elementary school again; she wouldn't have him around all day, getting underfoot as she worked on clothing for clients, and generally being the hyperactive child he'd always been.

"Don't forget to pick up your schedule from the office," Mina said as she straightened Sora's blue striped tie. He rolled his eyes and gently pushed her hands away, but she simply moved back and adjusted his white collar. "And do you have your lunch munny?"

"Yes, mother!" Sora said. He grabbed her wrists, and lowered her hands so she couldn't fiddle with his clothes. "I'm a big boy, I can remember my munny and my schedule. Riku's waiting, and I have my cellphone so stop worrying already." He smiled at her, then bent down to pick up his new messenger bag. At his request, she'd sewn a few patches for it, and ironed them on. One was of what he called a shadow heartless, a cute little thing with antennae and big yellow eyes. He'd drawn a picture of it for her to copy, and now she had a pattern for a plushie half-drawn up. She had questioned his want of one of his enemies, but he said it was from when he had 'personally experienced it' and she hadn't asked further. Another was of his keyblade. He wanted the one he called the Kingdom key. She thought the Decisive Pumpkin was a nicer blade, but he insisted. The third was a Trinity, in blue. Sora had simply said that they were cool and that he wanted one.

Sora lifted the strap over his spiky hair, then bent forward and kissed her cheek. "Love you, Mom!" And before she could respond, he was out the door and jogging down the front sidewalk where Riku was waiting in his matching blue-and-white Destiny Island High School uniform.

Mina smiled softly, and waved through the window at his back. He lifted one hand up, as if in acknowledgment.

And then he and Riku both turned, waved, and burst into a footrace down the street and around the corner, out of sight.