Riku:

I found myself sat on a large, black chair. It's back stretched upwards towards the high ceiling. Engraved to the wood was an image of heartless creeping upwards, trying to capture a heart. "Almost seems fitting doesn't it?" Kairi came from around the back and smiled. I shifted my gaze throughout the hall. Pillars stretched upwards, and linked together with arches. The floor solid stone and cold when you touched it and the carpeted walk way grey. The windows showed the yellow moon, and no stars. A completely empty room.

Kairi knelt down next to me and placed her hand on mine. "Why are you ignoring me?" she whined.

"Got nothing to say." I sighed and placed my head on my hand.

She began to sulk.

As we sat in the silence, the familiar creature wondered over. Behind it walked Maleficent. "Now my prince, what do you think?"

"It's very empty." I answered.

"That's because we need more hearts." She smiled cruelly. "How about we take a little trip?"

"I am not in the mood. Send the heartless to Halloween town and start there."

Maleficent smiled, and held out her hand. A shadow figure appeared before her. "you heard your prince." She told the being and it vanished. She turned back to me. "Come now. Why are you so mad?"

"If it makes you feel better Kara survived." Kairi interrupted.

I felt something stab in my chest. I just looked up and smiled weakly. Kairi pulled my hand and began to drag me towards the tall black doors. "What are you doing?"

"I want you to come with me!" she shouted. "Don't you wanna take a real look around?"

I allowed her to pull me. As I looked behind I saw Maleficent's crooked smile, she waved a hand and just as I turned my head back I could see the darkness engulf me.

Leon:

I sat impatiently waiting within Tifa's bar. Cloud was hovering on the stool waiting for Tifa to finish work so they could go out. The bar was fairly empty. The late night punters had already grown tired and had left. I heard her humming merrily in the background.

"No help again today?" Cloud asked her.

"No… It's not like her not to come in really. I assumed she had a good reason really." Tifa shrugged and began to wipe down the bar.

I heard the door swing open. Rinoa stepped through and headed towards me. I stood to my feet, and before I spoke she interrupted me. "Don't say anything. I want you to sit down, and let me speak."

I slid back in my chair uncomfortably. Rinoa sat across from me and sighed wearily. "Cloud I think I am done now. Leon can you lock up for me? You can help yourself to drinks." Tifa smiled and pulled Cloud out to the back. "Wait-." Cloud spoke.

"No problem. Have fun." I sighed.

I watched the pair disappear, and heard their footsteps down a flight of stairs. "So what's wrong?"

"Don't get angry… Riku ran away."

I felt my heart skip a beat. "YOU-."

"I SAID DON'T GET ANGRY!" she screamed at me making my ears ring.

"So what do we do?" I breathed out slowly trying to calm down.

"You help Sora and Roxas look for him here. Me, Zack and Kara will look for him in the shadow worlds."

"What happened?"

"He just lost the will to be in the light altogether. Didn't help with Kairi and then falling out with nearly everyone."

I let out a long sigh. Teens. I rose and headed behind the bar. "What do you want?"

"Anything sounds really good right now."

I pulled two pints and set them down on the table. She began to drink hers instantaneously, and necked at least half before she finally put it down.

She looked down at the glass. "There is something else. Kara was hurt pretty bad… By the looks of things she is going to be in a lot of pain."
"She's always getting hurt." I smiled, and gulped the beverage hard. "It's never that bad."

I felt as though she was just being melodramatic. She looked up at me and I could see her eyes filling with tears. She placed her hands on her face and began to cry. "She almost died! She lost so much blood, and the poison just spread so fast… I could see her turning into a shadow right in front of me and there was nothing I could do… It took four people to pin her down!" She began to wail loudly.

"She… almost…" I felt my body turn cold. I began to shake as the chill spread through my body. I looked down and clenched my hands.

"She is okay now… but I didn't know what to do!" Rinoa just continued to cry.

"are you sure she will be okay? You're making her work after that!" I began to feel guilt.

"What choice do we have? Maleficent has Riku again! God knows what's going to happen!"

"What kind of mother would force her kid to a place where they will die!" I snapped.

As the words slipped out my mouth I began to feel a great guilt. "I'm sorry... it just slipped out."

"I deserve it." She laughed bitterly and drank the rest of her drink. "She's such a good kid…"

"you did well with her." I smiled.

"Not really… she kinda always knew how to take care of herself." Rinoa smiled warmly at the empty glass. "Makes me laugh all those times that me and Zack took her away for a day. Her little smile as she held our hands… I am so sorry you had to miss all that."

"Don't worry." I downed the drink quickly. "we all had other things on our minds."

I stood up and took the glasses. Filling them up again, and we sat and drank and talked like the old days.

Cloud:

I awoke the next morning to find something warm on my chest. Buried underneath the covers lay Tifa, who was breathing lightly. I unwrapped one of my arms, and watched as she tried to bury her head deeper into my chest for warmth. I smiled to myself and budged her over. She curled her body under my sheets. I sat up and stroked her hair out of her face. She had a small smile on her face.

I sat up and stretched up high. As I walked towards the door I heard a crash. Tifa sat up and looked sleepily around. She yawned loudly and stood up. Whilst wearing my shirt she stood beside me holding my hand. We stepped slowly out of the room into the living room. The house was dark, and I could see the outline of clothes everywhere. "That wasn't us was it." Tifa looked around almost disgusted.

"I don't think so…" I mumbled trying to think hard.

As we looked around the room trying to find where the noise came from, we heard voices in Leon's room. As we crept to the door slowly we heard the voices turn hostile. I pushed the handle down, and forced myself through. I was definitely surprised with what I saw.

Rinoa wrapped up in the bed sheet was throwing things at Leon. Leon arse naked was ducking and shouting to stop acting like a child. As I surveyed the room, the wreckage could only indicate one thing.

"Congratulations on getting back together!" Tifa smiled and held Rinoa's hand. "I am so happy for you."

Rinoa holding a lamp in her hand began to glare at her. "As if I would ever still be with that ass!" She screamed and flung it at Leon.

"Same here!" Leon yelled back grabbing a blanket to cover himself.

"Do I even want to know?" I sighed and turned out the room.

"This is all your fault!" Leon began to shout.

"How!"

"Why couldn't you just tell me over the phone then this wouldn't have happened!"

"Cause… I thought it would be easier in person…" She stammered.

"what difference does it make? It's the same thing you're telling me… Riku's gone and Kara nearly died… See? There is no difference how you tell it me as long as it's said."

I felt my body freeze. "He's gone…" I repeated.

"He's gone with maleficent… there was nothing we could do."

"You promised he would be safe!" I felt my body tense.

As a hand slipped into mine a shiver went down my spine. As I looked down I saw Tifa's hand in mine. "We will get him back. I promise." She smiled at me affectionately. I placed my hand on her head and sighed.

I headed to my room. Angrily passing some of Leon's stuff in the living room and following Rinoa's example throwing it across the room. "Knock it off!" Leon screamed from his closed door.

I quickly dressed myself and looked for my keys. "Where are you going?" Tifa was hanging in the doorway watching me. "I am going to go take a quick look around. I'll be back." I smiled at her warmly.

I found the keys in another pair of jeans. Pulling them out, I looked over to see Tifa was worried. I walked over to her and slid my arms down her arms. I kissed her forhead gently. "I promise I will be back soon… I am not going to leave you like I did. I promise." I held her in my arms, and as I looked across to Leons room I saw him emerge. He had his jacket on and like me was heading for the door.

He looked over to me. "You looking for him too?" He asked me.

"Yeah." I replied.

"Wanna look together? Be easier." He looked at Tifa who was beginning to cry.

"Yeah. Sure." I sighed and gave Tifa a quick kiss on the cheek. I felt my fingers slip from hers, and as I passed through the front door, I heard her begin to cry out loud. I won't go to the darkness Tifa… I promise I will come back to you.

As I sat in the car, Leon began to make an unusual tapping noise. "What are you doing?" I grumbled.

"Trying to fill this silence." Leon replied as he tapped the steering wheel. "you have a good night."

"Yeah. Did you?"

"From what I remember it wasn't too bad." Leon replied. He took one hand of the wheel and rubbed his hand through his hair.

"You know you like her… why don't you just tell her?" I asked him.

"Because we shouldn't be together anymore." He answered solemnly. "We have both changed. No point in clinging to the past."

Leon braked hard as we reached the traffic lights. I found my head being flung forward and just missed the dash board. "You dick head!"

"Sorry didn't see the lights…"

As we reached the junction to twilight town, we saw the city was beginning to burn. What is going on! My head screamed as the glow from the town centre began to increase, and a dark shadow began to engulf the alleyways. "so its happening again." Leon's voice was hoarse and low. "C'mon cloud we need to see who is alive."

As we stood out the car, I felt the warmth from the flames. I followed Leon as he headed towards the city. I'm so sorry Tifa… I am going to be late back.