Set mostly in the Land of Departure.

Thank you for the Reviews!
I love hearing about what you think of the characters and how you felt about the Chapter.

Much of the later chapters are finished now.
I'm just inserting / deleting some scenes here and there that I think the story can do without.

I also think this might be important to mention:
I've been sick this past week, which is why I've had time to write and post a new story.
Since I'm feeling better today, there may (or may not) be some gaps between updates.
Rest assured, though; I promise I'll keep working on this and updating at reasonable intervals.

Oh, and there's a flashback in this chapter.
Of the three that will be in this story; this had been my favorite to write. Let me know how you like / dislike it.

Have fun reading!

[DISCLAIMER] I do not own Kingdom Hearts. [DISCLAIMER]

UNCONDITIONAL

As certain as the coming dawn.

Terra had just finished reading the letter. Even in print, he could feel her pain. She didn't mention it outright but it was in every space, in every gap between the words.

Ten years spent away from her own child… Sometimes, Terra wanted to sneak his apprentice out into the worlds to see her but Master Eraqus was watching them so closely that to even try was downright impossible. And Terra was not willing to risk it because then the Master would then oversee Caelum's training. He couldn't let that happen because he'd promised Aqua… He promised he would watch over her son.

He left his bedroom and walked around the empty halls of the castle to think. Before long, he found himself outside the boy's room. Quietly, he opened the door. The light from the hallway cut through the dark room and landed on the bed. Caelum was fast asleep; his mouth slightly open, his dark hair the color of midnight splayed this way and that.

You should have said he was mine. Then maybe… Maybe you wouldn't have had to leave.

He walked silently into the room and stood by the bed. The boy stirred but did not wake as Terra tucked the blanket tighter around him. Then he turned around to let the boy sleep in peace, thinking about the time that Aqua told him...

He paced in front of her. Back and forth, back and forth. "No, no, no. You're kidding. This can't be real." He looked at her, his expression both reproachful and full of pain. "You're kidding, right?"

She shook her head.

"Damn it, Aqua!"

"Terra, please, I don't need this from you…"

He ran a hand over his face. "How did this happen?"

The sudden blush on her cheeks made him visualize things that he really did not appreciate and an awkward silence followed. He sucked in a breath. "You're not…planning on keeping…?"

"Of course I am." She sounded shocked and offended.

"What?" he spat back. "But that's… You know what Vanitas is like!"

"No, you don't know what Vanitas is like. I know him better than you do." She sighed. "And we don't know what he'll grow up to be," she added, sounding hurt as she placed a hand protectively over the bump on her lower abdomen.

"He?" Terra asked, laughing awkwardly. "So it's a boy?"

She blushed again. "I think so..."

Terra scoffed. "Okay. Yeah. A boy just like his father."

Aqua glared at him. "Stop it. This baby is as much mine as it is his."

He punched the wall near her, his anger getting the better of him, and Aqua flinched at his rage. He regretted his actions immediately and he let his hand fall to his side. "Why him, Aqua? Why him, of all people? How do you think the Master will take to this news?"

"I… I don't know," she answered. "But I have to tell him."

"No! You can't! He'll lose it. He'll…" Terra stepped away and paced again, rubbing at his forehead. "Aqua, he won't be happy about this."

"But I am."

He looked at her, disbelieving. But he saw it, that shimmer of unparalleled joy in her eyes as she caressed her belly. She was honestly happy… He groaned as he walked back to her. He pressed his forehead against hers. "You're insane. You've gone insane, I don't know." He placed his hand on top of hers. "The Master will never accept this."

"It's not his choice to make."

His eyes bored into hers. "Tell him it's mine."

"It?" she asked, eyebrows raised.

"Him," Terra conceded, stepping back. "You know what I mean, Aqua. Tell the Master he's mine."

She blinked a few times. "Terra…"

"You won't even know I'm pretending, Aqua, because I won't be. I'll… I'll love him. I'll take responsibility. And I'll do everything I have to do. I'll – "

Aqua smiled at him but he could already see the answer in her eyes before she even said it out loud. "Terra, I appreciate the offer. But I don't want to lie to the Master."

"This is not the time to be stubborn, Aqua!"

"Master Eraqus deserves the truth. And so does he."

Terra shook his head. His tone was gentler as he said, "If you tell him the truth, he'll never let you keep the baby."

"You're having a baby?"

Both Terra and Aqua jumped slightly at the exclamation. They both turned and saw Ventus standing at the open doorway with his mouth agape, his eyes wide in complete shock. He rushed to their side.

"Wow, that's awesome, Aqua!" he said as he ran up to her.

Not being able to help themselves, Aqua and Terra laughed.

"Yes, Ven," Aqua answered. "It is awesome." She looked back at Terra, her eyes bright and pleading. "Isn't it, Terra?"

He sighed, leaning close to whisper, "I'm here for you. And for him. No matter what."

"Thank you," she whispered back, her lips brushing his cheek.

Morning came and Terra hardly had a wink of sleep. Aqua's letter was tucked safely into his pocket as he walked to the kitchens to prepare breakfast. And to prepare for the special day.

To his surprise, though, Ven was already there. And the kitchen was a mess.

"What did you do in here, practice your wind magic?" he teased.

"No," Ven answered, pretending to sound hurt. "I was baking a cake." With a flourish, he set a beautiful chocolate cake on the table. "Ta daa!" he announced. "All ready for the birthday boy."

"Woah," Terra said as he walked around the cake to inspect it. It was perfect. He and Ven exchanged a high-five. He'd almost forgotten that Ventus had been the happiest when Caelum was born. Except for Aqua, of course. It shouldn't have been a surprise that he'd want to put a lot of effort into this. Still. Ven had never done this sort of thing before. "Where did you learn how to bake?"

"You really wanna know?" Ven asked. Then, softly, "Aqua. When I visited her, she taught me how to make this. She said she wanted… she wanted to be a part of his special day somehow, even if he can't know."

Terra almost grimaced. Way to break his heart so early in the morning, but he did his best not to let it show. "Well…" he said, looking the cake over again. "She did great. Always does."

"Yeah, but she drilled me on this for about a month! I think I made dozens of these before I got it right!"

That got a laugh from Terra. "Yeah, yeah. Good job, too, Ven. All that's left now are the candles. And Caelum. I'll go wake him up."

"No way, Terra! I'll wake him up. I baked the cake, so you get to clean!" Ventus was already tossing off the apron and mitts. Terra could only gape at him as he dashed off but he let it go. Ven did do well. He deserved to skip cleaning duty. So Terra squared his shoulders and got to work.

Thank You

~Alacquiene~