Sorry if I don't update for a while. This fanfic is cursed O.o I tried to upload the file, and my computer crashed, so I emailed it to myself, but when I tried to access email, it wouldn't work until I rebooted the computer. Even my computer wants me to finish Revisited! Boy, who next, my obdurate little brother who only reads the stupidity that happens in the aftermath of my inspiration? R&R appreciated. Thank you.

"Terra, this way." Aqua gestured to the silvernette, waiting for him to stand up and follow her down the hallway. It was always dark back there when the lights were off, but Aqua found it darker than usual in the shadows of her new situation. Braig had been to her house again. Why was he there, with that horrible wound?

Aqua knew that Braig Silverman worked in the Radiant Garden Laboratory, and she knew that he was a skilled assassin and cold-hearted killer. She hated his guts with a heated passion.

Terra came up next to her, still picking at the stitches on his neck. In the darkness, his eyes seemed to glow with an inward energy, but only dimly. Aqua looked at this, puzzling about why that would happen. Oh well. There were mysteries about this man she would never understand. She took hold of his bandaged wrist and led him down the hall, more quietly past her mother's room, and entered a vacant guest room. Aqua switched on the lights. "Here's your room."

Terra blinked and scanned the room. "Aaaaaaah..." He approached the bed and ran his hands over and through each soft surface, fascinated by the new sensations. He climbed on top and bounced a bit, feet forcing the covers down and rattling the entire frame.

Aqua waited for him to finish his investigation. "Look at this." She pulled the covers down. "Terra, lay down."

Terra jumped up and sprawled out over the mattress. He seemed surprised when Aqua pulled the covers up over him.

"This is where you sleep," Aqua explained. "It's nice and comfortable. I need you to stay here, okay?"

Terra blinked at her and closed his eyes.

Sensing that he was asleep, Aqua leaned forward and kissed his forehead quickly. "Goodnight, Terra." She turned off the lights on her way out, and when she reached her room, she fell asleep on her bed without undressing.

xxx

An hour after Dilan fell asleep, Even woke up screaming.

Suddenly, the uninjured scientists were awake and alert. The blonde was breathing rapidly, his machine beeping insanely as his heart rate rocketed.

"Even, calm down!" Dilan shouted impulsively, knowing full well it wouldn't work.

Gainsborough rushed in and looked at Even. "What happened here?" she asked.

Dilan stammered for a moment. "Everyone was sleeping, and then he started screaming and panting like that out of nowhere."

"There must be shards of glass still in his body," the nurse inferred.

Even gathered his senses, still panicking, and yelled, "It's not that! It's XEMNAS! We're all going to die!"

"Zemnas?" Gainsborough raised an eyebrow.

Ansem rose to his feet with stiff-boned effort. "It would be best if you step into the hall, Miss Gainsborough."

Gainsborough nodded and left the room. She had been informed that the men were from the Laboratory, and as such carried classified information that should stay between them.

"What is it, Even?" Ansem inquired calmly.

Even sucked in a deep breath. "When we created him, his blood...his blood!" His green eyes wandered to the dark window. "They... They hate us now! He's going to avenge himself! The end is upon us!"

Dilan felt a cold tingle shiver down his spine. "Xehanort was gone when the transfer occurred, Even."

"No!" Even roared, face red with frustration. "You don't understand! The electric jolt...he's free now!"

xxx

Aqua woke to the sound of a ringing phone. She sat up, mind foggy, and grabbed the phone. "What."

"Hi, Aqua."

"Lea?" Aqua was surprised. The flaming redhead had been a close friend of Ven's. "Why you call?"

"I was just calling to make sure you weren't being eaten by that lab animal that escaped."

Aqua almost wanted to laugh. "You know how you and Isa always wanna know what's going on in the labs?"

"Yeah."

"Well, hop on your dirt-bike and drive on down here."

"Cool!" He hung up.

Aqua put the phone on the hook and glanced at the clock. Six-thirty. If she were going to work, she would have to rush ready. But she wasn't.

She stood up and padded barefoot to Terra's room. His door was open. Aqua peered inside and saw him sleeping in the exact position she had left him. She approached him. "Good morning, sleepy head." When he didn't stir, she shook his shoulders gently, then roughly. The third shake woke him up. His bright eyes were instantly alert as he kicked the covers off and stood on the balls of his feet.

"Alright, Terra, come to the kitchen." Aqua walked down there and poured herself a bowl of cereal. Terra sat at the table, examining the bottom of his dirty foot. Aqua could see the faint glow in his eyes, so she switched on the lights to hide it. She poured another bowl for the silvernette and brought everything over to the table. "Breakfast is served."

Terra picked up his spoon and took one bite of the cereal before once again picking at the stitches on his neck. He seemed intent to get Aqua to change them out, but Aqua would have to tear more thread and see more repulsive sights. And it genuinely hurt her to stab a needle through flesh, even if it was for Terra.

As Aqua was washing her bowl out and putting it in the cabinet, someone pounded their fist on the door. "Come in! It's unlocked!" Aqua knew only one person who knocked like that.

Lea stumbled in and threw the door shut behind himself. "Y'know, I've never came here at seven a.m." as he came into the kitchen, he caught sight of Terra. Sea-foam green met crystalline gold. Finally, Lea managed to say, "That is one freaky costume."

Aqua sighed and shut the cabinet. "That's not a costume." She approached and crossed her arms. "All of that's real. Put an ear to his chest."

"Uh, okay." Lea put his ear near Terra's sewn-up chest. One red eyebrow rose quizzically. "What is that?"

"The machine they stuck in there to replace his heart." Aqua sat down across from Terra and leaned her head on her hand.

Lea stood up and froze. "You're shitting me, right?"

Aqua shook her head. "Wish I was."

Lea turned slowly towards Terra. "...he doesn't have a heart?"

"Nope."

"Well, I want proof!" Lea pulled out his switchblade and slashed Terra's arm open. The silvernette yelled and brought a fist crashing into Lea's ribcage. Aqua jumped forward just in time to catch the redhead mid-fall. She wrenched the knife from his grasp and clicked it shut.

Terra wasn't bleeding.

Lea's eyes widened in horror as he recovered from the monstrous blow. "It's..it's...it's true!"

Aqua nodded and gently lowered Lea to the floor. "What the hell were you thinking? He's afraid of knives!"

Terra whimpered and looked at the slash across his wrist. It probably wouldn't heal, since he had no blood to scab, unless the healing process could take place without scabs. In any case, the silvernette held out his arm for Aqua to see. The X1NM3S1AE tattoo was visible.

"What's his name?" Lea asked from his position on the floor.

Aqua looked at the slash, which was about two inches long. "His name is Terra."

"Terra? But Terra's gone."