CHAPTER 3

Sora boarded the Large Vessel parked at the floating docks without even thinking about it. His thoughts swirling quickly through his head as he thought about Kairi's soft lips. What did she use to make her skin so soft, or was it just her? His original plan was to sneak in quietly so he could avoid the wrath of his teammate. But that was all forgotten after he had tasted her lips. Nothing could possibly get to him, not after a night like that.

"Hey there you traveling hormone!" Donald quacked angrily tapping his foot rapidly.

Sora tuned him out sliding past both of his comrades to escape to his room. He just needed some time to process all of today's events. Donald's rant could wait until tomorrow. The door shutting them out physically and emotionally.

Donald being offended by his comrade's actions immediately made his way to the closed door. Goofy reached a hand towards Donald tense shoulder.

"Listen Donald, sometimes people need their own space. Sora's not a kid anymore, Ayhuck. I know we have a mission and all, but don't forget that as a young man he has needs to. You can't blame him for wanting more than this." He said looking while looking around the ship.

Donald opened his beak to complain but sighed at the truth within his long-time pal's words. He was tough on Sora and he knew it but someone had to be. It seemed like yesterday an overly energetic and naïve boy ran around with a key blade and his goofy grin. But that was far from who he was today, Sora had grown into a strong warrior. He had sprouted like a bean stalk standing at 6 feet ditching his chubby cheeks for a strong jaw and defined muscular physique to match. With everything they had been through he acted as a fatherly figure towards the young man.

Donald walked to his suite and shut the door signaling defeat. Leaving Goofy to stand in the hallway of the sleeping quarters alone.

A light knock tapped on the other side of Sora's door. "Go away Donald." He yelled with his face buried in his pillow face down on the bed.

Goofy opened the large medal door creaking as he stepped through.

"Hey Sora, can I talk to you for a second?" Goofy timidly asked. Sora sat up leaning against the headboard looking at him.

"Of course, Goofy, what's up"

"Well, it's just I got a letter from Maxie today. He said he asked NAME to marry him." Sora jumped up to congratulate his friend.

"That's amazing! So why do you look so upset? Did Donald say something? Is he not letting you go becau-.."

Goofy chuckled softy interrupting him.

"No Sora, It's just, I don't know if I want to do this for much longer." He stated quietly looking down at his gloved hands. Sora knew exactly what he was referring to.

"I think this is my last adventure. When I get back to Disney Castle I'd like to step down from being Captain of the Royal Knights. Maxie's all grown up and I know they want kids, and I want to be closer to my family so when it does happen I'll be around to help." Goofy continued shocking Sora with his honesty.

"Goofy, if you're sure than do what your heart tells you. I'm getting a little tired of running around chasing heartless myself. I could use a nice long vacation." Sora joked attempting to lighten the mood.

Goofy looked sadly at the kid he witnessed grow up in a gummy ship. At fifteen he was separated from all his loved ones and thrown into battle from day one. He always felt bad Sora didn't get to have the normal teen experience. Instead he was entrusted to save worlds from plunging in darkness. It sounded like some video game story line.

"Sora, what about you? What do you want to do?" He asked the young man.

Sora immediately straightened up looking to the wall while thinking of an answer. "honestly Goofy, I've been thinking about that a lot lately. I don't really have a ton of options dropping out of school to play the hero roll. I can't really go get a job as an accountant, now can I?" He laughed nervously, joking was Sora's way of coping in uncomfortable situations.

"Do I even have a choice?" He chuckled sadly looking down at his gloved hands.

"There's always a choice Sora. Did Kairi like her cupcake?" He asked resting a hand on Sora's shoulder attempting to change the subject.

Sora smiled at Goofy once he heard the girls name. "I figured it out." He said standing up looking to his friend.

"My life hasn't amounted to much, but one thing is certain. I need to be with Kairi in whatever way I can as much as she'll allow me to be. When I'm with her I feel like I'm floating, and when we touch it feels like my bodies on fire, in a good way. My heart wants to beat out of its chest. I've managed to face the most dangerous villains in the universe and when it's just us…" He ran his hands through his hair feeling frustrated. "I forget about everything, she's the light within all this darkness, she's my light." His curled fist against his pounding heart. He had finally admitted his feelings for Kairi out loud, even if it wasn't to her. It was a step in the right direction for him.

"Ahyuck, Gosh Sora you're in love is all." Goofy stood up next to Sora grabbing his shoulders once more.

"Love?" Sora questioned dumbly.

"Love silly! Sora, you were willing to give up your own life for her, that already speaks volumes in itself. She's your best friend the person who really knows who you are, not just the key blade wielder but what makes Sora tick. If I remember correctly didn't you already tell her you loved her."

Sora's face burned with humiliation while he thought long and hard to remember such a time.

"The day we defeated the Ansem imposter way back when." The memory assaulted his brain as he remembered desperately holding onto Kairi's hand as the ground around them pushed apart from each other. He remembered watching her feet drag as she clung tightly, desperate to hold on for as long as she could."

'I'll come back to you…I promise!'

He remembered shouting out over the loud groans of the earth as it shifted even more.

'I know you will!" and with that their hands were forced apart. Sora remembered watching her figure slowly fade away into the darkness. He remembered he wanted to jump, he wanted to scale the difference and be with her. But he couldn't leave Riku behind, he refused to forget about their other best friend. Kairi understood which he knew, she was always understanding.

Goofy looked towards the boy who was lost in thought, "Sora? you don't remember do you?"

The memory of that day still playing in his head he saw his younger self on that patch of land tears fell from his eyes as she faded away. He cupped his hands to his mouth and screamed out "Kairi! I Love you! Wait for me…please" His hands fell back to his side.

"Sora?" Goofy called out to his dazed teammate.

"Oh my god, I told her I loved her…." Sora smacked his hands to his face he could die on the spot. How had he not remembered saying that? Even if she didn't hear it, he said it.

"Sometimes the heart speaks up when the mind shuts down….Ahyuck"

Kairi awoke as a large hand covered her mouth. Blinded by fear she squirmed until Lea's face was within inches of her. Wide eyed he placed a finger to his lips and then pointed to her ears signaling for her to listen.

Kairi calmed quickly listening as she heard furniture being thrown and glass shatter.

Her eyes scanned the clock above the door, 5:50 am

Lea took his hand away from Kairi's mouth slowly, "Get dressed we have to go, NOW!" he whispered harshly. Kairi quietly jumped from her bed grabbing her clothes folded on the night stand as Lea ran to the door peering through the crack to watch for anyone coming.

"…When I ask you a question you answer me old man." A harsh voice commanded from downstairs.

Kairi finished pulling her last stocking on followed by her boot. As her fingers gripped the boot and tugged it on she hit the desk causing the cupcake inside the box to tumble off of the dresser. The small box tumbled to the ground before she could reach it.

Lea turned around to stare wide eyed as Kairi finished her boot looking worriedly towards him.

'Crap'

He turned around to peer through the crack once more to see a masked figure standing directly on the other side. The intruder kicked the door open as the heavy wood hit Lea in the head.

"Well hello there Key blade wielders." The dangerous voice growled. He wore dark armor that hid his identity well. Kairi could see her reflection on the face shield of his helmet.

Kairi fumbled while grabbing her slim container of arrows, she wrapped the strap around her shoulders.

Lea lunged forth with his key blade drawn at the enemy. Kairi quickly equipping hers they defended their home with all their strength. It was two against one there's no way it could be this hard to land a hit.

Kairi's key blade was knocked out of her hand as he threw his fist aiming at her face. Kairi ducked quickly her hands hit the floor as she kicked out her leg to take the intruder down. Her legs met with the back of his calves as he fell to the floor. Lea took the opportunity to send a fire attack to engulf him in his flames.

Lea and Kairi caught their breath until it hit her like a brick wall, "Merlin…" She whispered as she turned Lea right on her tail. They ran down the hall jumping down the steps landing skidding to a halt. Right before them was their master laid out on the ground coughing up massive amounts of blood.

Kairi fell to her knees grabbing Merlin's head as she tried to think of something anything. She went to grab a potion from the pouch on her hip as the injured wizard grabbed it before reaching her destination.

"Kairi…Lea.." More blood spewed from his mouth.

"It's too late, run… please!" He begged.

Lea noticed the considerable amount of damage the old man had taken knowing there was nothing they could do to heal a gaping hole in their master's chest.

"Master, No!" Kairi's tears fell onto the dying wizard's chest.

"Kairi, be brave…Run…" He whispered chocking on his own blood.

"Thank you for everything master, I'm so sorry…" She cried into Merlin's weak bloody body.

The dark intruder could be spotted at the top of the stairs. Lea shot 3 fireballs at the stairs blowing up part of the house.

Kairi still knelt down next to her Master. He gasped loudly as Kairi held his hand through billows of smoke. Kairi coughed loudly as a hand reached out missing her by a hair but managing to snag her necklace as it broke off immediately into the enemy's hand. He dropped it landing next to their master's still body.

"You…You killed him!" She screamed standing up Lea next to her with his blade readied. Tons of homes were being destroyed as they spoke. The sky was a violent red with dark tendrils shot from the sky meeting the earth angrily like lightning.

A large ninja star was seen high above, Yuffie was close. That meant they weren't the only ones under attack.

"He gave me no choice he refused to talk, I don't like people who waste my time. The old bag of bones was half way through the door of death anyways, all I did was give him a little push. By the way, the name's Vanitas…" The disgusting voice spoke out.

"You're going to pay for this!" Lea screamed with both hands on the key blades handle he pulled it in half. His once burning key blade transforming into two machetes that were both ablaze.

The two teammates double teamed the intruder, they would make sure he would pay for he did to their master.

Sora yawned as he gripped the controls of the ship. They had been sailing through the universe for a couple hours now. Him and Goofy had stayed up past midnight just talking about life and everything in between. Sora fell asleep shortly after knowing Donald would want to be well on their way by five sharp.

"Hey Donald, how much longer until we get there?" Sora asked peeking back at his comrade. Donald studied the monitor in front of him poking and prodding it before responding.

"We've got ways to go before we even hit the portal. He quacked concentrating on the screen in front.

Sora turned back around to face front, his mind drifted off. He thought about the beautiful princess that let him kiss her and how she even kissed him back. He remembered how her tongue felt along his, steam was practically blowing from his ears. He was so infatuated with her it started to eat away the very center of his core.

The thought of Goofy's son getting married made the wheels in his head turn. Would she want to get married to him? Spending an eternity with someone, would that be something she could see herself doing? From everything they had gone through Sora couldn't help falling in love with her. It was like she was hand crafted special from the gods just for him. "Hey Goofy you should tell Max about Destiny Island, I know it's a bit of a trip but the view is worth it. When the sets just right on the water the island glows. Everything shines a little brighten than before, it's amazing. He could always get married there. " Sora couldn't help but think of home, and how he missed everything about it. The salty air, hot sun, and cool water remembering the island piece by piece

An annoying beep brought Sora back to reality, "What is that?" He asked.

Goofy tapped the keyboard in front of his control station bringing a large envelope to the main monitor. The three watched intently as the envelope opened providing video footage.

"Apparently It's live footage coming from the main data frame in…Radiant Garden" Goofy responded as he clicked play on the video clip.

All three soldiers couldn't believe what they were seeing. Radiant Garden was in shambles, Debris littered the streets. Scattered flames were in every direction, the sky was black from the smoke generating from below. They could see magical lights flashing, evidence of a battle still present. The townspeople were screaming as heartless swarmed their homes.

"What the hell?" Sora muttered incredulously taking in all the destruction. They had been there not even 9 hours ago and now it looked like this, how was this possible? His chest immediately tightened as he brought a fist to his heart.

"…Kairi" her face popped into his head.

"Donald, Goofy hang on!" Sora grabbed the handles not giving his teammates time to react. He pulled the controls towards him as hard as he could. The ship immediately flipping forwards flying the opposite direction.

"Sora! What are you doing?! WAITTTT!" Screamed Donald as he clung to the chair desperately trying to clip himself in. Sora peeked behind him seeing his teammates strapped in none the less terrified.

"Hold on!" he screamed slapping the big red button in the middle of the large control board. The ships jets blasted twice the amount of pressure causing the vessel to hit warp speed.

'Hold on guys I'm coming'

AN: This chapter was a toughie for me, I kept feeling stuck but In the end I am satisfied with the result. So nothing drives me crazier when you start to read a great story and it turns into Hiatus or the author ditches it. I promise not to leave you guys hanging (If the story is as good as I hope) If you haven't reviewed and you like the story please do so! I need as much encouragement I can get, writing isn't my forte but I shall try for all of the patient SxK and Kingdom Hearts fans!