"Sora, just leave me alone!"

"But Luna, Riku said to..."

Luna tried not to freeze at the mention of his name, he had been gone for maybe a day and her heart still ached. Maybe it was because unlike before, she knew he wasn't safe. He wasn't fine and above all else, she had no idea where to find him.

"No Sora, just let me be."

The worst part of this was the fact that she couldn't stop snapping at Sora, who had done nothing wrong. And, oh lord, he was giving her those wide, innocent blue eyes, wanting to know what he'd done wrong.

It also registered to that without any hope of finding Riku or reuniting with Kairi, she was the only one he could turn to.

Sighing, she resisted the urge to hug him, to comfort him and tell him it would be okay.

Because they both knew it wasn't going to be.

"Sora, I just need space, I'll see you in a little bit." She softened her tone slightly, but still letting him know that she wasn't okay, and if he sticked around she'd take it all out on him.

So at whatever intersection, she walked away, off the path and away from Donald and Goofy's pitying eyes and Sora's helpless stare. She needed to regain control, she wasn't above grief, but she knew she had to move on from it. Or she'd make Sora hate her.

She cringed at the thought of Sora hating her, no, that was a worse case scenario. Like if he knew she was already aware of the Heartless, the Invasion, and the other Worlds, before it all happened.

Bad enough Riku gave her a look of pure betrayal, looking like she had destroyed every ounce of trust and respect he had for her, when she told him. A part of her said it was the darkness controlling his reactions, the rest acknowledged he truly felt like she had betrayed him.

Maybe in a sense she had.

No, this wasn't the time to lament over how she led her life, how she always seemed to mess up and destroy those she loved. Collapsing at a lone tree, she leaned back against it, trying and failing to keep her mind from going to the dark places.

Imaging Riku hurt, lying somewhere with injuries, or taken by the dark again...Or worse. Sora hating her for the rest of his life, because of her misguided efforts to protect him. Kairi never seeing Riku or Sora again, because of her. She needed sleep, she needed peace.

She almost wished for an early death.

"Lamenting on what you destroyed."

Luna did not know that voice, jumping up she whirled around, trying to locate the random voice. It wasn't Sora, it sounded older, more mature and menacing.

"Who is it?" Her voice sounded far stronger than she thought it would, her eyes scanning the dark horizon. If this guy was in black, he could easily sneak up behind her. She was valuable, at risk for any attacks, with no hope of warning Sora.

Life sucked.

"You wish to find him, the one you lost."

That voice was behind her, turning around she saw a menacing figure, dressed in a black cloak, absurcing his entire face and body. She could barely spot him in the night. Drawing herself up, she prepared to attack, maybe he didn't know Sora was here, maybe she could take him out and protect him.

Would she ever stop protecting him?

"I can help."

Her eyebrows drew together in confusion, who could he help her find? Who-Her brain felt like it stopped, he knew where Riku was, that was the only person she was searching for. He knew...

Wait, maybe he didn't. Maybe he was playing on her emotional state. Maybe this was all a trap.

"Who are you talking about?" Luna knew better, never trust people like this. People whose very essence screamed darkness and they live in shadows. Though her heart was screaming that maybe she could find Riku, maybe he wasn't as lost as she first believed.

She could practically hear the smirk as he spoke, coming closer to her to where he was standing in front of her. "Riku, the boy you love."

Okay, so he knew his name, she was going to ignore the last part.

"The boy you cannot help but fail."

Her heart felt like it got crushed, as her failures piled up in her mind. Her eyes following him as he circled her.

"The boy you need to complete you, the boy who swore a forever."

Her eyes slipped close as she remembered him promising her, telling her no matter what they had forever together.

He was standing behind her, his presence a mix of warning and welcoming. Her heart and mind were warring with her, logic and love playing merry hell with her emotions, driving her closer to insanity.

"He's in front of you, he is there, waiting for you."

Her eyes snapped open, seeing a twisted, windy castle in front of her, a mere couple of steps away. When did that get here? Where was she again?

"You miss him, you need him. Come inside, he'll be waiting for you."

Her mind screamed to retreat, to fight the calming voice behind her. To understand the chances of finding Riku in there, slip to none. To accept he might not be able to be found. That voice was being pushed back, the rest of her wanted to know, to see for herself if there was a chance of Riku being in there, and if so...

Her feet moved automatically, walking into the castle. The man behind her smirked, knowing he had her. She would fall victim to herself, playing on her guilt, her thoughts of how she had doomed her friends. How she had to make up for her sins.

How long he kept her under the pretense of Riku being here, was probably only a few minutes. He could work with that.

|X|X|X|

Upon entering, she felt a wave of nostalgia, and a bit of longing. It was Traverse Town, that however was virtually impossible. It was the First District, the only thing missing were the town's people. It felt even more empty than usual. And that was saying something...

"Why those this look like Traverse Town?" She knew it couldn't possibly be the real thing, a castle could not lead to another world. Maybe digital? It had to be a fake of some kind.

He chuckled, and the sound sent shivers up her spine. Turning, she glared at him, whatever he found amusing, it wasn't funny.

"Look again, my dear."

Turning around, she realized there weren't in the First District, they were in the hidden cave in the Sewers. That wasn't what made her breath catch, and want to scream in frustration.

There she was, herself, stroking a boy who was resting against her, his head tucked into her neck. There mouths moved but no sound came forth, yet she could feel a swirl of emotions, happiness, contentment, anger, regret, anguish. It gave her a headache, feeling all of that in one blow.

"Riku..." Luna breathed subconsciously, watching as the memory Riku lifted his head and gave her memory self a time-less smirk and continued talking to her memory self.

She could remember that, Riku wanted her to join him. She didn't want to leave Sora without telling him, she turned her back and he was gone. A part of her regretted letting him go the first time, the other said there was nothing she could do and was glad someone was still with Sora.

Even if now no one was.

Luna shut her eyes, unable to handle the memory anymore. Their past words resonating in her guilt ridden mind. Filling her head with what if's and should've been's.

"Are these my memories?" Luna asked, wondering how and why he was showing her this. This memory that felt like a life-time ago, not a month. Why did it feel like it had been forever since she had seen his face? She had seen him, not the darkness clouding his sky blue eyes, but him.

The steady smirk, the confidence she assumed he'd lost. He gave her that face to hold onto, even as he went away. Why did he always have to go away?

The low chuckle behind her, snapped her out of her thoughts and sent shivers down her spine. The figure fading behind her.

A feeling of dread swept through her, as the scene abruptly changed to the First District, showing her yelling at Sora, screaming at him. She could hear the words she had said, even if all she saw was mouths moving.

She told him he was just a child, too young for this, he should stay here where he wouldn't cause anymore trouble. Told him he wasn't destined to wield the Keyblade, he should give up and wait to go back home with Kairi.

But bless him he didn't take it, he fought back, told her he had to go. Riku was in trouble, and so was herself. He sensed something was wrong with her, saying she'd never yell at him without reason, and whatever reason he didn't care.

Sora had always been loyal, Sora had always wanted to make things right, smiled instead of frowned, gave hope where there should've been none. His eyes had remained bright and innocent, when they really shouldn't.

He was the reason she kept on fighting, to keep that innocence's. She wouldn't destroy it.

And heaven help the person that did.

"Why are you-"

Her voice was cut off by the sound of running footsteps, whirling around she gasped at seeing Sora. Standing there, looking worried, yet relived to see her. There was also trust in those eyes, trust she knew she didn't deserve.

"Luna!"

Sora got into his fighting stance, his Keyblade out and she could almost hear the smirk in the figure appeared behind her as he whispered. "Don't move and he lives."

Her eyes widened as guilt washed over her, they had lured her here, to lure Sora. Or used the mention of Kairi or Riku, hell, they might've just said all of them were waiting here for him!

"Sora..." She whispered, she knew, they were probably bluffing, they were lying. They needed Sora, he was one of the few Keyblade Wielder, they wouldn't kill him. They couldn't, whoever they were, they needed him and his key.

That didn't mean she was going to risk his life over a feeling.

"It'll be okay," Luna whispered soothingly, watching as Sora stared in part horror and stunned, as a portal formed behind her and the figure.

Said figure gripped her arms, keeping her where she was. As if he was worried she'd break away.

"It'll be okay, Sora. I promise."

Sora looked torn between believing her and looking at her like she was crazy, as the Figure dragged her back into the portal.

"Just find Riku, he'll know what to do."

"Luna..." Her chest clinched at the lost sound in his voice, as he came out of his fighting stance, looking for all the worlds like a lost boy. Like the lost boy he was.

Shaking her head, she tugged one of her arms free and reached towards him, trying to convey calm and peace to the boy.

"It'll be okay, it's gonna be okay."

Were the last words she whispered, as the darkness started to block out Sora's helpless stare out. As her vision started to swim and everything felt murky. The last thing she saw was a helpless Sora, wondering how to help her and not know how.