The girl lay there in Riku's arms. She had cried so hard she fell asleep.

"So…" Sora began, "How do you know her?"

"She was with me, when I was in the darkness. With Maleficent, before I was taken over my Ansem, I mean, Xeonort's Heartless. She had been there years before me. Maleficent was trying to get her to the perfect Heartless making Machine. That's what I heard at least. She was so defenseless, and scared. She would hide in her room and get herself beaten to a pulp until Maleficent gave up on her, that was about the time that I showed up." Riku said as he caressed the girl's face.

"Well," Arieth said, "Even though the claims she hates you, she's quite reluctant to let go."

Leon and Cloud grabbed onto one arm and Tifa grabbed her waist and pulled with all their might. But the girl refused to release Riku, even in her deep slumber.

"You might have to sleep with her." Yuffie said happily.

Riku immediately tensed up at the thought of spending the night with the girl .

"Just kidding" She said, "but you know. I haven't seen her this relaxed before. She must really trust you."

"She shouldn't," Riku said, "Just as she said, I abandoned her. I left her in that place. I left her crippled and alone, in the dark."

Riku began to tell the story.

The girl huddled by the back wall of her cell. Her wounds had been tended and she had been placed in the cell for safe keeping. Riku approached the cell and the girl shrunk back trying to disappear into the wall.

"It's Ok, It's me." He said softly.

"Riku?" She asked.

"Yeah it's me."

The girl began to pull herself across the cell floor, both legs having been broken in the fall.

"I knew I would see you. I knew you wouldn't leave me."

She was wrapped from head to toe in bandages, due to her body being torn to shreds by the thorns she had fallen through; the only thing that was unscathed was her face.

"I can't stay. I need to get out." Riku said.

"Don't leave me" She said franticly, "I don't want to be alone again."

"I can't take you with me. You can't run, you can't even walk. There's no way I can get you to the ship without getting caught." Riku said trying to get through to the girl.

"Please, please don't leave me" she said franticly, "I don't want to be alone. I don't want to be left in the dark."

"I'll come back for you." Riku said as her voice began to rise.

"You will?" she whisperd.

"I will." He reissued her

"Promise?" She asked

"Promise." He lied.

"Then leave. Or they'll catch you." She said, as her hope began to burn brightly.

"I'll see you." He said.

Riku turned and left the girl and ran to the gummi ship.

"I'm sorry." He whispered after he had taken off, "I'm never coming back."

"Riku," Kairi said.

"What?" he asked.

"You're an ass"

"I know."

"So..." Sora said, "What's her name?"

The resident's of Radiant Garden began to shift from side to side. Many began to busy themselves with work.

"Yuffie?" Sora asked.

"Oh look! Munny!" She said before she jumped out the window.

"Tifa?"

"You know it's about time for me to stretch, I better go." Tifa stammered before she rushed out the door.

"Cloud?"

"You know, stretching is hard, I'm going to go help her." He said before he ran after Tifa.

"Does anybody know her name?" Sora asked.

"No, nobody knows her name, she never mentioned it." Leon said, "Even if we asked she shrugged it off."

"Her name," Riku began, "Is Sara"