MEL

I woke up in the morning. The Storm was still over us and Sora's snoring was still slightly noticeable. I looked in Riku's corner but her was not there. I didn't see Kairi next to me, either. Axel was still sleeping soundlessly on the floor. I suddenly smelled something familiar coming from the kitchen. I crawled off the bed and carefully stepped over Sora and Axel then entered the kitchen. Kairi was at her stove cooking bacon.

Mmm…. Bacon…

She turned around and smiled at me.

"Good morning, Mel!" She said cheerfully.

"Good morning." I said with a smile, "What's all this for?"

The table and counters were piled with plates and bowls full of food. Kairi smiled and nodded towards the back of the kitchen. I walked to the table in the back of the kitchen. Riku was cutting pancakes into fourths.

"Riku?" I asked with amazement.

He somewhat jumped and quickly turned around.

"Oh….hey Peaches."

I smiled as he said my nickname. I've never had a nickname other than 'Mel'…but honestly how fun is that one?

"What is all this?" I asked.

"This is for my friends. I also wanted to thank you again for helping me. I thought a lot about it last night and I realized what the light in my heart was…"

Kairi smiled as she put bacon into a large bowl with paper towels to soak up the grease. Then she sat down at the table. I sat down next to her as Riku passed both of us a plate.

"Kairi offered to help. I couldn't have down it without her….I would've probably burned down the house. Anyway, Thank you…. for everything. I know I might be a stupid jerk sometimes….but now… I will never forget about the light in my heart."

Axel and Sora came into the kitchen and their jaw dropped. They began to drool over all the food that lay before their eyes.

"Come on in and chow down, guys!" Riku said excitedly.

His aqua green eyes sparkled. He was treating all his friends to breakfast. His light was his friends, just as Sora's. All the guys grabbed plates and began to pile it on them. All of them talked and laughed and it grew really loud. Kairi leaned over to me.

"One of the real reasons of why he did this is because he feels as though this will be our last meal together, all of us…. Because of your…"

"Fate…."

She nodded. I had somewhat forgot about that. I guess when I was helping Riku last night; I moved it to the back of my mind.

"So….. he did this for me?" I asked.

"Mostly… yes."

I smiled to myself.

How sweet…

Riku had a huge smile on his face as he laughed with Sora and Axel. Kairi and I sat there watching them all, waiting for our turn to see what's left of the food.

SORA

It felt so good to laugh with Riku again, it was almost like old times, before our first adventure. I glanced between him and Axel, also a new friend of mine. The more the merrier. I watched Riku as his eyes moved from to Mel across the kitchen.

He also made this breakfast for her. It may be the last one she has with her only friends.

Mel flashed a thankful smile and he returned it.

"Are we done picking out the food we're going to eat?" I asked.

Axel and Riku nodded.

"Alright girls, It's safe to come up here now."

Kairi smiled at Mel and then they both stood up and slowly came up to the counter where the food was piled. Kairi began to fill her plate, but Mel only put a few things on her plate.

"Come on, Peaches…." Riku said with a laugh, "I made this for you too. You should eat more than that….."

"Peaches??" Axel asked.

I raised my eyebrow and grinned at Riku.

"Oh…." He said with a smile.

Mel laughed.

"I told him to keep his chin up and called him 'Tiger' while doing so. It was the first day I met you all. In return he called me 'Peaches'….. and I guess he refuses to stop making fun of me…"

"What, you enjoy it."

"I know I do. I've never had a nickname before…"

Everyone laughed.

RIKU

"Here…." I piled more bacon and pancakes on her plate, "Now…..eat." I ordered.

She smiled and began to eat. After a while we just stood around the kitchen, listening to the storm hammer above us. Thunder echoed and the rain poured. All of us began to tell stories of our lives, only Mel didn't join in. She only listened.

"Well…. I remember the promise you and I made Sora." I said.

"Yeah!" He said as his eyes lit up, "We promised we would get off this island together. It's funny how we're now on it again."

Kairi and I laughed. Mel was still quietly sitting on the counter top. All of the food was eaten; Most of it by Sora and Axel.

"Hey Peaches. How about you tell us a story?" I asked.

"Yeah!" Everyone agreed.

She smiled softly and put down her drink.

"Alright…. Well….. one night it was really stormy, much like last night and probably tonight, I was living with my mom on a ranch a couple years ago. I had just put the horses in their stalls and came into my two-story house. My mom had gone to go get groceries. I had just gone into the kitchen when I thought I heard the front door open. I figured it would be nice that I helped Mom with the bags so I went to the front door. Sure enough it was open, but Mom's truck was not in the driveway. I thought 'that's odd.' But I shut and locked the door. I figured I would help Mom out because she was supposed to cook fish tonight, so I began to clean up the kitchen before she got home. I was cleaning the…. The counters when I heard the stair creak. I knew for a fact that there is only one stair and it only creaks when you step on it, of course. I thought it was Mom. I went to the front door and saw it open again. Now…. I specifically remember locking it so I knew Mom had to be home. I went up the stair and looked in her bedroom, bathroom, everywhere in the house, but I was the only one home."

I could feel goosebumps shoot up my arms. Everyone leaned in, wanting to hear more.

"So… I was a little freaked out. I went back down stairs and looked out the front door. There was still no truck. Again I closed and locked the door and went back into the kitchen to finish cleaning. Then I saw headlights and the truck door close so I knew it was her. I quickly ran to the front door. My mom held a handful of bags so I held the door open for her; that's right the door was open… again. She said 'Thanks Honey, now will you go get the few that are left while I put these away.' I nodded and ran outside in the rain and grabbed the last two bags. I went into the kitchen to set them down next to the others, but there weren't any. Mom wasn't even in the kitchen. I put the bags down on the counter where the other four should have been. I called her name but there was no answer. I went back up the stairs and searched through every room, then I went down stairs and searched the living room. When I went back into the kitchen, the two bags that I had brought in were scattered all over the place. The food was everywhere and the bags were in shreds. I screamed out her name and I grew scared when there was only silence. I've never been so scared in my life, and nothing so far has topped it. Except for dieing and getting my heart ripped out. That scared me… I'll be honest. But anyway, I thought I heard something upstairs. Still, to this day, I remember exactly what it sounded like; I just can't describe it. I quietly went to the staircase and began to climb them. Suddenly a black figure just flashed to the top of the stairs."

Kairi gasped and hid in Sora's chest. He smiled and wrapped his arms around her for comfort. Axel glanced at me and raised an eyebrow.

"I had a feeling deep within me that something bad was going to happen. And that feeling is always right. But if I don't have the feeling than I either have nightmares or I can't sleep… or both.

She had nightmares last night. She tossed and turned for most of the night until she finally woke up and talked to me.

"But I had never expected something like this. I was already almost half way up the stairs but my eyes never left the figure. He had weird dark clothing on and his voice was really deep and distorted. It sent shivers down my spine. He said 'you are a very foolish girl.' I asked him where my mom was. He only said 'She's no longer here.' I took a step backwards, not daring to take my eyes off him. In a flash he went from being on the top of the stair to being inches from me. I asked him what he wanted from me and he said 'your use will come in time.' Then I remember him pulling out a dark blade and the next thing I knew I was waking up in the hospital two weeks later."

"Wow… so what happened to your mother?" Kairi asked.

"I don't know. We never found out. There was no body…. No blood…. No trace. We just assumed she was murdered."

All this seemed too familiar in my mind. I saw images running through my head as she told the story.

Ansem….

When he took control of me, he needed a heart from a far away world. It was I, uncontrollably; the one who took Mel's Mom. I took her heart. I'm the one that attacked Mel so horribly. Ansem almost had full control over me. I had to watch him take a begging mother's heart. She begged for him not to hurt Mel. Then we unintentionally ran into Mel. When he pulled out my Keyblade and began to slice away I finally tried to fight my way out. He finally took my force as a sign to leave. If…… if I hadn't then I would've killed the last Keyblade wielder. It was a miracle she survived anyway. She must really have a strong heart. I looked at her and noticed how much she has changed since I last saw her. That's why I knew her before. I couldn't quite remember because Ansem had almost full control over me. It was after that; Sora gave his heart to Kairi. Then I managed to escape Ansem once more to warn Kairi.

What more damage could I have done?

MEL

Everyone lowered their head in silence.

"No… it's okay… I'm quite over it ….. I guess. It's no big deal."

Kairi sadly smiled at me and Axel nodded. He now understood why it was hard for me to lose my dad, too. Sora hugged me and I smiled. Riku never looked up. His head was low and he seemed to be trembling.

"Riku?"

Sora took a step towards him.

"Riku, what's the matter?"

I jumped down from the counter and slowly walked to him. He wouldn't look up at me so I bent over and look up at him. His eyes pierced through mine.

"Mel….. I'm sorry…."

"For what? You haven't done anything…."

"You don't understand…. It was me…"

"What are you talking about?"

"I was the one on the stairs… on your stairs. I was the one in your house…"

"What?!" Sora and Axel exclaimed.

I stepped back, not quite understanding. Riku finally looked up at me.

"Mel…. I'm sorry for everything. It was Ansem. When he took control of me, he needed a strong heart to give Kairi so she would awaken. He had a target and I believe, now, that he was actually sensing your heart. He found your mother first and thought it was hers. The sound you heard but can't explain? That was the sound of you mother's heart being stripped away from her body…"

Tears came to my eyes.

Why is he telling me this?

"When we accidentally ran into you on the stairs, he wanted to leave no witnesses. He pulled out my blade and started killing you. I could not stand it any longer. I was tired of my body being used for so many terrible things. I had had enough. I forced myself out…"

Now that I think about it….. I remember now…. A bright light before all went to darkness.

"I escaped for a few seconds so I could catch you as you fell. I laid you down before the stairs and then told Ansem to leave you alone. He used all his strength and pulled me back in as he laughed. My Keyblade disappeared from his hands and we left you, covered in blood, and losing a lot of it and went back to Hollow Bastian. Then we watched Sora take his own heart for Kairi…"

I was speechless. Riku was the one who ruined my life?

No… He made my dreams come true.

No matter how hard my mind tried, it could not make my heart mad at him. I looked at Riku and smiled sadly. I walked over to him and hugged him.

"Wha-?" He began.

"Riku… Thank you."

RIKU

I was mortified. I killed her mom. I ruined her life and she was thanking me.

"Mel…. Why are you…. doing this?"