AN: Ugh! I had written a lot of this chapter on my trip, and now I can't find the papers! I thought they were in my binder but they weren't. So now I have to type this up as best I can trying to remember what I wrote. Sigh. So bear with me if this is kinda messed up and short. Well, at least I've finally finished this fic! It's a big accomplishment for me (which it isn't even much!) I'm really glad that all of you have enjoyed this story as much as I have. I want to take some time to thank all of my reviewers:

Lvkishugs (thanks for the idea!!!)

Zanisha

Tako Hana

Lyphe (I still like this name!)

Doomboy2000

Astaldotholwen

ally

The Shadow of Sora

aliasfan :)

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Sora, Riku, or Kairi. Neither do I own Kingdom Hearts.

Chapter Ten: More Things That Change

I took a deep breath. "I choose...to save the life of my friend, Sora."

Kairi was staring intently at me now, her expression clearly telling me that I did the right thing. I looked to see Ansem's reaction. He seemed a little shocked. Well, I actually was too. I finally realized that the thing that was inside of me was guilt. That little feeling of regret for what I had done grew until I understood that what I did was flat out wrong.

"You..you mean you'll give up Kairi's love for...for this?" Ansem sputtered out. I think he really believed I would let Sora die. But now a huge weight had been lifted off of my chest. If I said it, I must have really felt it.

"Yeah, for that. My best friend."

Ansem swallowed hard. "He was never your friend. I guess you still haven't figured that out."

I shook my head. "No." My eyes stared at Sora's limp form. I remembered everything from the past. "He was the true friend," I told Ansem. And in a way I was also telling myself. "I may have realized what a great friend he was to me if I had actually been a great friend to him. But I gave him the cold shoulder, and believed what I wanted to believe. But now that's changed. Sora really is better than me. I don't think I could be as nice as he is. And for that I know he deserves to be the Keyblade Master. He deserves Kairi. And I deserve to be both of their friends."

I felt something on my shoulder. It was Kairi's hand. "Riku, thanks."

I smiled, then remembered Ansem still had Sora. "Okay, now let Sora go. Things will go back the way they were before. I'm ready for that."

Ansem hesitated, then floated down to the ground, still a fair distance away from us. His eyes seemed to be flickering, and I was wondering if he would be true to his word. I mean, Ansem was never the guy to trust. He pulled something out of his cloak, holding it with one hand.

"The time sphere..." I said slowly.

He brought it forward, then suddenly dropped it in the sand.I took a step forward as Ansem let loose his grasp on Sora and let him fall on the ground. Ansem then doubled over, seemingly in pain. "W-what's going on?" I asked.

Slowly, Ansem was fading...disappearing. He looked up at me, the fire still in his eyes. "You...you won..." He gasped. I didn't understand. By now, Ansem's feet were completely gone. "I...I thought you had so much hatred...so much darkness in you...that...that you would let Sora die. But...but you didn't. If you had, I would be alive and well. But...but now, since you have chosen to go back to the way things used to be, I cannot be the way I am. You won...I put all my strength into going into the past...and now...now I cannot reside here, or anywhere." His legs had vanished.

It was all making sense now. Ansem was sure that I would allow the death of Sora. I might have wanted to hurt him in the past, but now I wanted anything but that. I felt like I had broken through my own form of darkness. And that light was too much for Ansem to handle. "Can you hear it?" he spoke. "That sound...I thought it would be for Sora...it's a symphony of death. But the music is playing for me, instead."

By this time the only thing left was his head. I didn't hear anything, but I agreed with Ansem. He was dying. But in a way I had died, and now I was alive, becoming a whole new person. I was glad that I would never have to see him again. Ansem bet his money on the wrong horse, and now he was paying for it. Big time. And then, before he could say anything else, he was gone. I hoped it was forever. I found myself running along with Kairi towards Sora.

I waved my hands through the air where Ansem had been, just to make sure. Then I bent down and lifted Sora up slightly off the ground. "Sora? Can you hear me? It's over. I'm sorry. I truly am sorry..."

Kairi still had tears in her eyes, but they didn't fall. "Riku, I don't think he's going to wake up now, or even anytime soon."

"What do you mean?"

Kairi pointed next to me. It was the transparent sphere, which was now glowing. "I think you need to go back into the future...or in your case, the present."

"You may be right." I grabbed the ball, shifting it in my hands. "Kairi," I said, standing up. "I don't think you'll remember any of this, but I promise to make sure that nothing like this will happen again."

Kairi smiled. I prepared to leave. I was about to close my eyes, but before I could even think about the time I wanted to go to, a bright white light flashed, and it seemed like a million cameras all flashing at the exact same time. I thought about shielding my eyes from the intense light, but for some reason the light didn't bother me. The white faded and I looked around at my surroundings.

The sphere was no longer in my hands. What time frame had it taken me to? I was thinking about going to about the time right when Sora returned, but I had been in my room. Right now I was standing on the beach of Destiny Islands as a cool wind stirred awake.

My eyes scanned the island, until I spotted something that gave me my answer. It was Kairi, and she was leaning against a tree. Now I knew. I was at the time right before I told Kairi that I had loved her. I realized that it made sense to come at this time. I had to reassure Kairi that Sora was going to come back. And I had to let her know that it was okay for her to be with Sora.

I quickly went over to her. I was actually happy to be able to change things. "Kai?"

"Hm?" Kairi looked up at me.

"I know what you've been thinking about lately. And I have something to say. It's about Sora."

Kairi's eyes widened a bit when I mentioned his name, but she remained silent. "He's going to come back, you know," I continued.

Kairi looked at her feet. "I...I really really want him to come back. And half of me believes he will. But the other half doesn't. It's been two years that I've been waiting..."

"And that's the same two years he's been waiting to be with you, too." I braced myself for my next words. "Kairi, Sora loves you. And you love him. That's enough to bring him back." Surprisingly, what I said didn't bother me. I knew that this was what Kairi wanted, and I shouldn't interfere. I only wanted to make sure that things would go the way they were intended to go. I knew in my heart that Kairi and Sora were destined to be together. And that didn't mean that I'd be pushed out of the picture. I'd still be there with them.

Kairi seemed a little startled by my words. She hadn't expected me to act that way. She knew that I had feelings for her. And Kairi knew that she'd have to choose between me or Sora. I knew she was going to choose Sora. "But...but what about you?"

I shrugged. I had to make sure Kairi knew that I was fine with her picking Sora. I didn't want her to have any doubts in her mind about doing that. "I'm happy just to be your friend," I responded. Then my tone became a little more serious. "Listen Kairi, I've been through a lot and I've learned that some things are more important than others. I've found out that no one should interfere with destiny. I know that you and Sora are meant to be together. And that's fine by me."

Kairi seemed to be taking all of this in. I wasn't sure if she was going to say anything soon. So I decided to speak up one last time. "I could never be the kind of person that Sora is. He's a great guy, and I have no doubt in my mind he'll come back. And it'll be soon. So you don't have to worry."

Kairi's watery eyes met mine. "Riku...thanks." She threw herself at me in a big hug. That word was enough for me. I knew she had more to say but that pretty much summed it up. I had given her hope and reassurance. And deep down she knew that Sora was truly the one for her.

Kairi pulled away from the hug. "I believe everything you just said." She turned, walking away. But then she looked back. "Oh, and Riku? You're the best friend anyone could ever have." And with that she left, leaving me there, shaded by the huge palm leaves. I swelled with pride. Now we had a stronger bond more than ever. I guess that was enough. I thought I couldn't live without Kairi's love. But now I knew that I did have her love, the kind of love that was in friendship.

Those few days passed slowly, stretching out Sora's return. Instead of Kairi huddling away in the secret cave, she spent more time outside and with her friends, including me. Neither of us were hopeless hermits, but we had connected on a different level. Kairi seemed to open up more and our friendship was the best on the island. The day that Sora would arrive finally came. I felt like I shouldn't be there right away when he would come. That was his and Kairi's special reunion moment, and I didn't want to spoil it by standing there. So I clambered up to my room, staring out the window.

The sunset was out again, and I was reminded again of Kairi. But this time I had a new theory connected with it. The ocean water reflected the sunset off of it's surface. Sora's deep blue eyes reminded me of the ocean, and I could always tell that when I looked in them I saw Kairi. She had always been reflected in his eyes, being his only thoughts.

I stared out of my window, waiting. And then, it happened. Sora appeared on the beach, looking ragged like before. Everything went the way it was planned. I told Kairi to wait on the beach, and she was there. The same events unfolded, Kairi and Sora meeting and talking. And they also kissed. I smiled, this time really meaning it. They were supposed to be together, and I was supposed to be their friend. I was happy for them, and for myself.

The light was stronger in me more than ever. I wouldn't have to worry about anything coming between Kairi, Sora, and me again. And Ansem wouldn't stir up any trouble. Even though his death happened in the supposed past, in my heart and mind I knew that he would never return. Many things had changed, and I was glad they did. I saw Kairi and Sora start to talk again, then they started to walk towards my house. My grin widened, and I ran out of my room and down the stairs to greet my best friends.

As I opened the door, I smiled, knowing that to them my door would always be open, and so would my heart.