I'M BACK, BABY!

I am incredibly sorry for the long hiatus, but I just wanted a break from writing this. Anyways, pleeeeeeeeeeease don't hurt me!

Chapter 11

Another Reunion

"You sure this is the place?"

"I'm certain of it, Lea."

Terra, Aqua, and Lea stood in front of a door inside an apartment complex. They were there to visit Aqua and Lea's mother.

"Man... I can't believe how long it's been since I saw her," said Lea.

"Must be tough, not having grown up with a mother," said Terra.

"Yeah, I learned most of what I know from my dad."

The three stood there for a few more minutes. "You ready?" asked Aqua.

"Yeah..."

Aqua knocked on the door. Seconds later, a blue-haired woman opened the door. Her hair reached the middle of her back, and she wore a blue dress. It was easy to see that she was Aqua's mother. Lea must have gotten most of his traits from their father.

"Aqua? What are you doing here? And..."

Lea put his hands in his pockets. "Hey... Mom."

"Lea... I-Is that... you?"

"Yeah..."

"Lea..."

The two embraced in a tender, loving hug. Tears ran down both of their cheeks. Never in all his years of serving in the military had Terra seen his friend cry.

"Lea, I've been so worried! Ever since you and your father left... and after what happened to him..."

"Wait, what happened? Lea never told me anything."

Lea pried himself from his mother and faced his sister. "I'm sorry I never told you. I didn't want to make you too depressed. But, anyways...

"Dad joined the military around the same time I did. He was killed in a laboratory explosion."

Tears formed in Aqua's eyes. "Dad..." She had hardly known him, but she had loved him. "Thank you... for telling me."

Mrs. O'Donnell turned to face Terra. "Who might you be?"

"I'm Terra Gainsborough. I'm a friend of Aqua and Lea."

"You all must come in and get me up to speed. Please, enter."

Terra, Aqua, Lea, and Mrs. O'Donnell sat at the kitchen table.

"...and then we came here."

"I see." Mrs. O'Donnell took a sip of tea. "It's good to know that Aqua is making friends outside of here."

The four heard footsteps coming from the hallway. All of them turned to see a young, red-haired girl rubbing her eyes.

Aqua's smile grew very fast. "Hey, Kairi." She got up from and walked over to her sister.

All signs of sleepiness immediately drained from Kairi's face. "Big Sis!" She jumped into her older sister's arms.

"How's my favorite little sister been doing?"

"Great! I've made lots of friends."

"Kairi, I've got someone for you to meet." Aqua set her sister down and gestured for Lea to come closer.

"This is Lea. He's your older brother."

Lea squatted down to where he was at eye level with Kairi. "Hey. Aqua's told me a lot about you."

Kairi looked up at her older sister. "This is really him?"

"Uh-huh."

Lea extended his hand, palm outward. Kairi held her hand up to match it, then smiled and threw her arms around her brother. Lea hugged her back and smiled, too.

The O'Donnell family was as complete as it could possibly be.