Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts, the Dark Tower Series, or the song The Finish Line, by Snow Patrol.

I do own Sam, Matt, and the story of this adventure.

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= = = Sora = = =

I know my reputation. I'm supposed to be the comic relief, the happy-go-lucky kid who rushes in without thinking things over first. I'm the guy who thinks with his heart more than his head. I'm supposed to be the hero, the one who keeps trying, no matter how bad things get.

For a long time, that reputation was more accurate than I usually like to admit. I'd saved the worlds, twice, as well as my best friend, and the girl of my dreams. I'd finally gone home. I was happy. I really was. Then, I learned something about perfection: it's not real. I won't go into details…in all honesty, I've tried my hardest to forget it, and it seems to have worked, for the most part. It still hurts to look at her, see her with someone else, looking at him like I always wanted her to look at me.

But she's happy, and it hurts less every day. I'm adventuring again, on what might be the single most important journey of my life. Sure, it's definitely one of the shortest; both of my adventures with Donald and Goofy lasted for months on end, where we've been following Sam for just under a month, now. The stakes are the highest they've ever been, and we've got a real chance to finish this, all of this, forever.

The chance to end it…that's something I've been fighting for since I was 14 years old. For years, I've given everything I had to fighting the Heartless, and the Nobodies. I had to grow up more in 2 years than most do in 10. We all did. And now, to feel like we might really live to see the end of that threat…I can't describe it.

Considering all the choices I've made in the last few years, I have very few regrets. Honestly, only two really stand out: Not telling Kairi how I felt sooner, and letting that regret cloud my mind for months after she turned me down. It took this last adventure for me to come back to myself, to smile again. And if there's anything I can thank Sam for, it's that. It's ironic…the guy who stole the girl of my dreams from me, helped me to get over her. I'll always care for her, of course…but I'm beginning to think that this is how it's supposed to be.

As I look up, now, I see four hills ahead of us, each higher than the last. I can feel something building in me, something getting ready. The Tower's there, after that last hill…I can feel it. I can feel the pull of it, calling me closer.

And I decide it's time to let go of my regrets.

= = = Riku = = =

I know my reputation. I'm the quiet one, the loner, the protector. I'm the guy who keeps his cool under pressure, who doesn't speak unless he's got something important to say. I'm the one who stays unemotional, no matter how bad it gets.

Most of the time, that reputation's still accurate. After Sora and Kairi had their falling-out, it had to be. I knew they needed me to be that guy. They needed me to confide in, to trust. Back then, I was the only one they had. Sora fell to pieces, changed almost entirely. He spent more and more time indoors, wanted nothing to do with anything. There were more crises than I like to admit, even to myself. I won't go into details…the memories alone are enough to start my heart racing again.

Kairi…well, even now, I'm not sure what she was going through. Where I could sympathize with Sora, even figure out what he actually needed, at times…I was at a loss with Kairi. All I could do was be there for her, when she'd let me. She spent most of her time on the island, thinking about how things used to be. Before the Heartless, before the Nobodies…before we left home. I joined her occasionally, and we talked about the past a lot. I was worried she was getting closer and closer to living in the past, and I knew Sora was already there.

Then, she found Sam. Within days, we were ready for another adventure. Meeting him changed Kairi almost overnight, brought her back to her old self. That day, when Sora spoke on the island, about the letter…it was the first time he'd spoken in over a week. It was a sign that maybe he was coming back, too. When we found out there might really be a way to end the Heartless, forever…I think it was the hope Sora needed. He started speaking up more and more, to me at least.

Most of that ended the night after Sam got attacked. What he said to him, about Kairi…I knew he was really ready to move on. It was like seeing her happy made a part of him whole again. Of course, it still hurt him to see them together, in ways I can only guess at. But he's getting better, I think. Stronger. He's letting her go, one day at a time. And that's good for him.

One of these days, I've gotta pull Sam aside, thank him for that. I don't know what I'll say to him…or if I'll say much of anything at all. But I'll let him know what his coming did for all of us. It brought us all back, myself included. I'd been devoting every bit of energy I had to holding our friendship together, and I could feel Sora and Kairi slipping farther and farther from me every day. Without having to do that…I could really focus on ending this mess, once and for all.

I can feel it now. The Tower. Some part of me knows it's there, over that 3rd hill. I'm ready, more than ready, to fight. One last time. And I know what I'll be fighting for. It might sound bad, but I'm not fighting for the worlds, or to end the Heartless…

I fight for my friends. Just as I always have.

= = = Kairi = = =

I know my reputation. I'm the kidnapped princess, the believer, the dreamer. I'm the one the boys fight over, the referee in their never-ending games. I'm the hero's prize, the reason he keeps fighting. I'm the one he rides off into the sunset with while the credits roll.

It couldn't be less true. In reality, I'm the kidnapped princess who can rescue herself. I'm the one the boys fight over, just as often as the one they fight with. I'm the referee in their games, because I'm the one that starts them, more often than not. I'm stubborn, and I can put up a fight, whether it seems that way or not. And I hate it when people judge me by my reputation.

That was one of the biggest problems I had with Sora's feelings, or at least, that's what I told myself. I was mad at him at first, because it seemed like he thought it was just a given that we be together. After all, he'd saved the world twice trying to come back to me, hadn't he? Of course, by the time I realized there was more to it, I'd already told him as much. That's one of the things I regret most after we all came home. I just reacted, didn't think about the bigger picture. I mean, it's not like I'd ever really felt that way about him…I just wish I'd handled it differently. Maybe, if I'd been less hard on him, he wouldn't have changed so much…

That's what I thought about when Riku didn't join me on the island. When he was there, we talked about how things were before we left, and I suppose he probably thinks that's all I ever thought about. But I spent more than a little time there regretting the way I'd handled things with Sora. That's what I was really going to do the day after the shooting star…the day I met Sam.

I remember what I was thinking when I found him. At first, I'd thought it was Sora, fallen asleep on the beach again, like he used to. I would have turned back, but the currents had shifted with the tide, and I knew it would be easiest to wait at the island until the tides changed again. When I got closer, though, I realized it was someone different. I didn't recognize this guy at all.

I remember tying my boat to the dock as fast as I could, running over to where he was as fast as I could. I don't know why, at least I didn't then. All I knew was that he was asleep below the high tide line, and the tide was coming in. That was all the justification I needed at the time. I found some pieces of scattered wood near him, putting them in the shed in case they were important.

I managed to pull him above the tide line, but instead of waking him up, something inside me told me to wait. The way he looked at me when he finally woke up…it was like I was the first girl he'd ever laid eyes on. He seemed fascinated by me, and I could think of no reason for him to be. However, by the time we left to head for Disney Castle, the fascination (while a bit more subtle on my part) was mutual.

I don't think he even realized what he was doing, before we were together. The way he looked at me, the way he spoke to me…I recognized it as flirting, even if he didn't. I returned it, trying (and failing) to keep from getting too attached to him. After all, he'd just fallen into my life one day. Who could say he wouldn't fall out of it the next?

But he didn't. He fought to protect me, even though I still believe I didn't need protecting. That night in the Old Bailey, he told me the truth, choosing honesty over safety. He trusted me, when I felt I'd done little to earn his trust. And that was back when we just liked each other.

Now…after everything these last few years, I can feel everyone's excitement in the air. We're all going to fight. Together. Riku's slowly becoming himself again, letting go of the persona he thought Sora and I needed. Sora's almost as good as new, and things between us...there's still moments of awkwardness, but I know I have his friendship, and he has mine. And Sam…I could go all gushy about him, but I'll spare you the details. I'm ready to fight for everyone, but for him, most of all.

I'm ready to fight to protect the one I love. That's all the reason I need.

= = = Matt = = =

I know my reputation. I'm the fallen comrade, the one you don't want to fight, but you know you have to. I'm the one who got us all into this mess. I've damned myself, for the sake of a lie. I'm the sacrifice, the most regretted loss at the end.

I can't tell you how accurate that is. I've given up everything, for nothing. I've fought against one of my best friends, against my will. I've become the villain, the destroyer. I've plunged more worlds than I can count into darkness, strengthening the Heartless ranks enormously with each. I've corrupted others to my path, others who could carry on what I've started, with much more passion.

When my world ended, I was so close to being saved with Sam. But I felt the darkness clawing at me, and it hurt too much…and I let go. Sam was brought to the Islands, and his salvation. Me? The darkness claimed me, tore me apart, warped me into a monstrous shadow of what I once was. I am neither Heartless or Nobody. I'm caught between the darkness, and nothing at all, and I'm not sure which is worse anymore.

The first time I showed myself to him, on the islands, it was my idea. I wanted to let him know that I was alright, that I was, in a sense, alive. Before I knew it, I was saying things without planning to, threatening him, and knowing that part of me meant it. The next time we met, in Radiant Garden, I was frozen in place, horrified by what I was being ordered to do. I pleaded with the darkness to let him be, until it stole my body from me entirely. Once it realized I would fight back, it took over more and more often, until I had become a prisoner in my own body.

When it had started, it promised me everything I could want, and more. So much more. By the time I realized the promises were false, it was too late. I'd helped it, made it so powerful that I couldn't fight it alone anymore.

Now, it knows that I'm too much of a burden to deal with. It's used me to channel itself, give itself a body. I'm still a prisoner in my own flesh, and I'm scared for Sam, and the others. I know what it's planning, and I don't know if I'll be able to help them again. I know that I die if it does, but that's a price I'm prepared to pay. One I deserve to pay.

Part of me can feel them, just over the ridge. I can feel some of what they're feeling, the excitement, the anticipation, the hope. I'm trying to keep my fear from them, keep them from dreading what's about to come. Any moment now, they'll come. They'll look out over all of this, all of the forces of the darkness gathered around the Tower. They'll share one last glance, one last breath with each other. Then they'll come. Whatever happens after that, I know I won't come out of this alive.

At least, I know I don't deserve to.

= = = Sam = = =

I know my reputation. I'm the savior, the one with the answers, the nerd from Podunk, Wisconsin. I'm the one with the plan, the one who knows how to end this, once and for all. I'm the one who goes into this, knowing I'll have to kill my friend.

I've been thinking about that a lot, lately. What I am to them, I mean. I'm so scared I won't be able to live up to it. I'm scared I'm going to fail, and it'll all be over because I wasn't strong enough, or smart enough, or skilled enough.

But when the top of the Tower clears the last hill, all those thoughts vanish. I keep going, realizing, as I look at the twisting column of clouds above it, that we've been looking at the Tower since we arrived here. A sound reaches my ears, a song, singing of a thousand things, salvation, destruction, hope, dreams, belief, inspiration, loss, good and evil, light and dark, hearts and minds and bodies and souls, everything that's ever been, and everything that ever will be. A single tear slides down my cheek, and I don't consciously know why.

I keep walking, stopping at the top of the hill. To my left, the others stop. We stare, in awe, at the Dark Tower before us, before our eyes drop down to the field of darkness below. The entire valley is filled with black bodies and yellow eyes, broken up every now and then by a flash of white or grey. Somewhere in there, Matt…Morthoseth is waiting.

I look over, at the others. For the last mile or so, we've been silent, walking in our own thoughts. Sora looks to me, smiling slightly as he summons Ultima in one hand, and Fenrir in the other. Riku simply nods, Way to Dawn already in his hand. I look to Kairi…and I have no words. Neither does she. We speak to each other with our eyes, and that's enough. We both summon our Keyblades together, and look forward.

Together, we take a collective breath, one last preparation before the end. I close my eyes, and everything I'm fighting for flashes in my mind. My world, my home, my family, my friends, my ka-tet, my love…and in that instant, I know I'm ready. I'm ready to do whatever it takes to reach the Tower, to reach the top. To end this, once and for all.

We share one last glance, enough to acknowledge each other's presence. We all nod.

And together, we run towards the Tower.

Towards our destiny.

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Almost done...sorry it's been so long since my last new chapter, guys. I really am. We're coming to the end of this story, finally.
Not that I'm tired of it...it just becomes rather draining to worry about finishing a story through months of writer's block.

Anyways, R+R as always. With any luck, a favorable review might be just the inspiration I need.

And in case I don't get the chance, guys...Thank you for your support. Even if you hate it now, I had far more support than I
expected when this fic started, and I can't thank you enough for that.