And it stormed again almost every night that week and the week after that, but never during the day. People were actually becoming accustomed to it. They found that it was a blessing, really, the rain. It increased the production of crops which usually needed to be irrigated manually, and rose the water levels in rivers just enough so that there was enough room for more fish and other marine creatures to flourish.

Of course, there was the occasional adult or teenager who warned others that the storms were a warning of impending danger and darkness. Some even went as far as to blame Leira for the weather, most people now having learned of her strange appearance on their islands. This did not last long, though, as she was so nice that it was not possible to blame her for long.

Leira spent almost every waking minute with Riku, as much as it is possible to do so. Their bond became all that much stronger. They learned, after the first couple of days together, that they loved, above all, to spend time with eachother. A few of the days they did spend with Kairi and Sora, as expected. They went out to the island more than once.

Leira had been on the islands for two weeks to this day. She currently sat with Riku on the sand of a deserted beach near his house. It was around noontime. He had his arm around her.

"Leira, I have something I need to say." Riku said, suddenly. His voice sounded very serious, but also calm and kind.

"What is it?"

"Well..I'm not sure how to say it.."

"Aw, it's okay. You can tell me anything."

"I just wanted to say..since you've arrived, I have been so much happier than I was. I guess what I mean is, you bring out something good in me. I've known something ever since I saw you lying there on the sand...I love you, and I always will." There, he said it.

The "L" word. This was the first time he admitted it. Leira was shocked at first and didn't know how to respond. When she thought further into it, though, the surprise was gone. She cared for Riku so deeply, thinking about him night and day. If that was not love, then she did not know what love was.

"I love you, too, ever since I awoke and stared into your gorgeous eyes."

She smiled and then kissed him deeply, their tongues meeting at one point until they were practically making out in the sand. Riku ran his hands through her long, dark hair. They were in heaven.

A few minutes later they stopped. Leira blushed, but could not hide her pleasant smile. However, her expression changed drastically when she looked to see Riku's. He was looking behind Leira, all color lost from his face.

"Leira..don't move." he whispered through his teeth. She was seriously frightened now, too much so to even look over her shoulder to see what had Riku so spooked. She watched, instead, as he stood up, extended his right arm, and summoned Way to the Dawn, his Keyblade that she had never before seen.

Finally, she worked up enough courage to turn. Her heart pounded in her chest as she saw the site.

A Shadow Heartless was bounding it's way towards her and Riku. She ignored his previous warning not to move and lept up.

Just as she did, the Heartless did the same, jumping not towards her but towards Riku. He eliminated it in one slash of his blade.

"How could they be here?" he asked to no one in particular, knowing Leira did not have the answer. His voice was angry, but he did not have time to ponder. This time a Dusk Nobody appeared out of thin air behind Leira, she turned again to see it.

Riku jumped in front of her and began slashing away at it, taking considerably more time in eliminating this creature. However, right when he finished another Shadow formed from the ground, and lept towards his turned back.

"STOP!" Leira shouted to the Heartless, reaching her hand towards it, fearful voice shaking. Riku turned, and watched with surprise as the Shadow obeyed her. It stopped, twitching his feelers towards her and blinking its bright yellow eyes.

"Wha-?" Riku was so confused. No more heartless or nobodies spawned, and the shadow that remained was acting less than violent. It seemingly was 'sniffing' Leira'd outstretched hand, who herself looked very shocked.

He was angry with the heartless, even if it wasn't hurting her. He pointed Way to the Dawn at it and cast Dark Aura, blasting it away.

Leira looked up at him, directly into his eyes. Her breathing was heavy and she was quivering.

"Your eyes.." Riku said, staring back.

"What's wrong?"

"Your eyes are..yellow." he responded. Her eyes reminded him of something, or someone, but he could not place it.

"What?" She was so confused. Leira ran towards the ocean and leaned down to see her reflection in the water. He was right, her navy eyes were now a sort of orange-yellow. She began to cry gently, tears streaming down her face and dripping into the ocean.

Riku ran behind her, and put his arms around her.

"It doesn't matter. Everything is going to be okay."

"I don't understand. What could this mean?" she stuttered through her tears.

"I don't know..I really don't." He pulled her from the water, and she sat on the sand, her head hanging.

"It all happened so fast." she said, having just stopped crying.

"It's strange, I can't imagine how heartless and nobodies got into our world." He held her in his arms, in a sort of sitting hug. "But don't worry, I will always be here protect you." he said and smiled at her. She looked back at him with a weak smile.

"Thanks.."

"And look, your eyes are blue again."

"They are? I wonder what made them change in the first place.."

"I don't know, but maybe we can figure it out. Let's get home, though. We will probably be safer there."

Leira got ready to stand, but Riku shook his head. He scooped her up in his strong arms as if she weighed nothing at all, and carried her the entire way home.

o-----------------------------o

A/N: Responding to your review, SockLove, Demyx will be coming in soon. Probably not the next chapter, but the following chapter, seeing as though the action has pretty much just started.

Okay, after writing this chapter I have given myself serious writer's block and I have pretty much lost any ideas I have had for the next chapter. Be patient with me while waiting for the next update.