I do not own Kingdom Hearts.

~…~

"Ready?" she had asked him up on the roof. Was he ready to start their mission? Sai still had no idea what his part in this mission was—Maleficent hadn't given him a specific job, so what was he supposed to be ready for? Around him, people were screaming and running, fires were burning in a crescendo from house to house; the entire area was buried under smoke so that it stung to keep his eyes open… And he had been separated from Keiya.

She'd been right next to him just a minute ago—how could she have disappeared so quickly? She hadn't said anything about actually going into the town they were destroying; she'd said that they would stay up high, maybe descend just a few rooftops to make sure everything was going smoothly on the ground. But their roof had crumbled and he was now lost in the frantic crowd.

It was his very first mission after exactly a year as an apprentice, and at Maleficent's orders, he had come to accompany Keiya and get a feel for the chaotic atmosphere that consumed their targets. At first, he had come to the conclusion that this mission was boring. Not that the screaming civilians and rapidly growing dark fires hadn't excited him; he was simply disappointed that there was no room for sparring in this miniature operation. Now, though, being in the midst of the destruction he had been watching his comrade cause, he felt the familiar rush of adrenaline from training flow tenfold and morph into genuine fear. He was alone in this doomed town, and his only friend was somewhere out there, too. If they were still together, he might be able to enjoy this, but he didn't know the first thing about searching or retreating. And if Maleficent ever found out that they had let themselves fall into this mess, he wouldn't be allowed to see this kind of excitement for at least another ten years, he was sure.

With everyone around him darting in different directions, he had no idea which way to go, where he might find her. He weaved his way through the masses to try and find where she might have landed, but everything was so foggy in the blanketing smoke that he couldn't be sure of anything more than two feet away from him. Heartless infested the streets as well, and unless he was with Keiya, he wasn't exactly safe from their attacks. He wouldn't be allowed to control the heartless for years.

He hadn't been around so many people in what seemed like ages, but was really only one year. It was just him, Keiya, and Maleficent at the otherwise vacant Hollow Bastion. There was so much empty space in the castle that he couldn't understand why they even lived there, (and why he couldn't explore freely. He had to sneak to do so.) He realized as he ran through the fire-lit streets that he had gotten taller. He was twelve now, and he towered over all of the younger kids—kids his age, too. He figured all the training was making him tall for his age.

Where is she? I hope she didn't get hurt from the fall… he thought, straining to see through the thick smoky air. Crowds kept on pouring out of the burning buildings; looking for her was almost impossible. This was a pretty big town to begin with, and with every single civilian running wild down the streets, how could he possibly find one small girl? When a building above him started to crumble, he darted out of the way and turned back the way he came. He couldn't find her here; maybe she was on the other side of town. He was terrified, to say the least, despite how under control he was trying to act. The whole city was falling apart—he wasn't sure whether or not to retreat, to keep looking, to tell one of the council members… there would be a punishment for each. He knew he couldn't leave here there, though. They had fallen from a height. For all he knew, she could have broken a bone or fallen unconscious upon impact. He wasn't sure she could escape the flames on her own at the moment, and that was what made him frantic. He didn't want to have to go running back to Maleficent and tell her that everything had gone wrong, that Keiya was somewhere in the town they had set aflame.

It's only my first mission; what am I supposed to do? Why did everything have to go wrong?

~…~

Twenty-three days. And tomorrow would be twenty-two. According to Riku, today was twenty-two and tomorrow would already be twenty-one, but Keiya would rather include the present day in their count to keep the number a little higher, even if only by one day. She felt that the process of keeping track was slowly defeating her as the number was reduced, but she didn't dare to stop counting. The thought of this summer ending made her helpless and fearful, as if she were at the mercy of some unseen enemy that she knew she could never conquer.

She was standing in front of the full length mirror next to her dresser. It was already ten o'clock, but she was still trying to decide what to wear—something that would impress him. Next to her was a pile of clothes—dresses that she had tried on, tried on again, and finally tossed aside in frustration. All of her usual clothes were being washed, so she didn't have much of a selection. Aside from the half dozen outfits she had ruled out from the start, she had a thin denim skirt with a simple white top, a magenta and light pink sundress (which was too bright and would clash against her hair,) and then the same white dress she had worn all those weeks ago, when she had caught him sleeping next to her bed in the infirmary—the same dress he had said he liked. She pulled it out of the closet carefully, examining it on the hanger, and then held it up to herself in front of the mirror. Last time she'd worn it, she had been kind of self-conscious. It had been her first time in anything really loose and 'summer appropriate' that left a lot of skin exposed. As she held it up, she turned to see how it fell on her. Two inches above the knee, a girlish flare, and a semi-low V-neck that made her uneasy.

It's not so bad… The length is okay, but I wish I had something to wear underneath… she thought, slipping it on and zipping it up. I mean, it's not distasteful at all—just more mature. Other girls wear stuff like this in town…I know if Maleficent saw me wearing this, she'd say it's sluttish. She smiled in spite of herself. Even Sai would say that it's improper, I think. Not that it matters, since they'll never know.

She was surprised at herself, at how frenzied the process of getting dressed was making her. But for some reason, these past few days, she had become extremely self-conscious and attentive to what she wore and how she did her hair. Wasting a lot of time in the morning frazzled her, but she couldn't ever decide on an outfit in less than half an hour, and certainly couldn't tear herself away from the mirror until she was one hundred and ten percent positive that she looked presentable. She blamed the nicer weather.

I don't think it looks bad, she decided. And Riku likes it…

Surprisingly, over these passed couple of months, she found she liked the free feeling of these summer clothes. It was better than being bound in black clothing that covered her from head to toe; it was a breath of fresh air. She scooped up the pile of clothes she had accumulated on the floor and tossed them onto her bed to clean up later, then headed into the bathroom.

He said we were spending the afternoon with Sora and Kairi today… she recalled to herself. I guess that's fine, but I wish we could have had the day to ourselves again. They've been driving him crazy for a day out, though…

She was anxious about the day with his friends. No doubt, there would be teasing. Just being in the same room for breakfast in the mornings was embarrassing; there were always the suggestive remarks from Yuffie and Sora, the equally suggestive smirks from Cid, the kind, knowing smiles from Aerith, and—this was the worst—the awkward gazes of Leon as they entered the kitchen and left the house, always together. It was even worse when he'd glance at Aerith afterward, as if they had some secret bet or telepathy going on. So she didn't even want to think about spending several hours in town with the together-forever couple, Sora and Kairi.

They're his friends… of course he wants to spend time with them, but I wish it could wait until they leave… If I go, it'll be so uncomfortable… but if I stay here, I'd be missing out on a day… and Riku would be unhappy… So I have to go…

She ran a brush through her hair absentmindedly as her dilemma beat her down. She had so much weighing on her mind as it was, she thought she might crack. This day with Sora and Kairi was one small nuisance that only made the weight of her real, big decision worse. Riku had been repeatedly asking her for her answer—apparently, the day she had said 'no,' in the forest a couple of weeks ago didn't count. So she'd been putting it off day after day, not wanting to upset him with her response—a definite 'no' that was eating away at her. But she knew the more she put it off, the more she'd be swayed to say 'yes,' and she knew that couldn't happen. She decided on twenty days—her twentieth day, to be more specific. That would be Riku's nineteenth, which was notice enough that he need not make arrangements for her to return with them.

So in three days, I'll give him my answer for good… and I'll ask him to leave me alone. When he keeps asking, it makes me want to say 'yes'…

~…~

When Sai finally found her, she was standing frozen with horror in an alleyway, her back to him. She just stood there, petrified, while the rest of the population was going mad trying to find shelter as the town decayed to ash. Now he was ticked off. How could she just stand there and stare while he had been all over the place trying to find her? He'd been so worried that she had been buried under a building or burned to a crisp—instead she was lost in her own little world, seemingly not even worried about being separated from him. Despite how exhausted he was from his desperate search, he sprinted forward and grabbed her roughly by the shoulder.

"Hey! What's wrong with you? The town is burning up!" he exclaimed angrily. "I've been trying to find you—have you been here the whole time?"

Her eyes were still fixated in front of her, her hands clasped, her mouth trembling slightly. He glanced over to see what had been holding her back here while the very earth rotted away in flames; Keiya hadn't even given him any form of acknowledgment, she was so troubled. When he came face to face with her nightmare, however, he felt his own stomach turn over. His eyes widened, but he managed to keep himself together for both their sakes. Keiya was beyond help at the moment.

Before them, just a yard away, was an unidentifiable woman burning alive. She was lying, cowering on the hard concrete, her cries and whimpers barely audible, but her body still jerking and twitching helplessly. Her skin had been reduced to a rusty, burned coating, and her hair had been singed off long before. He bit his tongue hard as he took the sight in to try and keep from yelling out or backing away. He had never seen anyone die before—his own parents had been dead for hours before he had returned home, and they hadn't been gruesomely slaughtered or burned. They'd been pale and cold with some struggle marks, and then one, deep incision in each of their necks. He hadn't thought any other sight could upset him more—he had cried so hard that it had hurt him the days following their deaths. But seeing someone in the process of dying—someone still struggling to stay alive—was twice as horrifying. The smell of roasting flesh infiltrated the air already dense with smoke. He gripped Keiya's shoulder tighter when he saw the woman's whole body flop to the side in pain with a hoarse cry, and that was when he realized that she was—or had been—expecting a child.

He couldn't possibly take in much more of it, and so he pulled Keiya away from the scene forcefully, her hands still clasped so tightly together that they appeared white. He pushed her in front of him so that she wouldn't look back, and she made no objections. She walked at the pace Sai pushed her at, stumbling a bit over the uneven grounds. Her body felt strangely light and shaky, and she couldn't even find her voice.

"C'mon, Keiya," she heard him say. He decided that he could take control of the situation since she was incapable of thinking, let alone giving orders. Finally, he thought, he'd be in charge. She was younger than him, a girl, and weaker, so now for the first time, he'd get to command. He was stronger than her now, physically and mentally. And he would decide what they did next.

He didn't really know how they would get back up to the rooftops, but he was wise enough to know that if any of Maleficent's henchmen saw them, they'd be in for it. No one was allowed to see Keiya, which provided him not only with stress, but with the obligation to protect her from being caught. She was, after all, wearing their insignia on her dress, so she couldn't be mistaken. And the council had heard about her. It would take just one glance to spoil all of Maleficent's plans, whatever those were. And henchmen would have to be murdered—it would be a burden, he knew, to replace them. On top of all that, he knew Keiya would be given more blame that he would, so she was depending on him right now. He would have to keep her hidden; he'd have to stay discreet and find a secret way up.

He took her by the arm and pulled her alongside him as he weaved his way through the mob. He looked around the area as they moved to try and find a building still in-tact enough to climb up, but there was no such luxury. Everything was now nothing more than a frame or a foundation. "Keiya, can you open a portal?" he asked hastily, his head frantically turning back and forth to keep watch for Maleficent's men. They were in a new alley, one without any other people. When she didn't answer him, he shook her by the shoulders a little. "Hey, we can't stay here. We need to get back up to the roof! You need to open a—"

And a portal opened, right in front of them, and Maleficent stepped out gracefully, not phased by the screams still erupting from the streets. Sai froze in place with his hands still on Keiya's shoulders, his mouth hung open a little. He knew they were in trouble; she must have been watching the whole time. Keiya seemed even to snap out of it upon seeing their mistress arrive on the scene herself.

"What are you two doing down here?" she bellowed threateningly. Both of her apprentices' hearts lurched in fear. "I told you to stay hidden, did I not? Now get inside!" she ordered, pushing both of them into her portal in one sweep. In an instant, they were in her office, and the background shouts of distress were cut off by silence, leaving an awful empty ring in their ears. Sai let her shoulders go and tried to straighten himself out before they were given what was sure to be a stern lecture. Keiya still looked pale with shock, but surprisingly seemed more at ease with the situation than Sai was. He figured she was expecting whatever she had coming; she'd been here a lot longer than he had.

"What were you thinking, running around the whole town so that everybody could see you? I specifically ordered you to keep high ground!" she yelled at Sai. He tried to interject, "We got separated—I was just looking for—"

"You could have found each other much easier had you both gotten back up to the rooftops! What made you think that running through the streets was the safest idea? My whole council of comrades was down there—you were seen, no doubt. No one could have missed such a sight, the boy with the heartless insignia on his coat!"

Sai shuddered at her continued rant. He hadn't been reprimanded like this before. He felt so frustrated at having messed up his first mission, and that no matter how he tried to defend himself, he would always be at fault for something. He waited patiently for her attention to shift to Keiya, who was standing still as a stone, though he knew her blood must have been running cold.

"Now go. You're a disgrace—you can't handle conduct, let alone work. Don't expect to be sent anywhere anytime soon. Start working to redeem yourself, if you want to live up to your title," she shot at him coldly. He nodded stiffly and headed toward the exit without delay. However, as he closed the door on the tense atmosphere, he couldn't help but linger in the hall to hear what was said next. Sure enough, seconds after he had exited, Maleficent flared up in anger again. And he had never heard such a menacing tone of voice from anyone before.

First came a slap that sent his heart thudding with anxiety. Everything was muffled by the ornate stone doors, but he could have sworn he heard her hand slice through the air. He shakily stayed back against the wall next to the door to catch what was said.

"Wretch! Five people saw you—five of my men saw you standing there like a coward!" Another slap followed, and then he heard a sharp cry as Keiya hit the ground. "You have ruined everything! Those men were irreplaceable; I won't find such comrades again! And now they've seen my own apprentice standing frozen and faint-of-heart—how does that make me look? You will have to kill them tomorrow, and then I will be short five men who will take weeks to find replacements for, and even more time to prepare for my plans!"

Sai found that he was now terrified even to be standing outside her room eavesdropping. If she knew he was there, he'd be pulled back into the conflict and possibly beaten for his insolence. He heard Keiya let out a whimper that was cut short. It was during times like these that he became scared, that he wondered if he had made a mistake in coming here. But out of all the times he'd heard or witnessed how differently Keiya was treated than him, this had to be the most heart-wrenching. He wished he could jump in and help her, but that was obviously not an option. And she probably deserved it, if she was being punished so severely. He shouldn't have been wandering the streets, but she should not have been standing in open fear where hundreds of passers-by could observe her.

"I did not bring you into my household so you could be a weak, spoiled waste! You've killed people yourself, and you will kill more tomorrow—you had no reason to gape like a child! I gave you a home and all of your power; now you owe your life to me, don't you?"

A silence ensued.

"Don't you?"

Sai shivered when he remembered that she'd said the same to him when he had pledged to work for her.

"Right. Don't forget: you're not worth anything. The next time something like this happens I won't hesitate to throw you out, and you know you have nowhere else to go."

He heard the swoosh of a portal opening, and then the familiar ruffle of Maleficent's robes breezing over the ground. She's leaving… she must be checking on something… maybe I can go inside. I have to see what happened… Disregarding the risk that he knew he was so carelessly taking, he pushed the door open just enough to glimpse inside. He was afraid to barge right in, in case it was Keiya who had entered the portal, but when he peeked through the crack, he saw her sitting by herself, clutching her head. He cautiously swung the rest of the door open and approached her shaking body. Her pony-tail was messy; he realized Maleficent must have been holding her up by her hair. When he got close enough, he saw the red mark on her face when she'd been hit, and a small, thin scrape below the eye where a nail must have scratched. She was too shamed to show her face and too worn down to say anything to him, but Sai kneeled next to her and placed a hand on her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her. He hadn't ever seen her so pitiful before; she was usually a calm, mature figure whose example he knew he was expected to follow. He knew they had both disobeyed their orders, which guaranteed and deserved a consequence. But a thought at the back of his mind pined for attention: how can a twelve year old girl be expected to have composure while someone burns to death before her eyes?

~…~

Keiya stayed quiet as they strolled through the streets. She was next to Riku, hand in hand as always, and Sora and Kairi walked next to him, also holding hands. They'd been in town for two hours now, just chatting and browsing. Sora had been talking the entire time; his voice was starting to wear her out. And every time Riku started to talk to her, to ask if she was okay, if she was enjoying herself, (to which she always said 'yes' and smiled,) Sora would chime in and steer them to another topic. Riku would give her an apologetic look which read that they would try and leave as soon as possible to have time alone together. He had thought that Sora and Kairi would spend more time talking to each other than to him. Apparently he was wrong; they had a lot to say to their friend whom they hardly saw anymore, and he couldn't blame them.

She didn't really understand any of the things they were talking about. She heard some names of people from the islands and something about a race Sora wanted a rematch at when they returned home. Kairi talked a little about missing the Caribbean life, and Riku had turned to her at one point while Sora and Kairi were preoccupied in each other (finally!), and had mentioned some places on the islands that he wanted to show her. She just nodded politely, not wanting to start an argument or make a scene in front of his friends. She was already decided on 'no,' and that was that. She wouldn't let her mind dwell on it any longer, so long as she could help it.

"You sure are quiet, Keiya," Sora pointed out. Her head snapped up and she was forced to peer around Riku to face them. She had been spacing out for a while, since there was no reason for her to stay tuned in. Riku gave her hand a reassuring squeeze, but made no move to answer for her. She knew he wanted her to become acquainted with his friends, but really, what was she supposed to say to that?

"Oh… Sorry." She tried to feign a smile. She would rather get back to drowning in her thoughts—that was much less demanding than conversation.

Riku threw in with a smirk, "You haven't shut up once this whole walk, Sora. When was she supposed to talk?"

"Well sorry!" he laughed, holding his hands up in front of him. "But I want to hear a little about my best friend's girlfriend." Kairi giggled next to him and Riku's confidence faltered for the briefest second. Keiya just turned completely pink.

"Well," Kairi pressed. "What kind of things do you like?"

"U-um, I like to read…" she answered, her days in the library with Sai being the first thing to come to mind.

Sora groaned, "Another reader. Riku reads, too."

"Not everyone is as illiterate as you are," Riku murmured.

"Keiya, do you like the beach?"

She paused for a moment, then carefully replied, "Not really." She wasn't sure what Riku had told them, but it sounded like they might be heading toward her most dreaded debate. Debate which she had resolved, she reminded herself. She was not going—she was no longer fighting with herself. But the problem remained that she hadn't told Riku of her decision yet, and she couldn't tell him here in front of his friends. She needed that to be private—she knew there would be some resistance and convincing from him, and therefore a lot of tears on her part.

"That's just because you haven't been to Destiny Islands yet!" Sora exclaimed.

They do think I'm going with them.

"You'll love the beaches there," he continued. "But I'm sure Riku has told you all about them."

"Yeah, he has…"

She felt Riku's eyes on her, anxiously awaiting more of a response. He had held her hand tighter when the subject came up, and he hadn't ceased yet.

"The sand there is so thin that it slips right past your fingers," Kairi explained. "And the boys have this silly track—whenever they start to argue over something, they settle it with a race, but then end up having a dozen rematches! Ridiculous, huh?"

"What do you mean 'ridiculous'?" Sora defended.

"And there's the greatest sunset over the dock."

"It sounds nice," Keiya said pleasantly. She had heard all this before from Riku, little by little. He never hesitated to throw in tidbits about the islands whenever he found the opportunity. Riku hadn't said anything so far, though. She could sense he was troubled by her curtness. He was trying to decipher her vague words.

Oh God, I don't know how I'm going to tell him… she thought regretfully, seeing how the smile had drained from his face when they started talking about their home.

"Ah! Let's go to that jewelry shop!" Kairi suggested, pointing toward the small stand beneath a booth that held glass cases of fine, locally made jewelry. Everyone gravitated there together, and once they were under the tent, Sora and Kairi drifted off to one side, leaving Riku and Keiya alone for the first time all day. Keiya stepped forward and started to browse the cases, to try to shake the topic off her mind for later. She hoped Riku would lighten up a little for now, too. So she ignored the serious look on Riku's face that she could just sense behind her back, and looked through the case so that he would get the impression that there was nothing wrong at all. If he didn't know she was bothered, he might feel a little better, she hoped.

Riku came up behind her and placed a hand on her waist, then kissed her shoulder while the other couple wasn't watching. "You look really pretty," he said quietly. He rested his head in her neck lovingly, making her skin tingle under his breath. "Are you alright with this?"

"Of course," she said sweetly, turning around in his arms. She rested her hands on his chest. "Stop worrying about me—I can handle a day with your friends." She tried her best to refresh the atmosphere and drive him away from his distracted demeanor; seeing him so unhappy broke her heart—especially since she knew she was the one breaking his.

He smiled warmly at her bright attitude, slowly shaking off the worry that had crossed his face earlier. "Well I don't know if I can. Every time we're not looking, said friends start making out. Don't look behind you. They did the same at lunch, too."

She giggled genuinely in relief, and Riku wrapped his arm around her waist. He stood next to her to join her at the edge of the showcase she had been looking at. "Do you see anything you like?"

She shook her head and deliberately turned her attention to a group of small boys trying to smash a watermelon with a large wooden yard stick. He had been trying to buy her something the entire day, and she wanted to make it seem like she was too stubborn to give him the satisfaction, (which she was.) In reality, she didn't see why he should want to. She would be separating from him soon—shouldn't he rather buy for a girl with whom he could spend the rest of his life? Either way, she hadn't ever received a gift before, and she certainly didn't want to start now. The idea made her uncomfortable; to say she was self-conscious was an understatement.

"That's not fair—Kairi lets Sora treat her to jewelry. You're being a cheap date," he mock-complained. She rolled her eyes and pulled him away from the stand where Sora and Kairi were gushing over each other. Riku kept his arm around her waist, and when they were within earshot of the other couple, shouted something at Sora that made his face burn wildly. She found herself laughing along with Riku and Kairi, and with Riku holding her next to him, for just one moment, she didn't feel uncomfortable at all.

~…~

"Whoa—where did that mark come from?" Sai exclaimed, catching sight of the clear, grey brand on the underside of her wrist. Keiya hastily tried to pull her sleeves down to cover it, but it was too late; he had already seen.

"It's nothing," she said uncomfortably, bringing that arm behind her back. They were sitting on the floor of the room she was being isolated it—Maleficent called it isolation, as if she wasn't already forbidden contact with anyone to begin with. Sai had come to visit her, as he sometimes did. She had to admit, even though he had a way about him—an immaturity and blissful ignorance, and a talkative side that really got on her nerves when she wanted to be left alone in the library—she did enjoy his company. It made her nervous when he insisted on visiting her during isolation punishments, though. If Maleficent found him in here, they'd both be in so much trouble.

He reached for her hand and roughly held her shoulder against the wall so he could observe it without her resistance—a move he'd derived from sparring class. She shook that hand away when he got a hold on her wrist; she hated being cornered, and he knew that, so she was annoyed that he'd have tried to hold her down anyway. Sai didn't notice, but held her wrist in place and stared at her new mark until she folded her hand away.

"You didn't have that before," he commented. She brought a hand to her hurting shoulder; he was only thirteen, so he didn't exactly know his own strength yet.

"No, I got it yesterday."

"What for? What is it?"

"It's nothing, I already said," she repeated stubbornly. She pointed to his clothes—a black coat with the same insignia printed on the back. "It's just like what you wear on your jacket."

"I wouldn't want it on my skin. Is it because of last week?" he pressed, referring to her absence during the most important operation of the year—the kidnapping of one of the seven Princesses of Heart. She was supposed to have been on the scene with Sai to perform the abduction, but she had gone missing two days before. Sai had taken a chance and embarked on the mission himself against Maleficent's orders to wait. He'd recruited a dozen of her henchmen to help him, supposedly under Maleficent's direct command, and had led them to a rather loud and indiscreet kidnapping that had been successful overall, but much too blatant for Maleficent's taste. In fact, because Sai had forgotten to knock her out first, in the heat of the moment, the princess had almost escaped him. It was one of the older council members sent by the witch herself who got the mission under control. Some tattle-tale had spilled the news of Sai's venture, and so Sai had been chastised, of course, for his disobedience and carelessness. But he had gotten the princess back in one piece, and that put him on Maleficent's good list for a few days, so long as he promised not to try it again.

"What do you think?" she asked wryly, holding her wrist so as to hide her punishment.

"I keep telling you not to run off—don't you know what can happen to girls when they're out at night alone?" he said, trying to convince her to stop her escapes. "Where I used to live, girls could get picked up off the streets and sold to men in towns miles away. Then what would you do?"

"Nothing; it wouldn't have happened to me in the first place."

"Either way, it's still dangerous. And why would you leave before a mission—especially that mission? You knew how important it was—couldn't you have waited a few days longer? She wouldn't have minded as much. What was going through your head?"

She only half listened to what he had to say. He was always asking her these kinds of questions. He just didn't get it; he wanted to be here, and she didn't. They would never be on quite the same page, whether or not she tried to explain herself to him. That was why she preferred to be alone, sometimes. Sometimes she missed the days when he hadn't moved in yet. He had changed so much these passed two years; it'd been sickening to watch from the front row the transformation that she knew was really only just beginning. He was becoming power hungry, and his insistence on kidnapping the princess himself despite orders was proof of that.

"I couldn't wait…" I had to get away right then…

"Well what does it do?" he finally asked in defeat, gesturing towards her wrist. It was obvious she wasn't going to answer him.

"I don't know yet. She said that it's for her, not for me. She said that I'll figure it out."

Sai stood up when he heard the clock outside in the hallway begin to strike the new hour. He'd been with her for two hours now—that was risk enough, and if he didn't leave soon, he might get caught. Maleficent's meeting was probably almost over.

"But are you okay?" he asked, still fascinated and disturbed by the strange brand. She nodded and drew her legs in to rest her head upon. She couldn't stop rubbing her wrist with her other hand, as if she could eventually scratch it off.

He opened a portal for himself a few feet away, but hesitated before entering. It was always awkward talking to her while she was in isolation. She was always still weak and recovering from being out in the wild without the darkness' nutrition; he couldn't imagine living like that—it must be miserable. He'd have to question her about it some more on his next visit.

"Sai, she'll be here any minute. Get going," she shooed, her voice a little apprehensive at his lingering presence. He nearly blushed at hearing her call him by name—she hardly ever had the need to use it, since there was never anyone else around while they spoke.

"R-right, see you tomorrow, then." He stumbled through his portal hastily and came hobbling into his room up on one of the higher floors of the castle. He knew Keiya's room was on the top floor, but he wasn't allowed to visit her there. He had never tried; he had the sense not to, with Maleficent being the stiff that she was. He wanted to get a room up there, too, eventually. It'd put them on more of an even level, (even though the only reason she was given a room at the top floor was to guarantee that she wouldn't run into the council.)

She almost never uses my name… he thought, not able to get over it. Come to think of it, I didn't even learn hers the first time we met—Maleficent told me later on. We never even introduced ourselves to each other, he observed. He couldn't wait until she was out of isolation; now that he had proved himself somewhat competent in handling missions, their mistress might send them on some together. He hadn't gotten to work alongside her since they were younger—he was dying to get to go out on another expedition with her, preferably a recon mission, so that they could wander about and have a conversation. And Maleficent had mentioned more rigorous training for him—that could only mean he was improving, maybe enough to work alongside her again after that mishap on their last mission together, a year ago when they had fallen to the ground during their invasion. They hadn't worked together since.

As long as she stops running away, we can probably do joint missions again… God, I still can't believe she would just leave right before the mission last week—we had planned for that for months! And we would have gotten to work together for the first time in a year! There would have been other guys there too, but still… Now we have to wait until Maleficent needs both of us in one place… that could take months, he brooded irritably. Maybe I can convince her to stay… there has to be some way to get through to her—she can't keep this running game up forever!

~…~

Keiya plopped down on her bed when they got back to her room, (they'd used the window to climb in through, since no one had been home to unlock the door.) Riku sat next to her and drew her in to rest against him. The rest of the day had gone by swiftly enough, with no more talk of the islands, thank God, and they had gotten back to the house earlier than they'd planned on. She couldn't say that she hadn't had a good time—after the near-disastrous comments earlier in the day, there had been nothing else to stress over. She'd spent most of the time listening to everyone else talk, but in the few moments that Sora and Kairi would turn their attention elsewhere, she'd get to share a secret smile with Riku, and that made the day worth while.

"Thanks for agreeing to come," he said softly, kissing the top of her head. "It meant a lot to me."

She nodded and couldn't stop a smile from showing. She loved seeing him happy. She let him encircle her in his arms, and then leaned up to kiss his lips, pulling his head down a little bit, but he only complied for a few seconds before pulling away. Her heart stopped when she saw the same troubled look sweep onto his face again.

"Keiya, you… you are coming back with me, right?" he asked fearfully. She couldn't find a voice to answer with; she wasn't prepared to discuss this now. Her 'twenty-days' weren't here yet. "I want you to come with me," he continued. "Don't be shy or modest or anything—please, I want to take you back with me. Just say 'yes', and I promise you'll never regret it."

She could already feel tears swelling up behind her eyes. He was so convincing; she wished she could just leave with him- right now- and never have to worry about anything ever again. But that would be irresponsible and cruel, and he just didn't realize it yet. "I… It's not possible, Riku. I can't just erase the problems I'd be leaving behind—they'd come back to haunt everyone." Riku looked at her crossly and full of disappointment. She continued, "You don't understand—you don't want me to come back with you. You've lost your home once before; they'll destroy it again when they find me."

"Stop saying I don't understand—I know the risks. You're talking about Maleficent," he said impatiently. "I told you, I'll help you fight her—Keiya, let's just get rid of her. Are you really going to live the rest of your life in misery?"

"I can't fight her," she said immediately. Her words pierced Riku's heart as he remembered her hopeless lack of self-confidence. "Please don't be angry; you know I want to go with you. I just… can't."

She could see that she was troubling him. He actually looked annoyed with her this time—frustrated that she couldn't do what he wanted. This would be their single, controversial argument until he left, she knew. There would be no rest from the disappointment. And she couldn't bring herself to say 'yes' to keep him quiet—that would only make it worse when she'd have to tell him that she'd lied. Riku dropped his arms from around her and leaned back against the headboard. She watched him run a hand through his hair, deep in thought and bothered by her unwavering rejection. Then suddenly, he said something she hadn't ever thought he'd bring up.

"You said 'they'. What's his name? That guy who you worked with."

Her face must have blanched white at the tone with which he'd asked her; she'd forgotten that he knew about him. But she didn't want to talk about him to Riku—that would be so awkward. After all, Sai was…

"Well?" he pressed in curiosity. His voice sounded upset; hearing the crack ripped her apart.

"Sai…"

He eyed her carefully, watching for any glimmer of emotion, but she kept her face blank. He didn't know why he hadn't asked her yet, but she had mentioned him before, this 'co-worker' who had shared part of her life… who she was so reluctant to talk about. And to think he had had it in his head all along that he was the only guy close to her… There was someone else, and she seemed determined not to talk about him. If she was more talkative about her life with Maleficent in general, it wouldn't bother him as much, but now that he thought about it, she hardly said anything about the boy with whom she'd lived with, worked with, and probably shared memories with. And she seemed so afraid to defy either of them. He was starting to become sick of the secrets.

"And what is he like?" he asked, unknowingly wedging a knife deeper into her heart. He felt the familiar pang of jealousy hit him—jealousy of another man in her life. He came to the sudden fearful conclusion that she had had another relationship—one that must have been dozens of times stronger, since she'd have lived with him for years. She doesn't want to go with me, because… she'd be leaving her 'co-worker' behind… It was just the two of them with Maleficent… He clenched the bed sheets and felt his heart sink. Her… and him, they might have been close. They might have been together… Ugh, why didn't I think of it before? She must have been with him… And she didn't tell me…

"He's… immature." It was the only response she could come up with. Why does he want to know about Sai all of a sudden? It's not fair... And this has nothing to do with the islands. Talking about Sai brought her back to their castle, and she didn't want to be anywhere but here. She hated even thinking about the bittersweet memories she had of him—bittersweet until three years ago, when he was fifteen, and then all she could remember was pain. Sai summarized all her bad experiences there—he was ever-present, always there to try and weave his way into her life. And it destroyed her that she had to live with the guilt for his menacing, twisted streak. He had always been unstable and a little unintentionally cold, but the sick, corrupt side of him, that was all her fault.

"Were you in love with him?"

He had to know; he couldn't stand the thought of her having been with another guy before him. He held her hand to ensure that she wouldn't jump away from him, but his precautions were unrealized. She instead seemed to sink and become drained of energy. She choked on the air she inhaled and whipped her hand away from him sharply.

"W-what? How can you ask me that? Of course not!" she snapped. Her body felt heavy and languid. In love with Sai? How could she be? How could he even imply that?

When he tried to touch her, she recoiled and crossed her arms. Riku didn't want to turn this into a fight; he pulled her now tense body against him to calm her down, despite her protests, and forced her to take shelter in his chest rather than in her hands. "Alright—I'm sorry. I just thought… I wanted to make sure. I didn't mean to hurt you," he confessed softly, still troubled, but not enough to risk another few days of ignoring each other. She slowly relaxed in his arms, but was still overcome with grief. She loved only him—how could he ask her such an absurd, painful question?

"You don't know what you're talking about! You don't know… He's not like you… he's so… I just hate him!" she blurted out, clenching his shirt in her hands. Riku stroked her hair back to try and sooth her, whispering calming words in her ear. She seemed madder at the other boy than at him, though, as if the memory was what bothered her. But thankfully, he'd been wrong—she didn't have another love. And now he'd upset her again. I'm always making her cry… he thought, smiling weakly in spite of himself. I can't blame her for not wanting to come home with me…

Keiya stubbornly held back the tears that threatened to overflow. There was no reason to cry, she kept reminding herself, trying to muffle her sobs. It was just a question… he doesn't know what he's talking about… She'd spent so much of her life with Sai, but not once had she ever thought to be in love with him—especially not recently. She stayed put in Riku's arms until he let her go, when she had recovered. She was surprised at how emotional the whole ordeal was for her, but then she remembered that they were being separated soon, and that the smallest things made her prone to either extreme joy or deep sorrow. Riku gave her a truce-smile, and she felt her moods swerve. Just one smile, and he had her in a good mood again. He tried to kiss her, holding her face steady, but she withdrew this time. "I can't go back with you," she reiterated, this time firm and calm. Her face was still tear-stained. "I know you want me to, but it's not realistic."

He shook his head. "I can't leave you behind."

"Well, I'm asking you to. You can't expect me to go with you- I can't just pick up and leave," she argued distantly. "No one does that..."

Riku's eyes darkened with an annoyed sadness, but he didn't argue further. He instead leaned in to take the kiss she'd deprived him of.

"I'm still going to change your mind," he whispered against her lips, determined and matter-of-fact. "It's just too early for you to realize it yet."

"Fine," she said simply, not heeding his warning. She was set on her answer, and she hoped that she would be head-strong enough to hold to it. I know I can protect you better from afar… so there's no way I can change my mind. She hugged him around the neck. Riku kept his face unreadable, but inside, he had never felt so shaken up before in his life; the sincerity on her face, and the way she wouldn't sway from her composure, made him feel that there was a possibility that it really was over—that this summer was it, and that he'd seriously have to get used to the idea of returning the same way he came: with Sora and Kairi, and not with her. She was stubborn; he knew she wouldn't willingly give in to meet his demands. If he couldn't convince her, they would have no future together- he'd have to be more persistent than ever to finally beat her down and get her on that ship with them. He wasn't ready for the days to come and pass; he needed time. Time either to pursued her or to absorb every lasting second with her. Some of his confidence and hope would have to be transformed into tolerance and acceptance, because for the first time all summer, it hit him that with this deadline, he really might not win her over.

~…~

Author's Note: This chapter had a lot of short scenes instead of a few long ones, so it might have seemed a little choppy. I'm not entirely sure of how the last segment came out, so please let me know what you guys think about it. Also, in the first flashback with Sai—the one I split up—I realize that some of the things he thinks in the narrative might sound random, but I was aiming for immature. So let me know if that was too out of place as well. Thank you for reading and please review! I need feedback, guys— reviews are beginning to become more scarce.