MWAHAHAHAHA!!!! I'm still reveling in my (hopefully) shocking revelation!! So far, only two of you have freaked out in your reviews, which are greatly appreciated (blows a kiss). But wait—how are our two main hot guys going to respond to this? Uh-oh…

Just for the record, this is a serious emotional crash-course we're going on here; Riku fangirls should be prepared to shower him with sympathy kudos points; Sora too, but he freaks out in a funnier way. Sorry, that's just the way it is.

"It could only go up from here."—Shania Twain, Up

Chapter 20: Open Wounds
For a long time after he and Sora defeated Xemnas, Riku had nightmares about him and about Xehanort's Heartless. He'd gotten stronger with time and with love; he'd gotten better.

Yet one look at this crazed, half-dead shell of the man who had caused all his pain and suffering, and it was as if a black hole had opened underneath him and was now trying to suck him back into the gaping void of darkness that he'd fought against for so long. He needed escape. He needed to get out of there!

He slowly backed out of the room unnoticed, except by Sora. He turned from the concerned faces of Roxas and Naminé in Alice's room and strode out of the castle. He could feel himself falling toward the darkness. He needed a hold; he needed buoyancy. He needed…

"Ame," he said urgently when he reached her, "I need you."

She looked up at him from Christopher Robin's level; the look in Riku's blazing eyes—the look of swirling inner turmoil like he'd seen a ghost—alarmed her considerably.

"Stay here, Christopher Robin," she said, "I'll be back in a little while." She stood and took Riku's hand.

"Come with me." She led him quickly out of the house and ran with him up the stairs of the Borough, through the Bailey, and up the rocky path leading to the Postern of Ansem's castle. Riku followed her blindly, holding onto her hand like a lifeline. It was the only thing that was real to him at the moment; his only thought was 'Hold onto her hand. Don't let go.' He knew if he let go, the darkness would swallow him as it so nearly had before. From the look on her face, Ame knew it, too. She knew her fiancé was suffering from something that was obviously triggered by whoever was screaming in the cottage.

When they got to the Postern, Ame turned and grabbed Riku by the arms.

"Riku, talk to me," she said urgently, "What's wrong? Who was it?" His eyes were clouded and distracted; she held his face.

"Riku," she asked clearly, "do you understand me?"

"Yeah," he nodded shakily, "Yeah, I do." He covered her hand with his and turned his face into them with his eyes closed; the lifeline was becoming a bungee cord. He looked at Ame with an intensity she'd never seen from him before.

"Ame," he said with a haunted voice, "They found Xehanort."

A wave of shock crashed into her like a tidal wave.

"Found?" she repeated, "You mean he's alive?"

"I don't know how," he shook his head, "but he is."

'Xehanort,' she thought, reflecting that it was because of him that Gadianton had come into existence and murdered her father and mother. She immediately shook it out; right now, Riku needed her.

"It'll be all right, Riku," she smiled, "Okay? You're stronger than you were. He can't hurt you anymore."

He stared in her eyes, drinking her in. He felt rain falling around inside him, filling the hole, lifting him closer and closer back to the light. Ame pressed her face against his and made soothing shushing sounds while smoothing his hair down. Her mere touch was saving him more and more, until her gentle flood brought his feet back to solid ground. He could feel again.

He was alive.

The light returned to his eyes and he held Ame back so she could see what she'd done for him.

"Thank you," he smiled with misty eyes. She smiled back and they held each other and kissed.

"We should head back," said Riku presently, "I can't imagine what must be going through Ansem's head right now."

"You're right," she nodded, "but…are you sure you're okay now?"

"As long as you stay with me," he smiled, but she could tell he meant it. She held his hand and touched his face.

"Riku," she said sincerely, "I will never leave you. I can't; you're too much a part of me. Come on."

Ohhh…" Sora groaned, finding himself sprawled back in a chair with Yuffie standing over him.

"Yuffie, what happened?" he asked as he rubbed his aching neck.

"You stared at Xehanort and fainted like an old lady," she answered dryly.

"I did?" he said, touching his head, "Oh, right." He remembered how the revelation of Xehanort's living made him feel: After everything he'd gone through, after all his hard work, after all the tears he'd shed, not to mention all the blisters he'd gotten along the journey, the fact that Xehanort still lived almost felt like it had all gone down the toilet and he'd have to start all over. He knew he didn't, but the mere notion had overwhelmed him and he'd fainted shortly after Riku's departure.

"Sorry about that," he said self-consciously, "Where's Riku?"

"Dunno," she said, "but he must've freaked out, too. I don't blame him." She shot a dirty look at their feverish captive. "That jerk's caused a lot of damage. Who hasn't it touched?"

Sora looked up at Ansem and wondered what he was thinking at seeing his former star pupil again. Whatever it was, he knew it couldn't be good.

Let's journey now into the mind of the philosopher—swirling with a torrent of memories and emotions, but maintaining structural balance.

Xehanort—his star student, his prize pupil, was now a literal dying lunatic. Ansem's heart was breaking in pieces to see his former apprentice in this pitiful state. As a young man just entering Ansem's academy, he'd shown such promise, such intelligence! His thirsty mind quickly drank the knowledge that Ansem administered to him so carefully; he was bright and quick-witted, eager to learn all there was and more…much more.

Too much more.

"Oh, Xehanort," he groaned from his weary heart, "What more could I have done for you than I already have? How could I have stopped you from falling so far, so fast?"

He felt a gentle energy cooling the burn in his heart; he turned to see his beautiful granddaughter with her hand on his shoulder and tears in her eyes—not for herself, but for him.

'She, too, has suffered the violence of Xehanort's madness,' he thought, 'Yet she weeps for me.'

He smiled at her with warm gratitude and covered her hand, which she covered with her other one.

"How long has he been like this?" Riku asked.

"Ever since he woke up," Aerith answered, "We called Ansem right away, but once Xehanort saw him, he got so bad we had to chain him down."

"He's unusually strong for someone in his condition," said Leon.

"We can't get him to eat or drink anything," added Aerith.

"Maybe he'll do us a favor and starve to death," said Yuffie acidly, for which she was fussed at by Aerith.

"The only thing that seems to work is sedation," said Merlin, "and even that doesn't last too long. His body fights it, too; none of our healing magic can help him now."

"Master!" cried Xehanort, grabbing Ansem's sleeve. Ame immediately yet gently shoved Ansem back and planted herself between them with her arms out.

"Chikayoranai watashi no ojiisan, kichigai!" she spat angrily, which meant, "Stay away from my grandfather, maniac!"

"Calm yourself, Ame dear," Ansem said and touched her shoulder as Merlin sedated said maniac. She turned her head back.

"I'm not gonna let him hurt you, ojiisan!" she said.

"Neither will we," said Sora, who had jumped to his side along with Riku.

"The man who was your student doesn't exist anymore, Ansem," Riku put in, "This is a dangerous, unstable man that has suffered a fate worse than death; that…(He pointed at Xehanort) is all that's left. I know you don't like it, but it's the truth."

"Master," said Xehanort feverishly, his wild eyes fixed on the old man. Ame stared hard at him and curled her amrs behind her around her grandfather.

"Xehanort," she said loudly and clearly. He looked distractedly at the strange young woman he'd never met. He jerked on the chains that had less than ten links—maybe six each—so he couldn't really reach very far. He trembled visibly and his eyes wavered, as if he was afraid of her (which he should be).

"Please," he hissed, "Keep away. Your hearts…their strength…your hearts will destroy me."

"Too much light for ya?" she said scathingly, "Listen. I'll let you talk to my grandfather…" She got real close to him, making him shrink back.

"…but keep your hands to yourself!" she spat. He exhaled in a demonic way.

"Yes!" he cried out, "I promise! Just please, go! Your light is burning me!"

"Honey, you ain't felt nothin' yet," she said lowly before feeling Riku's strong hands on her arm and shoulder.

"Come on, Ame," he said gently, "Let's go see Christopher Robin." He'd never heard Ame talk this way before—all cruel and threatening with her powers on a hair trigger, and using the word "ain't." She had the right, though; because of this man, she'd grown up without her parents. Riku understood this, but he also understood that she needed to be out of this room as much as he had earlier.

Ame blinked at Riku's touch like she was coming out of a trance.

"Yeah," she said, a bit distracted, "Sure." She allowed Riku to tug on her hand and lead her out of the rooms, trusting Sora and the others to make sure that psycho didn't touch Ansem again.

They went into Howl's living room, where they found Sophie and Markl tending to Christopher Robin in a chair on Calcifer's other side. Markl was plucking a petal off of a purple flower; he tore it into four neat little shreds and dropped them into a small mug of hot water. The petals dissolved and turned the water purple.

"Here you go, Chris," said Markl, "Master Howl taught me this spell. He says tea from a foxglove flower is great for heart problems, but it's really strong, so I can only use one."

"Thank you, Markl," smiled Christopher Robin as he took the cup.

"Try not to drink it too fast," warned Markl as he sat in a chair next to him, "Like I said, it's a strong spell. Try to take it nice and steady; it helps the spell work better." Ame decided to have Ansem and Naminé examine him when they could.

Meanwhile, back in the room, Ansem was questioning Xehanort.

"Xehanort," he asked, "are you aware of what's been happening lately?"

"Yes," he strained painfully, "The Maidens of Pure Heart are dying."

"Do you know who's doing it?" Sora demanded.

"It possessed what little was left of my mind," he said hoarsely, "It needed a host in order to commit its deeds…and it used me."

"What did it make you do, Xehanort?" Ansem asked with his hand up to Sora, cutting off whatever angry retort he was about to say.

"It forced me to watch the results of my mad sins," he said regretfully, "I watched Snow White devour the apple when I wanted to swat it from her hand. My voice called to Aurora when I wanted to warn her off."

Sora turned away roughly, unable to stand listening to this. Yuffie stood by him facing the bed and gripped his shoulder. Ansem narrowed his eyes intensely.

"Its own power caused the sands to give way beneath the Arabian princess," he continued, crying now, "It sent the black snake to frighten the common maiden's pursuers. It forced me to seek out the One-Winged Angel and target the Beast and his bride!"

"STOP IT!" Sora exploded and threw himself at the invalid, intending to beat him within an inch of his life (which, in truth, was all that was left).

"Sora, don't!" Yuffie cried as she and Roxas grabbed him. Ansem barred his way and Riku came running back in (Ame was with Christopher Robin and Naminé was with Alice).

"Don't you dare talk about the Princesses!" Sora yelled, "You have no right! They're dead now because of you! You're nothing but a heartless traitor to all that's good in the world!"

Riku grabbed him by the collar and hauled him out of the room; Yuffie went to help, but Roxas stopped her.

"He'll handle him, Yuffie," he said gently, "He knows how."

"I wish you'd have let him have me," murmured Xehanort, "I deserve it."

"It will do no good, Xehanort," Ansem replied.

"I want him to kill me!" Xehanort shouted sharply, jerking at his chains, "Don't you understand? I want to die! Do you think I don't know what I've done to this world? Do you think I enjoy seeing the mess I've created? I don't want this burden anymore! I can't stand the weight! I wish I had died when the evil left my body!"

"Wait," Aerith interrupted, "You mean the killer is no longer inside you?"

"It left me for dead," he replied, "I should have died instantly; anyone else would have."

"What do you mean?" she asked insistently. Xehanort looked intently at the lovely young woman, who had Leon and Cloud right behind her.

"The evil one," he said intensely, "It is a virus, a sickness, a spirit without form. Your body is as dependant upon it as any drug…and when it decides to abandon you…your body can't live without it."

"He's getting weaker," said Leon quickly, "Merlin?"

"No," Xehanort whispered, "Please…let me slip away to whatever eternity awaits me. I don't know where the evil one is now, in whose poor body it now resides…but it isn't me anymore." He looked at Ansem.

"That boy," he said, "He's the Key Master, isn't he?"

"Yes, he is," answered the old man.

"Will you tell him," he asked in a weak whisper, "that I'm sorry for leaving him to clean up the mess I've made? For leaving all of you to fix my mistakes?"

"I'll tell him," said Ansem with a hand on his forehead.

"Forgive me, master," Xehanort pled faintly, "Forgive me…forgive me…" His lips moved silently until his eyes closed. His body weight settled on the bed and his head moved to his left, where Ansem was.

A thick cloud of silence filled the room as they realized that Xehanort would never move again.

Yuffie turned slowly and stiffly trudged out of the room looking slightly down at the floor. She went to the castle living room and sensed Ame walking to her. She sort of felt her touch her arms.

"Yuffie?" she heard her ask in a fog, "Yuffie? What's wrong?" She looked up at her with a blank, slightly freaked-out expression. She saw Ame's concerned face and blinked.

"He's dead." She gripped Ame's elbows. "Xehanort's dead."

Author's Review:
Wow; revealed in one chapter, then dead the next? I'm not sure I expected to kill him this quickly. (…) Oh, well!

We now have a clue pertaining to the investigation! The reason he was susceptible to the virus thingy was because his heart (or whatever was there) was already knee-deep in darkness and made him the perfect host. Sad, huh? I guess I'll drop a slight spoiler right here: Someone made that virus and sent it to Xehanort's body, and that's ALL I'm saying!

Once again, I've given Sora a total emo attack, but I think he's justified. The Princesses of Heart were some of his best friends! I know I'd be pissed!

Cute points for Markl! He's getting to be really good buddies with Christopher Robin! About the foxglove thing: I read that in a book once, a historical fiction. There was this 7-year-old boy with a weak heart, so the heroin of the story made him tea with foxglove in it. Markl did put an actual spell in the tea; I just forgot to write it in. :S

As you can imagine, Ame's pretty pissed, too; she's just put her anger aside so she can be concerned for Christopher Robin and so she can be a strong support to her beloved ojiisan. ^_^ Same thing for Riku; he'll straighten Sora out, like he always does! And her Japanese spiel there was only a ROUGH translation; I don't think I did it right. -_-'

Hope you enjoyed this! Please review!