A/N: All right, last thing I'm posting for the weekend. Sorry it's so late this Sunday!

Disclaimer: Rights, I do not have.

Mind Games

Chapter 26: Vulnerability

"Done!" Kairi cheered from her cubicle.

She'd finished her last task and was officially on holiday break. She eagerly popped up from her chair and stretched her arms in the air. It felt so good to be off. It felt even better knowing that she and Axel were going to be on a gummi ship tomorrow morning to spend the holidays on Destiny Islands. She smiled to herself. Kairi couldn't wait to introduce him to the aunt and uncle she'd been raised by. She knew they would love him…as soon as they got past his tattoos and alternative wardrobe.

She was the last one to leave the office. Even Hayner and Pence had already called it a night. Kairi glanced at the clock and gasped. It was almost 7 PM. Had she really worked so late?

Her phone began to buzz in her purse. She quickly yanked it out and saw that Axel was calling. She answered as she made her way to the elevator.

"You planning on coming home, sweetheart?"

Kairi pressed the button for the ground floor. "Yes!" she giggled, "I'm sorry it took me so long. I just noticed how late it was. I'll be home soon. I'm in the elevator now."

"Good, I need your help packing. I'm having a hard time deciding which temporary tattoo would match my studded, leather jacket. The upside down cross or the flaming skull."

She rolled her eyes. "Ha. Ha. I'm going through your suitcase as soon as I'm home. I want my Aunt and Uncle to like you, not fear you."

"That's the same thing, isn't it?"

She stifled a laugh. "Stop playing around! I'll see you soon, okay? Should I pick up anything on the way home?"

"Nah. I made dinner. See you soon."

Kairi said her goodbye and hung up the phone. She sighed happily as she gripped it in her hand. The world felt right again. Everything was going as planned. Axel would blow her family away with his wit and charm and they'd have a wonderful holiday. She pushed through the front doors of her office building, surprised by how ominous the clouds looked.

Her eyes fell from the sky to the familiar man waiting outside the doors. She froze as their eyes met.

"Sora?"

He meekly smiled and waved a hand before hurrying toward her. He wore a black, wool hat over his messy spikes that matched the long, thick winter coat covering his body. His nose was red and his skin appeared chilled.

"Kairi, hey," he greeted, "I was beginning to think you'd taken the day off."

She backed away from him. "Sora, have you been waiting for me?" He nodded. Kairi couldn't help but notice the small bags under his reddened eyes. He looked as though he hadn't been well. She shook off her desire to worry and added, "You shouldn't have done that."

"Kai, wait-"

"No, I won't. I have somewhere to be. I'm done waiting for you!" she cried, harsher than intended. She hated how he recoiled from her words. It still hurt to hurt him, but she couldn't let herself fall into the same pattern. She steeled herself and moved to walk past him. He grabbed her arm and stopped her.

"Just give me five minutes," Sora begged.

Kairi grimaced and shook her head. "No, please, let go."

She could see the tears beginning to form in his cerulean eyes. Why was he acting this way? They hadn't had any contact since he'd come home, lied to her face, and seduced her. He had no reason to react so emotionally.

Sora sunk down to the ground, taking her hands in his. "Please, Kairi. If you ever loved me, please just hear me out." She was reminded of the way she'd pleaded for him to marry her. Kairi hesitated. The way he'd treated her then had broken her heart. She couldn't allow herself to do the same to him.

Knowing she'd regret it, she muttered, "Fine. But I'm not going to stand in the cold and talk to you. We can go to the coffee shop over there." She indicated the shop with a point of her finger. It was called 'Golden Brew' and she was going to need one of their hot chocolates to get through this conversation.

Sora hopped to his feet, nearly slipping on the ice covering the sidewalk. He played it off with a chuckle and pulled her toward the shop with his gloved hand. She hated how familiar the situation felt. Kairi didn't want to remember the wonderful times they'd shared together. She just wanted to go home.

He held open the door for her and she felt much better standing in the heated shop. There weren't many patrons seated at the black, iron tables. No doubt most people were already in the comfort of their homes. Even the baristas looked like they wanted to be somewhere else, which was unusual, the staff was normally energetic.

"I'll buy you whatever you want," Sora offered with a grin.

"A hot chocolate, please. I'll be over there." She pointed to a table in the corner of the shop. He nodded and hurried to the register to place their order.

Kairi settled into the chair closest to the door and glanced out the frosty window. She eyed the sky again wearily; it looked like it could rain or snow at any moment. She needed to get home or Axel was going to worry about her. They weren't together together, but she was realizing that she wanted to be. Hopefully, this meeting wouldn't tear a rift between them.

Sora sat across from her and slid her the hot chocolate. "I got the same thing," he announced, "You always said this place had good hot chocolate."

Kairi nodded, blowing into her cup. "I'm surprised you remember anything I said."

He looked crestfallen. "Kai, I know I can't change what happened-"

"No, you can't change that you lied to me, to Riku, and that you completely betrayed me."

He sighed. "I know I let you down." Kairi felt her body beginning to tremble. She gripped the warm cup in her hands tighter. She couldn't let Sora see her cry. "I'm so sorry I hurt you. I know you don't believe me but I am."

She bit back her tears. "You didn't even see me after I was in the hospital. You just took your stuff and disappeared!"

"Wait a minute…Kairi-"

Kairi shook her head. "No, I don't want to hear it. You were a coward."

He hesitated. She was proud to have the upper hand for once. "…You're right. I was a coward. And you deserve an explanation. Let me give it to you."

She took in a deep breath. Kairi wasn't sure she wanted to hear Sora's explanation. What else could he say but that he'd fallen out of love with her and in love with Naminé? Did she really want to hear how Sora had decided between the two of them? She grit her teeth, prepared to tell him off and leave, but the look in his eyes stopped her. The vulnerability and desperation gripped at her heart. She grumbled, "Okay, you have three minutes."

His countenance brightened considerably. Sora straightened his spine and shifted in his chair until he was comfortable. "Kairi, I was an idiot and I took you for granted," he began with the most serious expression she'd ever seen on his face, "You always told me how kind and supportive and giving I am and I've always wanted to live up to that in your eyes. I wanted to be a man worthy of you." His eyes fell to his hot chocolate. "Naminé was someone I befriended because I'd taken your words to heart. She was so quiet and scared, I just wanted her to feel comfortable when she was new to the department. I felt like she needed a friend."

Kairi frowned. He really was going to tell her how he fell in love with the art therapist.

"I never told you about this, but one day I found her crying in the break room," he hesitated, "You see…she had been dating this abusive guy named Marluxia and she needed help. I promised her that I would never let her be hurt again."

It was getting harder for her to control her urge to cry. "What about our promise, Sora?" she found herself asking, "Did you forget about it?"

He rubbed the back of his neck. "I kinda used it to justify what I was doing. I knew you would wait for me because I'd always come back to you." He paused to frown. "But I was so stupid and couldn't see how that was pulling us apart. What was supposed to bring us together was my excuse to delay our wedding for years, and to justify placing anything and everything before you. You were right to accuse me of that, Kai. I took advantage of your kindness and loyalty."

Kairi never thought Sora would be so open with her about his misgivings. It was both cathartic and painful.

"Kai, one day I found Naminé crying again. I rushed to her side and found out I was the reason. I-I don't know what came over me, Kairi! I never meant to do this…but I had to keep my promise," he confessed. A tear rolled down his tanned cheek. "I don't know how it happened, but I lost myself, I lost us. Naminé made me forget about everything you meant to me. It's like the closer I got to her, the less I thought about you. It was like being stuck in a bad dream."

Her lips tightened to a line. "Sora, this is starting to sound like a bunch of excuses."

He shook his head. "No, listen to me, please. I know this sounds crazy but it's the truth! Naminé makes me a different person, I can't explain it. You know me, Kairi, I never lie or deceive people intentionally. But half the time I said I was working, I was with her. That trip to Radiant Garden wasn't even for me, it was for her."

"Sora-"

He shook his head again and sniffled. "Riku started making comments about me spending too much time with Naminé, and I was afraid he'd mention it to you. So, I started lying to him too, about you being busy when he asked to come over. I-I even told him we'd started going to counseling just to make up more reasons why he couldn't visit."

Kairi clamped her eyes shut. "Sora, I don't want to hear anymore."

Sora kept talking, it was like he couldn't stop himself. "I just wanted to protect her." He placed his hand on his heart. "She took control of my heart…I-I thought I could keep it up until she changed her mind-"

"I can't take this, Sora!" she cried, biting down on her lip to stop herself from sobbing. Her heart was breaking again. How could Sora have forgotten their love? She'd given him her good luck charm to remind him when they weren't together. She paused. Was that what it was? "Sora, where is my charm?"

His face fell. "Kairi…I lost it."

Kairi leapt from her seat. "You lost it!" she shrieked. In a moment of pure fury, she raised her hand to slap him, but paused mid-swing. Through her own tears, she could see him crying, waiting to be hit. She clutched her hand to her chest and turned away. "Goodbye, Sora."

She fled the coffee shop, not bothering to take the hot chocolate with her. Which she soon regretted, her hands seemed to immediately freeze in the weather outside.

Snow had begun falling from the sky; she could feel the moist drops seeping into her uncovered hair. She skidded to a halt a few shops away, pausing to recollect herself and wipe her eyes. How could he lose the symbol of their love? How could he have placed another woman before her?

"I truly mean nothing to him now," she whispered, letting the words sink into her heart.

"Kairi, that's not true!"

Her eyes widened as he fell against the wall beside her. He was breathing deeply, looking panicked. Kairi hated that she still worried for him.

"Y-You mean everything to me. I forgot but I won't again," he vowed. Sora dared to grab her hands and look into her eyes. "I messed up, bad. I know I don't deserve your forgiveness, but I can't live without you. You're my light in the darkness, Kairi. I love you."

If only he'd said those words to her months earlier, she might've fallen for it. She snatched her hands from his grasp and shoved them in her jacket pockets. "Sora, nothing is going to change my mind."

He'd begun to flounder, she could tell. Perhaps he hadn't expected such a struggle. "You're going home for the holidays, right?" he asked hopefully.

"…Yes."

"Kairi, I will wait for you from two until sunset at the secret place every day. If you just come once, I swear we'll work this out."

Why was he doing this to her? She studied his face carefully. She could see the agony underneath the snowflakes gathering in his eyelashes, but it wasn't enough for her. Looking at Sora was like looking at a faded dream. She wasn't sure she could ever return to him, no matter how much she loved him.

"I have to go, Sora. You shouldn't wait for me."

"I will wait for you because you're special to me. You're worth waiting for, okay?" He took a step back. For a moment, he looked like the cheery boy she remembered. He grinned at her briefly before turning and running back down the bleak, icy sidewalk.

Kairi rubbed her arms, shivering from the cold. His words haunted her. She remembered when she'd told Axel the same thing; that Sora was worth it. She clutched her purse tightly and began walking through the snowfall to where she'd parked. The usual, rich browns of Twilight Town were quickly becoming blanketed in gray and white.

She slipped into her car and turned on the heater. While she waited for the engine to warm up, Kairi pulled her phone from her bag. She wasn't surprised to see she'd missed a call from Axel.

The world didn't feel so perfect anymore.