Author's Notes: Thank you for keeping up with the story! I hope everyone had a great holiday and have a happy new year!

Warning + Sort of spoiler alert for this chapter: Things get graphic in this chapter so for anyone who doesn't want to read anything sexual, I've section it off like this: At the beginning I will put "xxx" and at the end you're see a line across the page. I know not everyone wants to read the graphic parts so I've made it a little easier to skip.

The Other Side of the Fence: (Aqua, Vanitas, Terra, and Ventus side of the story)

Chapter 41: Returning:

As the day came to an end, Aqua stepped out of her last class. As she walked, her eyes gazed at the sunset in the horizon. A slight breeze blew through her long, blue hair. Her fingers brushed along the strands. Things had changed over the months she had been at school. Summer had gone by quickly. Before she knew it, spring was upon them. The weather felt comfortable enough to stay outside. On campus, she found an empty table to sit at. She pulled out a book and a piece of paper and began writing. After she worked for a little, she gazed up at the orange sky as she rested her head on her hand. The sight was beautiful, but she couldn't smile. Sometimes, moments of sadness would creep on her. Her mind traveled back to the last day she was on the island. To this day, she still didn't know what had become of Vanitas, whether he was okay or not. During the summer, she stayed in a dorm, but after summer was over, her parents had given her an apartment to stay in. She had made attempts to go home, but her parents wouldn't let her since they were afraid that she would go find Vanitas. They wouldn't tell her anything about him and wanted her to keep focus on her studies. She hadn't heard from Vanitas either. Soon, she turned her attention back to her work and began writing.

Nearby, someone stopped once they noticed Aqua sitting at the table alone. A smile appeared as they walked over toward her. Aqua could hear footsteps advance toward her, but chose to ignore it and concentrate. "Hey."

Aqua was a little surprised. The voice sounded male. When she looked up, she spotted a familiar face. "Oh! Hey Terra!"

Terra sat down at the table. "Working out here now?"

A nice breeze blew by. She placed her hand underneath the strands of her hair as she gazed toward the sky again. "Yeah... The weather feels nice." She buried her mouth inside of her burgundy turtleneck. "It won't be long before it's summer again. How are your classes going?"

Terra leaned back in his chair as he relaxed. "They're all right. They're keeping me busy. I was wondering if you want to grab something to eat later."

Her eyes lowered as she went back to focusing on her assignment. She didn't feel much like going out. "Sorry, but I have to study for this test."

"Come on! You got to eat at some point."

When Aqua lifted her head, she saw the pleading smile on Terra's face. She let out a sigh and smiled a little. "I guess you're right... I'll meet you back here in a few hours."

Terra nodded. "All right." Afterwards, another thought came to mind that he noticed. "You seem better."

Aqua gave him a surprised look. "What do you mean?"

"When you first came here, you seemed like you were off in another place. You were different, but now you seem back to your old self."

Aqua placed her hair behind her ear. She didn't think it was that obvious. "I haven't noticed."

Terra stood up. "I'll meet you later okay."

Aqua nodded. "Later." Afterwards, she watched as Terra walked away. It was nice to have someone she knew there. Since she found out they were going to the same school, at the same time, they spent time together here and there. It became a distraction. Still, in the back of her mind, she couldn't help but wonder where Vanitas was...

After some days passed, Aqua left her last class as usual. The thought crossed her mind to study for her exam outside, but she was tired from her studies and decided to go to her apartment. She became lost in thought as she walked back. Nearby, someone sat at a table as she moved pass. They leaned back in their chair as they let out a smirk. "Well…that was just rude… I thought you had better manners than that… Aqua."

Aqua left her thoughts and stopped once she heard her name called. When she thought about it, she was sure she heard a male voice. She expected to hear from Terra, but the voice sounded different. Curious, she turned around. "How do you know-?" All of a sudden, her eyes widened, stunned. There he was. The same familiar smirk and black, spiked hair, looking much better than when she last saw him.

He stood up as he smirked. "Oh…! I see... You forgot me already?" Disappointed, he shook his head. He turned halfway from her as he closed his eyes and sighed. "And to think I came all this way…"

Without thinking, she rushed over to him and hugged him tightly. Relief came to her face as she closed her eyes. Her hands grabbed onto the sleeves of his jacket. She took it all in, his familiar scent, the way it felt to lean against his chest, but mainly the fact that he was there after all this time. Aqua's head pressed harder against his chest. "Vanitas..." He was glad to hear her say his name again. "You're okay…" Slowly, he brought his arms in to embrace her back.

After a few moments of silence, they parted. She was still in shock that he was there and that he found her. Vanitas smiled slyly. "So…? You missed me?" Aqua touched the side of his face. She looked down and opened his shirt a little, which he looked stunned. "What are you doing?!"

On his chest, she noticed there was a little scar, but he was fully healed. Aqua was relieved as she pressed her hand against his chest. "You're all right…" she whispered.

Vanitas gave her a confused look. "Yeah. Why else would I be here?"

Aqua closed her eyes as she smiled a little. He had no idea how happy she was to see him. "It's just…I haven't heard anything about you since I left."

Vanitas looked toward the side, serious. "You probably wanna know what happened." Aqua looked at him for a little before they walked away and sat at a table. Vanitas sat in front of her. "So…? Where do you wanna start?"

Aqua opened her eyes and looked up at him. "What happened? You almost… died out there on the streets."

Vanitas placed his hand on his head as his eyes traveled toward the side. "I thought I was going to, but somehow, I woke up in the hospital."

"It was because I went looking for you that night. At first, I couldn't find you, but then I thought of the only place I didn't look… the warehouse. Then, I saw this cat so I followed it and…" Vanitas could hear the sadness in her voice. Aqua closed her eyes as she remembered that night. It was hard to see Vanitas hurt like that. "I saw you… You were lying there on the ground. You were bleeding to death and you weren't breathing and… The doctor said that, if it was any longer, then you would've died."

Vanitas looked serious. "It could've been dangerous going there by yourself."

She was surprised by his comment and a little upset. "If I didn't, you wouldn't have made it!"

He smirked. "I see… You're still as stubborn as ever."

Aqua sighed with her eyes closed. "Just let it go..."

His expression grew dark as his eyes lowered toward the table. "I was beaten up by some guys sent by Xehanort."

Once she heard Vanitas, her head lifted in surprise. "What?"

His eyes traveled to the side. "It was stupid… I shouldn't have fell for it. I got a call from your phone and the guy who worked for him, Xigbar, said they had you. I didn't think Xehanort got out of prison, but I couldn't think of anything else, especially if he had you, so I went. Turns out, it was just a trap for some guys who had a vendetta to ambush me." His hands tensed together against the table. "By now, they have to think I'm dead. No one came to finish me off."

Aqua stared at him, worried. "I'm sorry…"

Vanitas arched his eyebrow. "Why are you sorry?"

Sad, she looked down at her hands in her lap. "Because…if I was with you that night, then this never would've happened."

"How do you know it wouldn't?" he asked.

Her eyes lifted up, surprised by his question. "Huh?"

"Listen. If he didn't get me then, Xehanort would've tried some way to get me later. It would have made things worse if they came after both of us. Maybe…" As much as he didn't like what happened to him, he knew it could've been worse. "Maybe…it's better that it happened this way. Now, they think I'm dead, so they shouldn't come after me again."

Aqua stared at him, worried. "Are you sure?"

Vanitas shrugged. "Yeah. Pretty sure."

Aqua let out a sigh of relief as she gave a faint smile. "I'm glad."

Curious, Vanitas had something else on his mind. "When did you come to the hospital?"

"Well… I stayed with you all night when you first got there. The doctor let me sleep over in the same room as you. I came in the next day, and the next day after that, and… that's when my parents found out... Then, it was my mother's mission to keep me away from you. She signed me up to go to school early, but I told her I wouldn't go because I didn't want to leave you. She even threatened to disown me, but I didn't really care…" Vanitas was surprised to hear that she would've left her parents for him. Aqua lifted up her head, concerned. "…So she tricked me. I'm sure she thought it was better than both of them watching over me every day, making sure I didn't leave the house. Instead of them taking me to the hospital, they made me come here to school. I hadn't been able to check on you ever since. They made sure of that."

Vanitas closed his eyes as he smiled. He was relieved to hear the truth. She didn't want to leave him. "I see… That's why when I woke up, you weren't there."

Aqua looked curious. "But don't you remember? There was one time you did wake up and I was there, but the doctor said you were pretty out of it."

Vanitas looked toward the table as he tried to think back, but things were still pretty blurry part of the time. "Maybe…" he whispered.

"I wanted to check on you, but my mother had gotten to everyone first. When I called the hospital, they wouldn't tell me anything about you. She wouldn't let me leave here because she thought I would go looking for you. I couldn't call you-."

"Hey! You wanna hear something better than that?"

Vanitas grinned, which made Aqua curious. "What?"

Now when he thought about it, he almost wanted to laugh. Back then, it just made him angry. He leaned his elbow on the table as he placed his head on his hand. A smirk crossed his lips as he pointed and swirled his index finger toward her in an invisible circle. "Your mother offered me a ton of money to never see you again."

Aqua's eyes widened, stunned. "What?!"

Vanitas let out a silent chuckle. "Your mom really hates me that much. It's funny when you think about it."

Aqua still couldn't believe it. "When did this happen?"

"It happened in the hospital…"

Five months ago…

Vanitas laid in his hospital bed, awake. His bruises had cleared up some, but he could still feel the pain from his broken bones when he moved. It drove him crazy that he couldn't do much with the bandages and casts on him. He leaned back on his pillow more. He wished that Aqua was there to help kill his boredom. He hadn't heard from her since the day he was attacked. As he lied there, he wondered if she was okay. Suddenly, he heard footsteps enter into the room. They got louder as they approached. From behind the curtain, he saw Aqua's parents come into his sight. He was surprised that if anyone came to visit, it would be them. Aqua's father stayed back as her mother pulled up a chair by his bed. The scowl on her face was clear for anyone to see. She placed her purse in her lap and opened her eyes toward him. "This has to end now. I want you to stay away from Aqua."

He gave her a look of confusion. "Why?"

Aqua's mother frowned more. "Why not?" She waved her hand around. "There are plenty of other girls out there. Pick one of them."

Vanitas smirked toward her. "I'm not really used to being told no. So why does she have to be off limits?"

She baled her fist against her purse. "Because she is our daughter! She's…"

Vanitas frowned toward her, upset. "Too good for me as you put it. You made that clear."

Aqua's mother shook her head as she breathed out. She didn't understand it. "I don't know why she's so obsessed with you! She's…"

"You ever think that she can make her own decision and that she might be right?"

Aqua's mother grew angry. "Leave her now!"

Vanitas arched his eyebrow. "And what if I do? Won't Aqua be mad at you for this?"

Aqua's mother searched inside of her purse and pulled out a book. "Listen. Tell Aqua nothing about this. If you leave her…" Vanitas looked over curious to see what she was up to. Aqua's mother gave him a serious look. "I'll make it worth your while. Whatever you want."

Vanitas looked at her with interest. He couldn't help but smirk. "Anything I want?"

"Whatever you want," Aqua's mother assured him. "Just name it."

"If you really mean that, then I want your daughter." He knew saying that would make her just as angry again. It amused him.

Aqua's mother sighed in frustration. "Then we can settle this in another way. Name your price." Vanitas was surprised that she was willing to sink that low.

Even her husband was surprised at her persistent. "Honey! You can't be serious-!"

She looked back at her husband angry and determined. "I am very serious! We need to protect her!" Her husband pressed his lips together tightly. Then, she turned her attention back to Vanitas. "I see you need a little help in deciding. I'm sure medical expenses will be tough for your family to handle with both you and your brother." Vanitas's eyes traveled down. He knew she had a point. "How does this much sound?" Aqua's mother handed him her checkbook with a number already written down. Vanitas looked surprised. Even Xehanort hadn't given him that much in one lump sum. He was surprised that she was willing to pay so much. "I see. If that's not enough for you, then I'm sure we can raise the price. How about one hundred thousand?"

He stared at her as he looked serious. He wasn't about to give in to her. "No."

She was surprised at first, but then got upset again. "Fine! Don't like the price too much! My final offer is two hundred and fifty thousand! You could do whatever you want with it. You could take care of your family with it."

Vanitas and Aqua's father were surprised by her offer especially since Aqua's father would have to pay for it. Vanitas gave her a serious look. "If I took that offer, then Aqua would never forgive me. My answer is still no."

Aqua's mother became more frustrated. "Why are you making this hard?! What? You want more money from us?! Are you trying to take advantage of the situation?!"

"No. I don't want anything from you but to just accept that we're together."

"Just find some other girl! There are plenty of them out there and with money, they'll be there at your disposal," she tried to convince him.

"But what about Aqua? You have to decide for her who she should be with."

Aqua's mother stood up. "Listen. I will write a check and you will stay away from Aqua." She finished writing and placed the check on the dresser next to his bed. Vanitas looked away from her. Aqua's mother stood up and arched her eyebrow toward him. "I trust you will do what I asked or our deal is off." After she left, her husband followed behind her.

Aqua's eyes traveled down, stunned and angry over what she just heard. Her fists baled against the table. Vanitas watched her reaction. Then, she lifted her head. "Vanitas. I think you should've taken the money."

He was surprised by her response. It wasn't the answer he expected. He gave her a confused look. "Weren't you listening? She wanted to pay me to leave you."

"Exactly! If you took the money and made her believe you did, then we could use it together." She sighed and shook her head frustrated. "I can't believe she would have stooped so low," she muttered.

Vanitas crossed his arms. "I thought you would've been upset if I took the money."

Aqua slammed her fist against the table. "No! I wouldn't have! She had no right to-!"

Vanitas leaned back in his chair as he smirked. "Who said I didn't?"

Aqua blinked, surprised. "What?"

He shrugged as his eyes rolled up and to the side. "Well… she really didn't give me a chance to give it back… and it did come in handy..." Vanitas smirked as he looked at her. " And...I never really promised her anything either..."

Aqua closed her eyes as she shook her head. "I just… can't believe my mother did that."

Vanitas was amused as he thought. "I'm actually surprised at you. I wasn't sure about telling you about the money."

Aqua breathed out. "I'm still not happy about it…"

"Yeah. The woman can be a real witch huh?" Aqua looked surprised. Vanitas shrugged. "What? You want me to call her the other word? Replace one of the letters?"

She sighed, just relieved that he was back. Then, she lifted her eyes to him, concerned. "Can I ask you one more thing?"

Curious, Vanitas stared at her. "Yeah?"

"While you were in the hospital...did Ven wake up...?" Apart of her was afraid that the answer would be no, but she had to know.

Vanitas sighed with his eyes closed. Then, he stared at her as he looked serious. "Yes."

Aqua pressed her hand to his chest as she breathed a heavy sigh of relief. "That's good to hear... I'm glad." When she lifted her head, she noticed the expression on his face. "What is it?"

"Nothing," he replied. "You can try and contact him. Maybe he would actually talk to you now."

Aqua became curious and concerned. "But what about you?"

"He hates me more now than before."

Aqua shook her head. She was sure that wasn't the case. "He doesn't hate you."

"When I went to see him, that's when he woke up. I told him about what happened and why he was attacked. After that, he wanted nothing else to do with me."

Aqua's eyes lowered, sad. "I'm sorry..." She didn't want their relationship to end because of what happened. She shook her head. "But it wasn't your fault."

"It was because they went after me. They wanted to make their message clear." Vanitas still noticed the saddened look on her face. "I thought you would be happy to hear about him being awake."

Her fingers curved more tense in her lap. "I am, but..." she whispered. "...The two of you are brothers, you grew up together...you-."

He didn't want her to dwell on it much longer. "It's fine. Just be glad that he made it out alive."

Aqua noticed the deadpanned tone of his voice and emotionless look on his face. It concerned her that he didn't care, but she couldn't help but think that deep down, it did affect him that his brother wanted nothing to do with him. She wanted to know how he truly felt and be there for him. "Vanitas-?"

Vanitas tilted his head back and breathed out as he rubbed his face with his hands. "You really know how to bring down the mood. Just be grateful that we're both still here, all right?"

"All right." In response, Aqua nodded. For now, she would leave it alone. In the meantime, she would focus on the good. They were back together again.

Then, Vanitas smiled slyly, interested. "So? How much did you miss me?"

Gently, she smiled at him, happy. "More than you know."

Vanitas glanced at the sky and noticed that it was going to get dark soon. He stood up. "I better go."

Aqua looked up at him, anxious. She didn't want him to go yet. "Wait! Where are you off to?"

Vanitas turned his head back toward her. "I'm going back to my apartment."

The news surprised her that he was nearby. "You got an apartment?"

He nodded. "Yeah."

Aqua stood up and smiled. "Mind if I come with you to see it?"

Vanitas rubbed the back of his head, a little uneasy. "Sure. If you want." Aqua picked up her stuff and walked along with him. Vanitas looked over at Aqua beside him. "It took forever to find you. If it wasn't for those three girls and even the red head, I wouldn't have found you."

Aqua looked at him curious with her fingers to her chin. "Three girls and a red head…" she muttered to herself.

"Those three girls you always hung around with in high school and Sora's girl. Whatever their names are."

"Oh! You mean Yuna, Rikku, Paine, and Kairi." She smiled and made a mental note to thank them later for this. Then, another thought came to mind. "How come you have an apartment here?"

"It's a ways off, but I'm going to school now. Not yours, but one nearby," he answered.

"That's convenient." Since he was nearby, it made her hopeful that they spend more time together. After some time, they arrived outside of his apartment building. All of a sudden, they heard a meow. Aqua and Vanitas's eyes traveled down. A stray cat rubbed against Vanitas's leg. He kneeled down and stared at the cat. "Yeah yeah... I know." He reached into his jacket and pulled out a bag. He dropped some food on the ground.

Aqua looked curious. "A friend of yours?"

The cat rubbed his head against Vanitas's hand before he turned his attention to his food. "Yeah. This little guy wouldn't leave me alone. It started out here and then he started sneaking into my apartment through my window. Guess that's what happens when you feed them. I don't know why they come to me…"

Aqua smiled in awe. It was a sweet moment. Afterwards, they went inside. Vanitas rubbed the back of his head as Aqua looked inside curious. It was a small apartment that seemed worn down and old. As Aqua looked around, she began to worry. Her last stop was toward the window. She looked down at the neighborhood. "This…doesn't seem like a friendly place."

Vanitas stepped in behind her. "Well. It was the best I could do with the job I have and having to pay for everything. I didn't want to live in one of those dorm rooms. Still... might be better than this." She turned around to him, concerned. He could tell by the look on her face what she was thinking. "Don't worry. It's a legal job."

Aqua looked concerned. "Are you sure you want to stay here?"

"What else can I do?" Aqua sighed as she thought that he needed a better place than this. "So where are you staying?"

Aqua snapped out her thoughts to answer his question. "My parents got me an apartment near campus."

He smirked. "Figured as much. Rich girl."

Aqua pouted toward him, but then an idea came to mind. "Hey! You wanna come see it?"

Vanitas nodded. "Sure." He planned on walking her back regardless. He followed her back through campus and made it to her one bedroom apartment. When he stepped inside, he was impressed. It was very nice, spacious, and clean. There was a kitchen behind the living room and her bedroom on the left next to a closet. He walked around and searched through all of her apartment. He met her back at the front door where she waited. "Wow! They really fixed you up with something nice."

Aqua nodded. "Yeah."

He smirked a little toward her. "So…? Do I get to see you again?" he joked.

At first, his question caught her by surprise. Of course, she wanted to see him again, more than anything. She reached over and grabbed onto his hand with both of hers. A sincere look came to her eyes as she lifted them up to him. "What are you talking about? Of course."

Vanitas walked in closer to her, which she stepped back. Her back hit the door. Vanitas leaned his arm against the wall as he cornered Aqua. "What I want to know is what you would do when you saw me again?"

Aqua's body grew more anxious. "What do you mean?"

Vanitas gave a half smirk, half smile. "I just wanna see where we stand now."

Aqua stared into his eyes. He had to know that she still wanted to be with him after everything they've been through. Vanitas backed away to give her space and to see what she would do next. "So? You want to know what I would do if I saw you again? If I still want to be with you?" Vanitas remained silent as he looked serious. "Then let's start over."

Vanitas smirked. "All right…" He decided to play along. "It's been a while since-." Aqua walked over and wrapped her arms around his neck. She pulled him into a deep, open mouth kiss. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in closer. The kiss between them turned fierce. All of their want and need pulled into one embrace. She walked forward as he walked back. He felt his back hit the couch. She leaned in closer to him. He could feel her body rub against his. It made both of them more anxious. Her hand slid behind his neck while the other slipped into his shirt. Even after lying in a hospital bed for a few months, his chest and stomach still felt hard and well-toned. A smirk crossed his lips as they embraced. He didn't think she would be this happy to see him again…

After some time, the two laid next to each other, curled against the couch. Aqua brushed her hand against Vanitas's cheek as his eyes were closed. "Vanitas?"

"Hm?" He opened his eyes and glanced toward her window. He let out a sigh. "It's already dark out." He sat up and scratched the back of his head with his eyes closed. "I guess I better get going."

Aqua glanced toward the window. She felt the time between them was too short, plus she was worried about him walking alone. She knew that he was capable of taking care of himself, but she still couldn't help but feel worried. Then, a thought came to mind. She turned her head back to him. "You could…stay here tonight if you want."

Vanitas tilted his head a little. "Really?"

Aqua nodded as she let out a smile. "For once, we'll get to stay together without worrying about our parents coming in."

It was funny to Vanitas that they got what they wanted. "You're right."

Aqua grinned. They could spend more time together. She stood up from the couch and placed her hands behind her back. It was hard to contain her excitement. "I'll get everything ready and if you're not busy, we could spend tomorrow together too." Vanitas smirked and stood up from the couch. He followed behind her.

Later that night, Aqua lied on her side. Suddenly, she closed her eyes tight as she felt something moving beside her. When she glanced back, she noticed Vanitas with his eyes closed tight as his body shook. She turned toward him and placed her hand against his forehead. Afterwards, his body calmed down as his breathing started to slow down. She looked down at him concerned. She wondered what he was dreaming about...

The next day, Aqua stepped toward the door as Vanitas grabbed onto the doorknob. She glanced down before she looked at him. "Vanitas…?" He looked back at her curious. She looked concerned. "Were you okay… sleeping last night?"

A confused look appeared on his face. "Yeah? Why?"

Aqua thought about telling him what she saw, but then she shook her head and smiled toward him. "Never mind! It's nothing." Vanitas stared at her for a few more seconds until he decided to let it go. "Will I see you again?" she asked, jokingly.

Vanitas smirked a little. "I guess you can."

A few nights later, she felt him stir beside her again. She woke up and looked behind her. "Huh?" A concerned look came on her face. Beside her, Vanitas had his eyes closed tight as his head tossed and turned frantically. His body was drenched in sweat. It seemed as if he was trapped in a bad nightmare. She placed her hand against his arm and shook him. "Vanitas?" He didn't wake up. She called for him again, concerned. All of a sudden, his hand darted toward her neck. On edge, she reacted quickly by placing her arm in front of her. His hand grabbed onto her arm and squeezed tightly, which made her wince in pain. She struggled to pull his hand away. "Vanitas! Stop it! You have to wake up! Vanitas!" His body jolted awake as his eyes shot open. Quickly, he flipped her back onto the bed. For a moment, she closed her eyes tight before she looked up at him, afraid. "Vanitas! Snap out of it!" Vanitas tuned back into reality. Below him, he saw the worried look on her face. His eyes widened. He realized that he was still squeezing Aqua's arm. He could see the painful look on her face. Suddenly, his hand pressed against his chest as he closed his eyes tight. He pressed down on his teeth as he groaned in pain. Slowly, he moved beside her. A worried look came on her face. "What's wrong?!" He didn't answer. Instead, his breaths remained heavy. Hurriedly, she reached for her phone. "Hold on. I'll-." Then, she felt him grab onto her hand that held her phone. She turned her head back to him. Against her better judgement, she listened to his silent request. Her arms wrapped around him. Eventually, he relaxed against her as he fell into darkness.

Later, he felt something soft against him. Slowly, he opened his eyes through the darkness. The room was lit with sunlight. Inside, he was surprised. How many hours had passed since he was last awake? "Are you all right?" When his eyes traveled over, he saw Aqua who sat beside him with a book in her hand. There was a concerned look on her face. He sat back on the bed and ran his fingers through his bangs as he placed his head down. He buried his face within his hands. She placed her book on the side of her. "What happened? Last night, it looked like you were having a really bad nightmare. Then, you passed out after you looked like you were in a lot of pain. I wanted to take you to a hospital, but you wouldn't let me. What if last night could've been worse?"

Vanitas stared down serious. "I'm fine."

"No you're not! This isn't the first time. The other night you were the same way." Aqua looked confused, but concerned. "What were you dreaming about?"

His eyes didn't lift to meet hers. He hoped that she would drop the subject. "Nothing."

Aqua breathed out. "I know something's wrong, otherwise, you wouldn't have attacked me in your sleep." She pressed her fist to her chest. "It's not good to keep it inside."

Vanitas looked at her curious. He noticed the tired look on her face and that she was still awake when he woke up. "Have you slept at all?"

Aqua closed her eyes as she placed her hand over her left eye and sighed. She could feel her tiredness start to get to her. "No... Don't worry. I'm used to it by now with all the nights I had to stay up to study."

He glanced over at her before he noticed the time on the clock. "Aren't you missing a class or something? I thought you couldn't."

Aqua looked concerned. "Don't worry. I'm sure that I can get a make-up test. Besides, I had to make sure you were all right so I stayed. I'll stay as long as you need to me. You're more important." Vanitas looked over at her surprised. "So please…? Tell me what you were dreaming about?"

Vanitas's eyes traveled along the bed. Since she stayed for him, he felt a little more open to tell her. "It started in the hospital." Aqua looked at him curious. Vanitas thought back to when the nightmares first started. "In my dream, he came back for me…to finish me off." Every time he would have the dream, it brought him back to the moment when he was shot. He could still see everything that happened to him clearly in his mind. "It's been haunting me ever since. Now the dreams would come back every once in a while, but now, I'm not sure why they're coming back again."

Aqua looked concerned. "Is it the same man…that shot you?"

Vanitas nodded. "Yeah." His eyes lowered. "I told you before. I'm sure if those guys knew I was still alive, they would make sure that I was dead."

Suddenly, he felt a hand grab his. Vanitas glanced down at the hand before he saw the determined look on Aqua's face. "I won't let them hurt you again. If anyone comes, we'll be ready."

Vanitas's eyes widened. The words she spoke caused memories of the past to come to mind. Even back then, she stood by him and tried to keep him safe. Even when he was close to death, she stood by him. It finally dawned on him. No matter what, she meant what she said. She cared about him and would stay by his side. An amused smirk appeared on his lips. "Fine…" he said to himself.

Aqua blinked surprised. "Huh?"

Vanitas grabbed her hand and pulled her onto his lap. He smirked at her. "You're a stubborn woman."

Aqua pouted toward him. "You're one to talk…"

His hand ran along her sides as he looked up at her. "You would really do that for me?"

"To make sure you're safe, yes." She placed her hand against his chest. "Are you sure you're all right? You really did look like you were in a lot of pain."

He took her hand off of his chest. His arms wrapped around her waist. "You've been waiting this whole time." His eyes traveled to the side as he thought back. "I almost didn't come back." Aqua stared at him worried. "I thought by now you would've moved on, but I had to see for myself if I was right." He leaned his forehead against her chest. "For a second, I had died and I saw a light. I almost went toward it. I thought it would've been better if I had died…" He lifted his head to her. "…I wondered if anyone would've cared if I had. I wondered if you would have."

Aqua pressed her hand against her chest. "Of course I would!"

He smirked a little at her. "I'm still here, ain't I? I didn't go through all of that pain for nothing."

Her hands brushed against the sides of his face. There was a look of relief on her face. "I'm glad you're still here." He stared at her for a second, before he reached down and grabbed the edges of her shirt. He began to pull it up from her stomach. Surprised, she looked at him. "What are you doing?"

"Thanking you." He leaned in and pressed his lips against the skin of her neck. Inside, she was surprised at him. The tips of her fingers grazed against her jawline. He leaned in toward her ear. "Since you missed something for me, let me make this worth your time." Her eyes lowered to a close as she sighed. She tilted her head to the side toward his lips. Lightly, he grasped at her earlobe. His other hand slid against her lower back toward her hips and pressed her body closer to his.

The two met face to face again. She tilted her head down toward him as he looked up. Her eyebrows furrowed a little. "Are you just saying that to get me right where you want me…?"

Vanitas smirked, slightly devious. "That might be part of it too. You wanted me to tell you what was going on and I get punished for it anyway." He let out a sigh and buried his face in her chest. "I just can't win with you…"

His words stunned her. "Now wait a minute! I usually can't win with you. You do whatever you want to anyway!" Underneath her, she heard him snicker. She let out a frown. "Are you making fun of me?"

"No…never." He continued to snicker.

Aqua pouted. "I don't believe you for a one second…"

After Vanitas relaxed, he snuggled his face more in her bosom where it felt warm and soft. As he thought about the two of them, there was no more doubt in his mind. A faint smirk curved at his lips. "I guess that's it then," he said lowly.

Confused, she leaned back from him. "What did you say?"

Vanitas straighten out the strands of her blue hair a little over her shoulder. He noticed her hair had gotten longer since he last saw her. Then, his hand pressed on the back of her neck along with her hair. "Nothing." He pulled her into a kiss. Her eyes lowered to a close along with his.

XXX

Both of them breathed out. His tongue brushed against her bottom lip. She relaxed as her hand rubbed his shoulders. His fingers ran up along the strands of her soft, blue hair. He pulled her head back, exposing her neck. As she turned her head, his lips traveled along her jawline and placed a trail of kisses along her neck. The sensation spread throughout her body. His hands slid further along her back side and slipped underneath her shirt. For a moment, they parted as he lifted her shirt over her head before their lips connected once more. She could feel warmth radiating from the skin of his chest and warming her own. Underneath his rough hand, he could feel the soft skin of her arm. He traveled along her arm and grazed the edge of her chest. He placed a kiss on top of her left breast. "It really has been a while…" His tongue glided across her skin which made heat rush to her cheeks. He pushed her body up with his hips. His fingers caressed her left breast as his tongue grazed the right. A slight smirk at his lips. "Just as sweet as I remember."

A sigh left her lips as her eyes lowered to a close. More, her body ached for him to continue. He removed her shorts and his. He leaned back as she leaned forward. She gave him a surprised look. "What are you doing?"

A devious smirk curved at his lips as he placed his hands behind his head. "Do whatever you want."

A blush went across her cheeks. "What?"

"You have me right where you want me." Vanitas sat up on his elbows. His lips met with hers. "Now, what are you going to do about it?" Aqua was a little surprised. This was a different approach for him. He gave her free range to do what she wanted when usually he wanted to be the dominate one. He leaned and kissed her once more. His hand traveled along her back and grabbed her hips. A smirk curved at his lips. "Don't tell me you haven't thought about it?" No words came to her. Her mind became clouded. More than anything, she wanted to give into him. Her lips met with his in a kiss. Anxious, she adjusted herself on top of him and pressed him inside her. As she closed her, she breathed out. It felt like a long time since they connected like this. She slid back and forth against him. He grabbed onto her hips and thrusted faster into her. A moan escaped from her. Her body felt on a new high. The expression she made caused a faint smirk to appear on his lips. The way she would bite her bottom lip, how she seemed in a world of her own. Pleasure overwhelmed her until it poured out of her. As she breathed heavily, her body slowed to a stop. Tired, she leaned against his chest as she closed her eyes. There was no strength left in her arms to support herself.

A smirk came on his face as he wrapped his arm around her waist. "It hasn't been that long and you're already getting soft on me? The fun just started." He turned them over to where he was over her. Vanitas moved in and tilted her head aside to kiss her neck. "I wasn't finished yet," he whispered seductively. His hands caressed over her body from her chest to her legs. Slowly, his fingers teased between her thighs. She closed her eyes as she breathed out. She could feel the same pleasure build up in her again. He bent her legs at his waist and pressed himself inside of her. Breath escaped his lips as he could feel her insides tighten. She could feel her body overwhelmed with pleasure again. After a few more thrusts, he released. As things slowed thing, they both relaxed. Her eyes lowered to a close. Within seconds, she fell asleep.

Later, Aqua opened her eyes to see that she was surrounded by darkness. When she looked toward the door, she saw light shine in from the crack of her bedroom door. She sat up on her hands. The only thing that covered her body was her blanket. Beside her, the bed was empty. The only one there was her. After she put back on her shirt and shorts, she stepped outside. When she walked into the kitchen, she looked surprised. Vanitas stood near the counter as there was food steaming nearby. He looked out of the corner of his eyes as he noticed someone else walk into the room. "About time. I thought you were going to be asleep for days."

Aqua looked around curious. "What's this?"

"I couldn't wait for you to wake up and make me dinner so I did." She frowned, which he arched his eyebrow. "What? Did you want me to wake you up sooner?"

She poked her finger into his chest. "Who said that I was making you dinner?"

Vanitas let out a proud smirk and placed his hands on the sides of her hips. "I think I deserve it after I helped you get to sleep."

She did feel well rested, but she didn't want to give him the satisfaction that he was right. She turned away from him. "I'll be back. I'm going to take a shower."

He smirked and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Mind if I join you?"

She gave him a dull stare. It was clear to see what he was up to. "I think I better go in myself."

"Oh come on… I'll be on my best behavior."

She crossed her arms. "I don't believe that for a second… It's just so you can get your way again."

He pressed her body closer to her. "So what? I know you'll enjoy it."

She frowned. "No thanks."

Vanitas gave a seductive smirk. "Oh come on…You know we could have fun." He could still see that she wasn't going to give into him. He twirled her blue hair around his finger and leaned in close. "I love those little sounds and faces you make. You don't want to make more for me?" Aqua blinked surprised as she turned to him, which he noticed. "What?"

The surprise never left from her face. "You finally said it. Not the whole thing, but-."

Confusion became written on his face. "What are you talking about?"

"You said love."

He was a little surprised himself. The words just slipped out without thinking. Then, he shrugged. "So?"

Aqua looked surprised. He brushed off as if it was nothing. "So? You can't just-."

Vanitas let out a faint smirk. "Calm down. You got me. I'm all yours."

Her eyebrows furrowed as she searched his expression. "I don't understand."

He let out a half smile. "I didn't think you were going to stick around this long, so I just waited for you to finally give up, but you didn't."

She looked serious as she frowned. "I told you I wouldn't. When will you actually believe when I say-?"

"I love you."

Aqua blinked, surprised. "Huh?" She wasn't sure if he said it to finish her sentence or if he told her how he truly felt.

"You heard what I said." His words left her speechless. "That's what you've been waiting to hear, right?"

She shook her head and looked a little upset. "I don't want you to force it."

"I'm not. I tell you and that's all I get?"

Aqua let out a soft grin. She was glad to finally hear him say the words. She placed a kiss against his lips and placed her hands together behind her. "You're right. I'm sorry."

"Hmm…" Her kiss gave him an idea. A gentle smirk came on his lips.

She gave him a surprised look. "What?"

He leaned in and kissed her lips. "I love you." Instantly, a smile appeared on her face. He could see how much it made her happy. "I love you." He repeated his sweet words and kissed her lips again, this time for much long.

Her eyes searched his as the feeling of affection grew in her chest. "I love you."

He moved in closer to her which made her step back. Her finger grabbed onto the edge of the counter and she leaned against it. He left no distance between them. Beside them, his hand reached over and turned off the stove. There was a calm, serious look on his face. He leaned forward and pressed her lips against hers. Their eyes lowered to a close. He pressed his body close to her, which caused a sigh to leave his lips. His hand caressed along her back as she placed her hands at his waist.

Minutes later, heavy breaths left from Vanitas. On the bed, he sat back on his knees as his hands let go of her hips. His chest rose up and down as sweat rolled down his body. Tired, he flipped over onto his back beside her as she lied on her front. He could hear her breaths softly beside him. She leaned her head against her arms that were crossed in front of her as she looked over at him. He placed his hand behind his head as the other rested on his stomach and he bent his leg up. What he experienced with her was passionate and intense. "I don't think... I can get up."

Aqua gave a faint smirk and grabbed his hand. "Well… it wouldn't have happened if you would have let me shower in the first place." He smirked back at her. She pulled him along as she got up. "Come on." Listening, he got up.

Aqua closed her eyes as her hand slid against the back of her neck. She let the warm water hit her skin. Vanitas stepped into the shower. As he watched the calm look on her face, the same thought crossed him again. His eyes lowered toward the floor. After making up his mind, he stepped in behind her and wrapped his arms around her, which surprised her a little. "Hm?" His head leaned against her shoulder. She looked back only to see his dark hair. She gave him a teasing smile. "I can't really shower if you don't let my arms go."

His eyes traveled toward the side. "My heart was damaged."

Stunned to hear the news, she turned to him. "What?" she whispered.

As he looked down, he pressed his hand against his chest. "They managed to fix it. Sometimes I do have trouble breathing. The doctors checked, but they didn't think it had anything to do with that. Usually that happens when those dreams come back."

Aqua looked concerned. "Maybe it's because of the memory of that night. You had a near death experience." She shook her head a little. "That's not something you can just get over."

Vanitas sighed. "That's what they said…"

She pressed her hand against his chest. "Why didn't you tell me this?"

Vanitas rolled his eyes to the side. "Because I didn't want you to make a big deal out of it." She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his face a little closer. "Ow! Watch it!"

Aqua let out a pout. "I am going to make a big deal out of it because I want you to be okay. I care about what happens to you." Her eyes gazed into his. "I love you." She let out a smile toward him.

It made him more at ease. "I love you."

It made her happy to hear him say it again. She turned around from him and he began to wash her back. She let out a smile. "You're not going to get me again."

He gave a faint smirk. "I could if I wanted to…" He breathed out with his eyes closed. "…but I think you've had enough for now."

She looked back at him as she arched her eyebrow. "Really? For my sake?" She turned around and pressed her body closer to his. "I might have one more left in me…" Seeing that he didn't jump at the chance, she poked him in the chest as she gave a sly smirk. "You wore yourself out. Didn't you?"

He rolled his eyes. "Like you didn't."

She grinned. "I say let's just spend a quiet night together."

His hand slipped through her hair to the back of her neck. "If that's what you want, it's fine with me." She mirrored his smirk.

Later that night, the two sat in the kitchen and ate before they lied on the couch together with the television in the background. "I'm glad you know..." He sat up on his elbow behind her with his arm wrapped around her waist. She turned her head to him. "That you told me everything. That you told me how you felt." Her hand caressed his face. "I want you to be open with me."

He smirked, amused. "I really have gone soft…" His face softened toward her. "But you got me. I'm all yours."

She smiled. "And I'm all yours."

Thanks for reading! I'll be back to update soon!