Disclaimer: not mine

Chapter 9

Riku held Sora close, gently stroking his back. He believed the dream had been real, Sora somehow reaching out to him, he had to believe it. and if it was real then…then Sora loved him, wanted to be with him. He pressed a kiss to his forehead before nuzzling him. He kissed his lips carefully, staring into glassy blue eyes. "I'm here Sora, I won't give up on you," Sora had said he could hear him so he would speak to him as often as he could, to give Sora something to hold onto and hopefully guide him back.

His hand dropped to Sora's stomach, stroking the growing bulge. "You're doing wonderfully, our pups are safe with you." As far as he was concerned, they were their pups, as much Sora's as his, even if that wasn't how it worked. "They need you Sora, who else will teach them about humans? I need you. Please Sora, wake up." He took his hand in his, squeezing his fingers. "Please Sora, try to move, something," he begged but there was no reaction. He buried his head in wild brown hair, breathing in Sora's scent, fighting tears, and then he froze. Was that…he squeezed Sora's fingers again, holding his breath as he waited. "Please…" had he imagined that?

He choked on a laugh of relief as he felt Sora's fingers twitch against his own.

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Xion curled against Roxas as he finished explaining everything. A human who saved a Siren from other humans? It all sounded so impossible. And now Axel was off searching for someone he'd met once as a pup who might know a way to give the human back his mind… all of this for strangers they never should have met, stupid Saïx! And it had made her miss Roxas' season which was frustrating because they wouldn't sync up now. it felt strange, Roxas was an adult now, would things ever be the same between them? Would he still…would he still want to be her mate?

He nuzzled at her gently. "It'll be okay," he promised. "We're free to have our own pod now, to live how we want. Riku…he's really nice but there's so much he doesn't know because of how young he was when taken."

"He nearly killed Xigbar," she whispered.

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"Because he was keeping him from Sora. Even without being mates or anything, he's so devoted to him. It's killing Riku to have Sora like he is now. He didn't mean to scare you, we're all on edge with Axel gone and Sora carrying pups," Roxas explained. He held her gently and she felt so…small. Was this how Axel had felt when he'd become an adult when they had still been pups? "Come on, come meet them," he gently tugged her towards the surface and she hesitated but went with him.

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Xion immediately saw….Riku with a human cradled against his chest, a clawed hand ever so gently running over fragile skin. The human lay pliant in his arms, wearing an expression she had seen so many times. He didn't so much as glance their way, utterly focused on the Siren holding him.

Riku looked over at them. "I'm sorry if I scared you before," he spoke up before she could say anything.

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"Aqua!"

She turned to see Ven rushing her way, catching him easily, ruffling messy blond spikes. "Calm down," she smiled at her pup.

"Naminé's gone!"

"What?" she asked in confusion.

"She went looking for more shells and now she's gone, I can't find her anywhere!" he was panicking, and now she was worried too. Naminé knew better than to wander too far. "Find Ienzo and Demyx, I'll tell Terra," she told him, and he nodded, taking off as fast as he could swim.

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Every night he went to sleep, he hoped to find Sora in his dreams again, to see those bright blue eyes and smile once more. Every night there was nothing, the movement in his fingers that day had given Riku hope but there'd been nothing since. It was hard to hold on to hope but he kept talking to Sora, letting him know what was going on, how well their pups were growing inside of him, anything he could think of to give Sora an anchor.

He curled up, falling slowly asleep and then warm hands were caressing his skin. He opened his eyes to find Sora smiling at him softly. "Sora," he choked out, wrapping his arms around him.

"It's okay Riku," Sora leant in and kissed him before cuddling up against him.

Riku let his human hand run up and down Sora's back, enjoying being able to touch him without worrying about hurting him. "I miss you."

"I'm still here," Sora promised, head resting over his heart.

Riku didn't get his fascination with listening to his heartbeat but it made things feel normal. His hand moved to Sora's hair and he smiled as Sora hummed happily in reaction. "You moved your fingers a few days ago," he murmured. "Like you were trying to hold my hand."

"Really?" Sora lifted his head and grinned.

"You…you didn't know?" Did that mean this wasn't real? No, it had to be.

"I can't feel anything," Sora answered. "I can hear you, I'm aware of our pups growing in me, but nothing else. Like I'm locked in the dark," he took a shaky breath, and Riku tightened his grip.

"It's okay, I'm here," he promised, gently nudging Sora's head up to kiss him. "I…I love you," he whispered, and Sora smiled at him.

"Love you," he returned, kissing him.

"It hurts so much Sora," he choked out.

"What does?" Sora asked, worried.

"Seeing you like…I hate having to make you do things."

"It's okay Riku," Sora sat up, leaning over him. "We talked about this before, I know you won't do anything to hurt me. You're looking after me and to do that you have to make me do things. I trust you."

"I just want you back," he reached up to brush an errant spike of hair back of Sora's face. He then rested his hand over Sora's flat stomach. "They're growing well," he assured him.

"Good," Sora grinned. "I can't wait to meet them."

How could Sora be so optimistic? If Sora hadn't felt his fingers move then maybe it had just been a misfiring nerve or something. What if the occasional dream was all he'd ever have of the real Sora?

Sora leant down and kissed him gently. "Don't Riku, just be here with me."

He nodded and pulled Sora back down, holding him.

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Terra lunged, the other Siren dodging away, and then hands were held out.

"Whoa! I'm not looking for trouble," the redhead shook his head, and there was something vaguely familiar about him. "You're Terra, right? I'm Axel, we met once, when I was a pup."

He frowned, thinking back. "Xemnas' pod," that was not good.

But Axel shook his head. "Not anymore, got our own tiny pod and that's why I was looking for you, well Aqua."

"Oh?" he asked warily.

"I remember the stories she told and, well…" the younger Siren shifted nervously. "We found a young Siren with a human; he was kidnapped by humans and but this human rescued him. They're cutely in love but Sora…Riku couldn't keep them apart when he hit his first season."

The redhead was practically babbling and probably leaving a lot out. No wonder he'd come looking for Aqua though. Though for this human to have been lost then he would have had to have been subjected to…Riku's song at some point before. And yet Axel claimed they were in love?

"Normally she'd agree but we've got trouble, I'm sorry."

"Trouble? Can I help?"

Terra hesitated but then sighed. "It's Naminé, we can't find her anywhere."

Axel's eyes widened. "How can I help?" he asked without hesitation, something Terra wouldn't expect from a Siren from a different pod. And one from Xemnas' pod?

He did not remember that Siren fondly at all, no, there had been something about him… Axel seemed genuine though and he could remember the pups who had hung around, begging for stories, he'd been one of them. Could they trust Axel?

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Roxas smiled as he watched his pups playing happily. They couldn't really communicate yet, too young, but they were developing personalities. He still didn't know what to call them yet, there was one girl and one boy. The boy had black hair and looked like him mostly, the girl had lighter hair but still darker than his own, closer to Sora's in colour. They'd need names soon but he just didn't know…he'd have to ask Xion for help with that.

Xion…he'd missed her so much but now she was there and…things were different. It felt like she was pulling away from him and it hurt. They'd been the best of friends all their lives, had planned things out to always be together. If he hadn't asked to go with the scouting group…then again who knew what would have happened to Sora and Riku if he hadn't. Was their relationship worth more than two lives? Maybe things would get better once she had her season and was able to consider things from an adult viewpoint. He loved her, didn't he? He'd loved her before, as his closest friend, maybe that wasn't going to change how they'd always thought it would, into the love of mates.

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Even so focused on Sora, he could see that things between Roxas and Xion were…uneasy. Was it his fault because Roxas had stayed to help him and Sora? Axel had said the two had planned to be together, which means they would have planned to spend their first season together, with Xion carrying their pups. Would she want to stay now or would she leave to return to her pod or even find a new one? He felt bad about it, what had happened hadn't been Roxas' fault at all, he shouldn't be punished for staying to help.

He looked down, feeling something, seeing Sora's fingers twitch weakly. "You moved," he told Sora. "Your fingers twitched again. Is this just something your body's doing or are you actually managing to move? I wish…" he sighed. "I'm worried about Roxas, Xion's here but things don't seem right between them. I wish I could help but I don't know how. I scared Xion when she first showed up, I didn't mean to, but I didn't know who she was. I wish Axel would get back; he knows them best. What would you do? Not like I know anything about how to talk to others and stuff, you're the first person, human or Siren, that I've tried to communicate with in forever. Talking to you is so easy, everyone else is hard."

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Axel swam back to the pods sleeping area with Demyx, not sure what he thought of the other Siren. He was definitely chatty but he seemed genuinely worried about Naminé. They'd seen no sign of her, hopefully the others had. She'd been a tiny thing, so had Ventus, when the small pod had run into theirs. He saw Terra and Aqua were already there, it'd be impossible to forget her very distinctive blue hair. She nodded at him, giving a small smile, so Terra must have told her he'd shown up.

"Anything?" she asked the whole group as a young blond, had to be Ventus, and another young pup showed up, with strangely styled steel-blue hair and bright aqua coloured eyes, well eye since one was hidden by his hair. Everyone soon answered in the negative.

Axel considered things, it was very unlikely, wasn't it? But the nearest landmass with humans was the same one that Sora lived on. Was it possible that the humans who had kept Riku had gone looking for another Siren?

"Axel?" Aqua asked.

"It's a thin theory but…a Siren was recently rescued from humans who had kept him basically his whole life. From what Riku said, they might go looking for someone to take his place. Sora said the people were something called scientists, humans who study things to work out how things work, make medicine, things like that."

"How does this Sora know so much about humans?" Aqua asked.

"Because…he is one. He saved Riku from the other humans, gave him a safe place to heal and learn to live in the ocean. Sora's why I was looking for you." He took a deep breath and quickly explained what had happened and Sora's current condition. "If humans did take Naminé, if they're the same ones that took Riku, then Sora would know where to go."

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A Siren and Human in love? She glanced at Terra, well, it wasn't the first time. That a human had turned on his own kind to save one of them... that was a new one. If humans had captured Naminé then this pod may be their only chance to save her. Except there was only one way to give Sora his mind back… in the end the decided to spread the search further for a few days before joining Axel in returning to his new home.

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Roxas sat with Sora, talking to him gently, even though he knew Sora couldn't understand him. Riku insisted that Sora could hear him but even if he was right, that didn't mean he could actually hear and wasn't just able to hear Riku cause he spoke into his mind. He hoped Riku was right, that there was something of Sora still holding on to his own self.

Xion was in the cove, she'd wanted time alone, again. She seemed…spooked by Sora but she'd seen humans in his condition before, kept in caves even since they couldn't breathe under water. Was it the way they treated him that made her uncomfortable? He'd never thought she was anti-human but it had never really come up. He refused to treat Sora how humans had been treated by their pod though and he knew Riku would kill anyone who tried. Things just…weren't working out the way he'd hoped when he'd stayed.

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Xion drifted near the rocks that enclosed the cove, cutting them off from the open water. She knew Riku was just passed them, hunting for the whole group. He'd apologised for scaring her that day but…something about him just made her nervous. And Roxas was…different, more than having gone through his first season to hit maturity. She'd seen him with the human…Sora. He'd never paid attention to the humans their pod used and yet this one he was treating like it was a person when it wasn't, not anymore. He seemed to think that they could make a new pod with them.

She'd seen the two pups that Axel had carried for him and they were adorable, but they weren't hers and that hurt. It was meant to have been them, together. They were going to be mates and now…now she wasn't so sure. Maybe once she'd gone through her own first season it would feel right again. She hoped so, otherwise she'd left behind safety for a pod she'd never truly fit in.

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Riku ran his hands through Sora's hair, very gently scratching his scalp, making sure there were no tangles. "Can you feel that? Got to keep your hair from getting all knotted. You look incredible Sora," one hand moved to stroke his stomach. "I wish you could see. Our pups will be ready soon. I've seen the process, it shouldn't hurt, I don't know if you'll feel anything." He hoped it wouldn't hurt anyway, he didn't want Sora to be in pain.

"I love you Sora, please come back to me. Please," he begged. He pressed a soft kiss to slack lips. "Wake up."

Like always, there was no reaction. Sora stared up at him adoringly, eyes empty. Riku looked away at the splash of someone surfacing, seeing Xion.

"Roxas said someone's coming, more than one," she told him.

Riku nodded and Sora stood, leaving the water to hide in the shadows to keep him safe. Once he was concealed, Riku dove, Xion following him through the tunnel and into the cove where they met Roxas at the entrance to their territory. Well, technically, they'd spread the markers beyond the cove for hunting grounds, but the cove was the heart of their territory.

Roxas nodded, tense, ready to defend their home and his pups, but then he relaxed as the sound of a Siren calling reached them, Xion relaxing too. "It's Axel, he must have found them!" Roxas grinned.

Riku nodded, relieved, though still wary about whoever might be with him. He ducked out of the cove to see, spotting Axel's familiar vibrant colours and then…did she really have blue hair?

"Found them!" Axel smirked but then sobered. "And there's a problem. But first, Aqua and Terra, this is Riku."

Riku studied the two older Sirens warily. Terra was…big, Aqua was a lot smaller, almost delicate, but something told him he didn't want to get into a fight with her. With them were two pups, and another adult, a wiry blond.

"That's Demyx and these are Ventus and Ienzo," Terra introduced them.

Riku nodded, unsure what he was meant to do. He glanced at Axel who swam to his side. "Xion arrived while you were gone," he told him, and Axel grinned.

"Good."

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Aqua watched the younger Siren, seeing how tense and…unsure he was. It was like he had no idea how he should greet a visiting pod and if what Axel had told them was true then he wouldn't. He'd be missing so much they all took for granted…just like Terra, but he had learnt and Riku could as well.

At Axel's call, two more Siren's appeared and she was surprised by how much the male looked like Ventus. Ven and Naminé were the only pups she'd carried that season because of what Terra had been going through, and of their pups since, none had remained. So how could they look so much alike? They must share family somewhere along the line. The girl was still a pup, with short black hair and bright blue eyes, and she tucked herself close to Axel which seemed to make the other newcomer sad.

"This is Xion, and that's Roxas," Axel introduced them, running his fingers through her hair.

Aqua smiled at the girl. "Hello."

The pup didn't respond, pressing closer to Axel, who seemed surprised and a bit worried.

Aqua looked back to Riku. "Axel thinks we can help each other," she told him. "Our other pup, Naminé, has gone missing."

"She just vanished Riku, and I'm sure I picked up vague traces from a human…boat," Axel spoke up, and Riku's eyes went wide.

"You think she was taken to replace me," he swallowed hard, hands curling into fists. "If they did, we have no way to reach her. The trip here took days by human vehicle and Sora's in no condition to make that trip, even if he wasn't carrying pups."

Aqua nodded, with his mind gone he'd have to be told to do everything, which would mean Riku somehow going and it just wouldn't work. The only way she knew to free him would also make it impossible. "Was he alone when he rescued you?"

Riku shook his head. "But they won't help, not with Sora like this."

Aqua sighed. "There is a way to free him, he'd be completely free," she told them, seeing Roxas and Axel perk up, but Riku was watching her warily.

"But?" he asked, obviously realising there was a price to pay.

She glanced at Terra who nodded. "He will be your mate, Riku, so you have to be sure this is what you would both want. And…he will be one of us, without him being able to communicate or understand…this will be your decision. Would he want to be one of us?"

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Riku reeled in shock, Sora would be…he swallowed. The idea of being with Sora for life, to never have to worry about something like this happening again, but would Sora want to be a Siren? There was so much that Riku didn't know, how much worse would it be for Sora with no knowledge passed to him by at least one parent? "Is it possible to adapt? Would it give him what we get from birth?" he asked, and then Terra shifted forward.

"Does it help to know that…that I was human?" he asked, and Riku stared at him with wide eyes.

TBC…