All right, I decided to go ahead and make this chapter long. (I like long chapters!) The last one was supposed to have been a cliffhanger, but then I noticed I was only at page 3 and I decided to add that little bit. It isn't one of my greatest works (Neither was Lullaby in Blue, but it got a few reviews...) but it'll do. I bet you all are aware (those who have read "Treasured Memories") That I made a mistake in the last chapter. I called Hollow Bastion "Hallow Bastion". 'Hallow' isn't a word, last time I checked. So, my error. But I haven't gotten flamed for it yet, so I guess you all could care less. That's good.

Thank you Kairi 099, Zelphie, Baka Coconut for reviewing Waiting to be With You and for Devil's Whore for reviewing Treasured Memories!

Dec. 18-Tomorrow is the last exam I have to take, so if I do not make this the ending chapter, I will have much more time. But, my friend is talking about taking me and some others to a near by mall for her birthday (Right now, I will make this little announcement- I do NOT like shopping for clothes and shoes and jewelry and anything in that category. I like shopping for CDs, video games, and DVDs... k?) so I'm not really sure if I will have another chapter/story up during Saturday.

Dec. 19- I took my last exam today and am ready to end this chapter for you all, k?

Also, Kingdom Hearts is owned by Squaresoft and Disney...

Onward to the depression!

_

'Waiting to be With You'

Chapter Two: The Miracle of Our Love

_

Riku awoke at the light of dawn when the soft pink hue covered him through the glass above him. He groaned, turning onto his side and trying to go back to sleep. The rays just brightened, and Riku was forced to wake. 'I really need to cover that one day...' Riku thought as he stood and walked out of the bedroom. He yawned loudly and stretched his arms over his head in a manner to wake himself further.

The soft slap of his bare feet tinged the silence in the air as he went towards the kitchen. He glanced around nervously, remembering the nightmare the night before. He shuddered at the cold draft and the sickening look on his Light's face that played itself like a broken record in his mind. The hand reaching to grab the skin of his neck was inert and unfeeling. Nothing could possibly break through that sheet of ice this... Entity had surrounded itself with. But, the attack of the revengeful Sora only occurred at the time of his sleep, when he was at his most vulnerable.

"Ri-!"

Riku's eyes caught the sight of a fading black up ahead of him and he stood implanted to his spot like a statue. 'No...No. I thought it was only a nightmare...! W-wait!' One of his worst fears were answered when a glowing eyes met his. "Heartless-!" Riku exclaimed in horror, noting the pool of black that began to crawl along the walls and floor. Soon, small and warped bodies began to break out of the blackness, and several hundred pairs of yellow fire irises glared at him, looking for their sole target, finding it no where to be found. 'They must be... looking for Sora!' Realization dawned upon his as the small army began its way towards the stairs that head heavenward and towards Sora's resting place. "No! You won't touch him!!" The Keyblade founds it way to Riku's hand and with a roar to match a lion, he lunged into battle, ready to fight once more for the boy he loved.

The blade had met its mark to a fateful swipe at the front of the pack on the disastrous mission. Thin lines of violet smoke trailed upward, twisting around one another, leaving the defense slightly open. Riku saw that some of the enemy had turned back to him, and now considered him as a threat to their duty. He stanced again before bending his knees and pushing himself upward in a large jump. He clasped both hands on the grip of the handle, and hoisted the Keyblade in a devastating position. As he lowered speedily, he growled to them in a spiteful way as more fell to their demise.

"You're all going back to Hell! Whether you like it or not!"

_

The same violet wisps slithered towards the ceiling and proclaimed his victory. He turned to a nearby window to find that the sun had risen quite high and since it was autumn, it was about two o'clock. He exhaustedly propped himself against the wall before sliding down in submission. He chuckled to himself at his success that had blindly been earned. Unfortunately, the Heartless that had come were Shadows, small but many and they hadn't put enough damage onto Riku to consider him in any danger of dying anytime soon. 'Oh, well...' he thought gently to himself before his head slumped onto his raised knee in an attempt to take a little nap before he went in search of food again.

'At least Sora's fragile frame is safe for the time being...'

The Keyblade clattered soundly as the metal came in contact with the stone floor as it was dropped as though it were nothing. Riku gave a soft sigh before going back into the void of sleep, unknowing of anything that went on in the castle afterwards.

_

As he slept, his pale face was distorted with discomfort as he began to relive the nightmare he had previously encountered in the dark void. The evil form of the Keyblade Master whispering of his deception to the brunette coming from the dead to exact retribution for what had happened to him in the antecedent of his life before he was locked away after his demise by his lover's hands. Those eyes that burned him to the core with icy daggers of hatred and betrayal as though they had been etched into those blackened pools of black and azure. It was torment, no longer being able to breathe with those gentle fingers and palm gripping at him, trying to drain every inch of life he ever had in him. "Sora! W-why are you...! SORA!!"

He screamed and flailed in his sleep, kicking and swatting at the invisible figure that had his throat in a death-grip. He heard the soft whisper of comfort and sweetness calling out his name, slowly bring him to a stop and calming him to a different dream. A lambent hand stroked his silver hair, hushing as though he were a frightened child. "Hush, Riku... it's all right..." it murmured in an strive to quiet the scared teen as he slept. Soon, Riku fell silent and only his heavy breathing could be heard between them. A feather-like kiss met his forehead and he vaguely heard a soft giggle in the dreamless sleep. "It's about time you stayed quiet, my love..."

Love...? He opened his ice-like sapphire irises to see who would dare call him 'love' when it was already taken by the one dead up the stairs that was near his current position. The person before him caused him to snap his eyes open try to draw back away from the consolation that was being onto him. He fell onto the floor on his side and then scooted away from the glowing figure as best as he could. 'No... No! Get away from me!" Riku glared as he seethed abhorrently to the shocked and hurt child in front of him. "Riku, I-" "NO! I won't listen to you! Not after what you've done to me!" Riku's gaze softened as he saw lambaste that blemished the perfect face of the one in front of him. A tinge of regret for yelling for no apparent reason struck Riku's heart hard and mercilessly. "What I have done to you, I am not sure..." the child began, a visible tear evident as looked away, not wanting to stare into the silver-haired teen's eyes that showed him much disgust and loath. He opened his mouth to speak again but was cut short by Riku's glare that, unknowing to him, had eased into an apologetic façade. "Listen, I-"

"You don't need to explain..." the glowing figure turned to look at him again, and Riku saw the person he had been missing for five years. The tears that cascaded down a naïve face that reminded him of a younger version of a boy he missed more than anything. "You can't be..." Riku got on his hands and knees and crawled over to the crying boy, placing a pale hand on the cheek as he neared, unable to resist the silk-like skin under his palm. It was all too remembering, the way the eyes glittered and how the small sobs took Riku back to his days back on Destiny Islands. He was so overprotective of the small child that seemed to be picked on by every other child on the island and he still was... "Sora...?" The lustrous light that radiated from the boy appeared to have brightened faintly and the eyes that gleamed with tears looked at his hard cerulean ones as the head tilted to show the rest of the face. "Riku..."

Now the 'degrading' liquid drops threatened Riku's eyes he saw the smile of innocence and joyfulness some forth in an aura of light that mentally blinded Riku. He had waited so long to see that smile again that his heart had practically hardened into stone in its absence. "Oh, Sora.... I'm so sorry!" Riku embraced Sora tightly, afraid to let go. What if this moment had will cease to exist if he let Sora escape his grip? He wouldn't let that happen, not again... not ever again..."Oh, Riku... I missed you so much... I love you... I love you..." Their lips met in a needed passion that had been cooped inside of Riku for over five years and tormented him to his last nerve. It was the same caressing feeling that the teen felt that he had encountered all those years ago when Sora was on the brink of death and now... Riku felt the need for air as quickly as they had begun to kiss. He broke away in a regretful snort, opening his eyes to find Sora smiling sadly at him. "Why don't you have to breathe...?" he asked, poking Sora's shoulder curiously. "I only have such little physicality left... You can touch me, but I do not have the need to breathe..." Sora giggled as Riku growled in the back of his throat, scoffing the entire situation. Sora's gaze of cheerfulness and relief turned into despondency once again and he looked into Riku's azure irises once more and he began to speak, endeavoring a possible way to put his presence into words. "Riku, I'm here because I need you to get away from Hollow Bastion and me..."

Riku cocked a silver eyebrow and tilted his head to the right slightly. "I'm not leaving your body..." Riku pronounced sternly, unable to see the harm of staying by the cold body was doing to him. "Why do you want me to leave?" Sora grabbed Riku's shoulders and shook him as he spoke. "The darkness that drifts from the unlocked Keyhole of Hollow Bastion and the memory of me is driving you insane! You must leave before you get worse! Go back to Destiny Islands, please! The nightmare you keep having is the darkness that surrounds this place... Can you not see that!?" Sora exclaimed frantically, knowing Riku had to leave no matter what the cost; Riku was going mad slowly and agonizingly as he stayed here with Sora's body, waiting for the day to die and be with him. "I'm not leaving until I die by your side, Sora! I made that vow and I have kept it for over five years, and I not stopping now! Please, just wait a little longer!"

Sora leaned back, aghast that Riku did not care what happened to himself as long as the brunette was safe. Sora sighed and looked down to the stone floor again. "Please... leave me," Sora insisted quietly, gazing into Riku's eyes again. "Please?" "No." Riku glared bluntly at Sora, who just sank onto his knees more. "If that is what you wish... I will not try to change your decision... but know this, my love..." Sora's glittering eyes changed into a firm stare, realizing the consequences to Riku's decision. "You will die deranged and psychotic if you stay here... but your place is set with me... You will die on the Fourteenth of November two years from this current year... do you understand?" Riku nodded and smiled, feeling the horrible tug of what was left of his sanity shrinking ever more. "I do... I shall die on the day you did in the near future..."

"Good... I will be waiting for you ever so patiently..." With a small peck on the cheek, Sora disappeared, darkening the hallway to its original state.

_

Riku tossed roughly as he imagined Sora, split in two, tugging him two ways; one to the Light, the other to the Darkness. The Light was warm and gentle, but the Darkness was cold and enticing... Riku was torn between the two forces, unable to decide. He heard them both calling, telling him to come with them, but he couldn't make up is mind now that he knew what was happening; he was going schizophrenic and if he didn't choose, it would drive him to his death.

"Riku! Riku!"

"Come and die... Torture in the deserving fire of Hell, my love..."

Riku screamed in frustration, pulling at his silver locks and feel to his knees in despair, unable to pick between the voices. "Sora... help me, please..." he rasped, his throat aching from a burning handprint around his neck. "Sora... Sora... where are you?" "I'm waiting for you Riku! Riku, please! Come to the Light!" Sora's voice was fading, until Riku wasn't sure it was there anymore. He looked and turned his head in every corner of the black haze that encircled him and found no trace of the bright light, not even a speck.

"Time to die, my love... Time to die in agony and guilt..."

The Shadow Sora stepped through the haze and grinned ominously, the Keyblade in his hand as it was in the past phantasm. "No... I know you're not Sora...!" "I may or may not be... but it doesn't matter now... You'll burn in the Purgatory anyway...." The Shadow raised the Keyblade, ready to strike Riku in a formidable approach. "You did this little trick before... Have I not suffered enough!?" Riku roared over the whispers of his treason and demise, eyes widening as he looked on to the punishment he had to endure over and over again; reliving his lover's death.

"I think not!" The Shadow laughed and plunged the Keyblade into Riku's chest, crimson flowing out of the wound immediately after the onslaught. "Sor-.... ra..." Riku fell on his back, his legs bent in an awkward position as he felt the blood ebb out of his damaged frame.

"Riku! Riku! Leave Hollow Bastion! It will kill you!"

"I won't... leave..." Riku grunted to the Light, placing a deathlike hand over his heart, feeling the sickly liquid stain his fingers. He grimaced at the stickiness as he began to voice out once more. "I won't leave your side, Sora!" he choked, summoning all of his strength just to say that sentence without stuttering. Riku saw the lighted figure of Sora look at him through teary eyes and he heard a choked sob. He understood that Sora wanted him to leave because of his chaotic battle with his sane and insane mind. But he couldn't leave for himself, that was selfish of him to leave Sora's side. Riku then reached his hand out, trying to show Sora that he wanted him to take it.

"T-take my hand... Sora-!"

There was a glint in Sora's eyes that resembled both fear and need. Sora hesitated for a second before moving to the hand, assuming that it didn't matter anymore. Their hands met and their fingers intertwined lovingly. Riku no longer felt that infernal pain through his chest as he held Sora's effulgent hand in his grasp. "I... love you..."

"I love you too, Riku..."

Then, light engulfed Riku in a tranquil sea that flowed similar like the ocean of Destiny Islands and Riku eyes caught the glimpse of the beach where they would play before Destiny changed their lives forever. He no longer saw the Keyblade embedded in his chest and he no longer saw the black clothes, but yellow and black together. He then saw something kneeling by him in the corner of his eye. He turned to find Sora in his regular garments of red, blue, and white and was grinning graciously as he held out his hand to Riku in means of the silver-haired teen to take it. Riku gave a pleasant smirk back and took the lithe hand as Sora had done his prior to the change of scenery. Sora opened his lips and said the words Riku had wanted to hear for so long...

...

"Welcome home, my love..."

_

Riku smiled, happy that he had finally had a night of sleep without that painful feeling in his chest now that he had seen his lover and his home again.

"I'm glad to be back with you..."

__

Ending Notes:

Aw, how sweet... Yes, I did finish this chapter in one day. I finished exams and I know I passed to with the highest grades out of my class! Yay!

Now, I bet you're all wondering why Sora and Riku can touch when Sora is dead... I don't know... My guess is that because Riku wants Sora to feel his touch, Sora can. But in other words, I don't know... I needed a cute scene to fill in the space because basically, I'm kind of running out of ideas.

Also, I will end this story in the next chapter. And it will not be done Saturday because I am going shopping with my friend (read earlier notes). So, I would look for it about Monday because I start Christmas break. Okay?

Oh yeah, I would also like to say that listening to "March Caprice for Piano and Orchestra" on the second disc off of the Kingdom Hearts soundtrack gave me a bit of help on the last scene. And "Always on My Mind" and "Miracle" helped the cute scene between dead Sora and Riku when Sora comes to tell Riku to leave. Heck, I wouldn't stay there of a dead person came and told me to leave! My bags would be packed two seconds after they'd tell me, but hey, that's me for all of you!

The three songs named in the previous paragraph are owned by Disney and Squaresoft!

Whew!