(A/N) I know that the recent chapters have been a little 'difficult', but I hope this one will heighten your spirits again. My Dicey is on full blast today and I'm not letting it go to waist! Of course, it may be kind of tear jerky, but it's happy tears... at least I hope so.

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Thankfully the silence of the room only lasted for a few moments. The door once again swung open and in came my mom carrying a huge cardboard box. Followed by her were Riku's and Sora's mothers carrying nothing.

-Here Kairi, said my mom placing the box in my lap. My goodness it was heavy, what was it? I opened up the lid to find that it was a box of my pictures. Every single picture that I had ever taken since I knew how to use a camera.

-What's this for? I questioned staring up at her. I was hit with the bat of realization a moment too late and didn't want her to answer.

-Well, you know... Yes I did know.

-Okay, I said as I put the box onto the coffee table.

-The three of us have to go out and do some things. We may not be back until this evening so try and find something to eat. Said Sora's mom. Sora nodded slowly and our mothers walked over to the door.

-If you want, there are some more pictures at my house in the attic. Riku's mom pointed out. I nodded; I don't think we'd be going there today.

When the others left I took the box and put it back in my lap.

-What is it? Sora questioned as he scooted down the couch getting closer to my side.

-Pictures, I responded as I pulled out a small paper packet. I set the box back down and Selphie came to sit on my other side. I opened up the packet and pulled out an inch thick stack of pictures. I set the packet on top of the box. The first picture was one of Sora running on the beach. That was only two years ago when he was twelve. He had that impish smile on his face that only made me grin back at it. I went to the next picture, this one was of Wakka. He was holding his ball over his head and smiling up at the sky. I giggled; it had been a long time since I had seen that face. I went to the next picture; this one was of Tidus beating down Selphie with his stick. I giggled even more.

-It's not funny! Selphie exclaimed. I sighed and turned to the next picture. This one was of me lying on the poupu fruit tree. I obviously hadn't taken this one... I wondered who high jacked my camera and took it. I went to the next picture, this one of Riku, yep, definitely a keeper. He was standing against the wooden shack with his arms crossed in front of his chest as he stared out over the ocean. He doesn't like getting his picture taken and he nearly killed me after he saw me sneak up behind him and take a shot. I sighed and set this one to the side. We looked through the rest of this pile, no more pictures of Riku, but there was one of the dock, one of a bird, and a few more of Tidus and Selphie. I reached down into the box and took out three more packets. I handed one to Selphie and Sora and they looked through them as well.

Mine was from the time when all three of our families had taken a joint vacation to Destiny Islands' Disney World (LMAO!). This was a heavy one because I bought a roll of film that guaranteed it would last me the ENTIRE time; which it didn't by the way. There were pictures of Minnie mouse and me, a picture of Sora, Donald, and goofy (lmao), a picture of Riku looking like he was about to punch Mickey mouse. There was a picture I took of Riku on the monorail; he was staring out the window at Epcot. Then there were a few good pictures of our house where we stayed. It was quite a nice house, I remember. I especially liked the bathroom... There was this one picture though, that I had always really liked, it was of Riku giving me a piggyback ride in animal kingdom. I had given Sora my camera to hold on to, of course I told him not to take any pictures, but he never listens anyway. I almost started crying as I looked at it. It had only been last February that we had gone and I wanted to go back so badly. I wanted Riku to give me a piggyback ride in animal kingdom and I wanted Sora to not listen to me and a take a picture of it again. I set this picture aside with the others. The next picture was one of Sora and Riku. This picture was my best friend, I swear. The two of them would never have me take their picture, together. Its funny how they were best friends and yet, I never got a good picture of them together, except for this one. I smiled sadly to myself as I looked down on it, another tear threatening to cross the barrier. I set this one with the others.

After about an hour of looking through the box of pictures I found myself growing horribly sad. I didn't know how to explain it, but it was almost like Riku lived on in them. When I looked at a picture of him, it was almost like he was here... or I was there. I missed him so much, and right now I jut wanted to hold his hand, to touch his face. I needed to hear his voice just once more. It felt like someone was cutting off the circulation to my heart and the pain in my chest grew worse. I set all the pictures, in my, hand back in the box. I figured we had enough... eh? We sure had enough to fill up a small album. Sora and Selphie had been looking through them too. I watched as Sora dug down into the box and pulled out a videocassette. Strange, I don't remember ever filming anything, hmmm... I watched also as Sora took it and put it into the VCR and turned on the TV.

-What is it? I questioned softly as he sat back down and pressed play. I almost gagged, it was a home video from our trip to Disney, I remember now. That was when my mom had just bought a new video camera and she let me use it. We watched it; I won't even go into detail. It was kind of funny because I only shot clips of stupid things, like Sora falling down the stairs and Riku throwing Sora into the pool and then Riku throwing me into the pool and then Sora trying to throw Riku into the pool as Riku, again, threw Sora into the pool. Then there was some of Sora chasing a squirrel down the street. Then there was a small clip of Riku sleeping on the airplane. I definitely did not shoot that one; I probably just leaned on the 'record' button in my sleep... yes, that was it.

-That was exiting, Sora mumbled as he then ejected the tape and put it back in the box. –Is anyone hungry? He questioned as he got up and moved into the kitchen. I shook my head as Selphie shot up behind him and threw her hand into the air.

-I most definitely am! She exclaimed as she put her packet of pictures back into the box. I frowned and picked up the pile of selected pictures of Riku. I looked through them again. There was actually a lot of him when he was younger, the days when I had time to take pictures. I sighed loudly as I came across one of Sora, Riku, and I as we sat on the poupu fruit tree, well, Sora and I were sitting and Riku was standing. The sun was setting behind us, I believe that Selphie had taken this picture, I almost remember this night. I smiled as I went through the pile more. There was, I guessed, almost thirty pictures here, 'twas amazing.

-Oh, Kairi... here, said Selphie as she handed me a small packet of pictures. I took them, but I felt myself grow confused... why was Selphie handing me pictures?

-What's this? I questioned as I took the pictures out of the packet. I hadn't taken these.

-Oh... just some things... said Selphie in a sneaky tone. The first picture was almost intriguing. I sat up and looked at it. It was from the day that I had to leave for camp. There was one of my hugging Sora, me hugging Riku (I put this one to the side), there was one of Sora and Riku waving goodbye (also to the side), there was one of me waving goodbye, and then there was one of Selphie waving goodbye? Hmmm... then there were about twenty of Tidus, it was almost like a slide show. After the last picture of Tidus there were three pictures of the day when we came back from camp (me and Selphie that is). There was one of me looking up as Sora in amazement (he had gotten quite tall). This one made me laugh and I put it my own separate pile. The next one was of me hugging Riku, again, and the third one was of Selphie crying. She was just so sad that Tidus wasn't there to welcome ere back and I thought that it would be funny to take a picture of that.

-These are great Selph. I said lightly.

-Wait, there's one more, she said as she pushed me on. I turned to the last picture and I actually felt my heart skip a couple of beats, ready to stop completely. It was the picture that she had taken last night, before the dance. Oh my god. That did it, I broke; Tears began to pour (well not actually pour) out of my eyes and down my face. That picture just described everything that I had felt last night, before the dance that is. The sun was setting over the ocean behind us. The three of us were all smiling. I was so cute, for lack of a better word. I wanted to just go into the picture, to go back to that exact moment. It hurt so much just to look at it, so I set it down with the other 'keepers' and I stood up. I wrapped my arms around Selphie, my tears unwilling to stop; in fact I wasn't even trying to stop them at this point.

-Thank you Selphie, I whispered. –You have no idea how much this means to me. Selphie hugged me in return.

-No problem Kai, that's what I'm here for. She smiled as she patted my shoulders lightly and walked back into the kitchen where Sora was searching his cabinets endlessly.

I sat back down on the couch and pushed everything onto the coffee table. I knew that things weren't going to be easy from now on. I spent the rest of the day just sitting there, waiting. Waiting for what? I have no idea... When our parents got back they brought Chinese and I had a little bit, but not too much at all. The explained to us the plan of next week, that the three of us would only be missing one day because school was important. I couldn't think about school my god! Who really cares about education, again stated, if knowledge is power and power leads to corruptions then school is just teaching us who to kill each other.

So anyway, I guess tomorrow we were doing that funeral home thing, not the actual 'funeral' but the 'celebration of life'. Whatever, it's all crap if you ask me, I didn't want to think about it because I knew that if I went to all these things that it would eventually hit that he was really gone. Still now I am waiting for him to come through the door, to be on an extended vacation. I didn't want closer, not yet at least.

The actual funeral was going to be on Monday, it was going to be private, invitation only kind of thing. I liked those best because then I wouldn't end up running into people that I didn't want to see. Then on Tuesday the school was going to hold an assembly in the gym. Of course, when our moms got inside they just started planning. I didn't want to help because, as above stated, I still believed he was alive. So I left the room and went upstairs to Sora's room. He came too, but Selphie stayed down there to make sure they wouldn't make any decisions that I wouldn't like.

Once in Sora's room I went to go sit on his bed. He walked over too, but once he got on his bed he began to open his window. It was pretty late and the sun had already set. Tonight was very foggy, but it was a mixture of clouds and a warm breeze, it was eerie. So eerie that it was kind of pretty. Sora stepped out of his window onto his roof. I remember the three of us (sometimes it was just Sora and me) would sit out there at night when we were too lazy to go down to the beach. I followed Sora out, staying low to the ground afraid of falling off. I mean, it really was no danger, but just in case, I am a very cautious person. I sat down next to him, but a little further back. His feet were dangling dangerously off the edge and I would be worried I'd fall off and land flat on my face two stories and a rose bush down.

-Are you okay...? He questioned lightly as he looked over across the ocean. I shook my head slowly.

-No, I replied in a small voice. I looked over at him, his eyes lost in the darkness, his face drawn up in the blankest expression that I had ever seen. –I don't think I'll ever be okay again.

-Yeah you will... It'll get easier. He said gently.

-I don't want it to get easier; I never wanted it to get hard. I responded lightly. Oh god Kairi, don't cry again.

Sora sighed, thinking of what to say. Oh yeah Sora, choose your words carefully, don't want to make me cry even more. Where did this sudden urge of anger come from? I don't know, I just decided to keep my mouth shut because I could tell I'd probably find a way to yell at him.

-It's just; it seems like just yesterday the three of us were together... Really together, you know what I mean? I questioned. Sora nodded, I think he understood. –I know I wanted things to get better between the three of us, I wanted all the feelings to go away, but this was not how I was expecting it be solved. I said in almost a whisper.

-I don't think any of us were, Sora replied.

-Is it okay, if we just take a break for a while; a break from fighting and like... relationships and stuff? I questioned. Sora nodded.

-Yeah, of course, he replied lightly. I could tell that he wanted the same thing by the sincerity of his voice.

-And... I don't want to hurt you Sora, really. I said quietly. –I love you just as much as I love him and you know that. It's just I think I really need to heal a little before I cans start thinking about us.

-Forget about it, I know. Riku was my best friend Kairi; I don't think that I'm really on the basis of discussing that either. I smiled, Sora always seemed to understand. I knew, somehow, that he really didn't mean any of it though. –Right now, I am here to help you through it, He said.

-I'd say the same for you, but I don't think that I'll be of much help, I replied. He smiled.

-Believe me Kairi, you just sitting there is all the help I need. Well this was good; at least I didn't have to do much, but sit, as above-mentioned.

We sat in the peaceful silence of each other's company. The whole world fell silent and everything seemed to stop. It was like there was no one but us, us and the sky. The ocean too I suppose because that was clearly there. The wind tussled my hair over to the side and for the octillionth time in the last two days my head found it's way to Sora's shoulder and I kept it there. He rested his head on top of mine. The night air was warm and I wanted to sit out here for as long as possible. I didn't want to go back to the memories, I didn't want to remember. I wanted to move on, to forget, I didn't want to think about it, I didn't want to think about anything. I gently closed my eyes and drifted off into another dreamless sleep.