Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts
I'm home now, so I'll continue on with this part. Sorry if you guys found the cliffhanger irritating, but I really needed to get through that part and I didn't have time to write the next chapter. This chapter turned out kinda crappy, but it had to be done, and I know how much you guys love Cloud. I found it a little boring, but that's just me, you guys might like it. I'm more of an action/fluff kinda girl, even if I couldn't write an action scene to save my life.
Thank you for the reviews! Please leave another one when you finish!
~~~~~
Kairi jolted up, clutching her shaking hands to her chest and gasping. Startled, she looked around the room, recognizing where she was as her eyes adjusted to the darkness.
"It was just a dream.." She panted, gazing down at the boy beside her.
Riku looked so peaceful, a radical change from the vision Kairi had just seen. His silver hair glowed in the darkness, splayed gently across his face. He was completely silent and barely moved, the only indication that he was even alive was the slight rise of his chest as he breathed.
Kairi sighed, tearing her gaze from Riku and resting her head in her hands as she tried to stop shaking. There's something inside of him, she thought sadly, there's something wrong. What am I supposed to do? I love him so much, but it frightens me… She sat uncomfortably on the bed, glancing up at her bedside clock. 5:37.
Crap, I can't just sit in here with him, but what can I do? Kairi thought for a moment, finally lifting herself over Riku's sleeping form and changing out of her pajamas. She crept silently out the door, trying not to look back at the silver-haired boy.
~
Kairi walked along the silent street, looking around at the still-intact houses. She sighed deeply, trying not to cry as she stopped and sank down onto the curb. The wind began to blow and she shivered, pulling her coat tighter around herself. What am I supposed to do now? She lifted her gaze up to stare at the sky, watching the stars through the scattered clouds.
Lowering her eyes back down, she stared across the street to the nearest house. The clouds are so pretty, she thought, noticing the sky reflected in the window. Something in the back of her mind clicked, and she squinted into it. That house.. Wait a minute, I remember this. She looked around at where she was, finally looking back in the window. The clouds really are pretty, but so dark. The clouds? Cloud? It finally clicked and she jumped to her feet.
Of course! Cloud! It was him!! How could I have forgotten that so easily? He'll definitely be able to help me! She smiled and pumped a fist in the air, spinning and running down the street. Several feet later, she skidded to a halt.
"But how do I find him?" She groaned into the early morning darkness. Ah! Yuffie will know! Cloud and Squall are pretty good friends now, so they should know where he is!
~
"Yuffie!" Kairi cried, shaking the still form of her friend as she tried to wake her up. "Yuffie! Come on! I need your help!"
Yuffie groaned, rolling over and burying her head under her pillow. Kairi huffed, just a spastic ball of energy when she's awake, but as soon as she falls asleep!
Defeated, she turned, stomping out of the room. She stopped when she walked into the living room, a sudden sense of loss coming over her. I need to find Cloud now! What the hell am I supposed to do? I can't face Riku again like this! She clamped a hand over her mouth, sinking down to her knees and biting back her sobs as tears ran down the face. I need help, I love him so much.. Choked sobs of frustration escaped her lips and she buried her face in her hands.
Kairi immediately went stiff when a hand slowly reached down to grip her shoulder. She held her breath and spun around, tripping over herself and landing almost gracefully on her rear, facing the intruder.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to startled you." Squall whispered, bending down to help her up.
He watched her for a moment, resting his hand reassuringly on her shoulder as she tried to dry her tears. "Did you need something?" he asked.
She looked up at him, letting out a nearly joyful sob as she leaned forward and rested her head against his chest, relief flooding through her. She stood there for a moment, trying to recollect herself as Squall patted her back rather awkwardly, completely confused.
"Do you know where Cloud is?" She managed to choke, looking up at him hopefully.
Her question caught him off guard, and he gave her a confused look. "Cloud? Why would you want to see him?" He thought for a moment, "Is this about Riku?" He asked, finally realizing her new shadow wasn't with them.
She managed a strained laugh, "Yeah, a little, actually.. But, I really need to talk to Cloud.."
Squall looked quizzically at her, "Alright, if you insist. He's been hanging around the old abandoned part of town lately, don't really know why. He's been unusually quiet lately, come to think of it." He sighed, seeing the small glimmer of hope in the girl's eyes, "I can take you there, come on, before Yuffie wakes up." He added, ushering her out the door.
~
Kairi stared nervously around at the large buildings surrounding them. She shivered again at the cold and rushed to keep up with Squall as they tromped through the deepening snow.
Squall looked over at her, slightly impressed at her determination. He was curious as to her reasons for seeking out Cloud, but decided not to ask her about it.
Kairi sniffled slightly and looked up at him, "Are we almost there?" She asked, pulling her coat around herself.
"Yeah, next warehouse on the left after this one." He pointed down the alley.
Kairi was getting rather nervous, but she had to know how much Cloud knew about her and Riku. She skipped in anticipation and hopped forward excitedly, blushing lightly when Squall started to laugh.
He reached forward and gripped the side of a rusty door, groaning with effort as he strained to pull it open. He leaned in the doorway, shoving Kairi inside and looking into the darkness.
Kairi shifted restlessly, anxious to speak to Cloud but unwilling to go barging into a dark warehouse she had never seen before. She darted back behind Squall when they heard rustling on the floor, digging her fingers into the material of his coat and urging him forward.
"Oh, come on." He whispered, reaching around and grabbing her by the hand, pulling her through the abandoned building. Kairi felt her foot bump into something hard, and she jumped back.
"What's that?" She whispered, poking at it with her shoe as Squall tugged on her hand.
"It's just and old crate, I swear it isn't dangerous." He mumbled, "But watch your step, this place is full of them."
He grabbed her by the waist and quickly lifted her up, setting her roughly down on top of one and pulling himself up next to her. He pulled her across the top, swinging her forward as he jumped across to another crate and dropped down to the floor, catching her neatly as she tripped on her shoes. They continued on around another wall of crates, finally coming out to what seemed to be a room in the middle of the arranged crates.
"Cloud." Squall called into the darkness, walking forward and picking up a box of matches. He bent down and lit a fire in a metal garbage can that appeared to have been stolen from behind the grocery store. Kairi squinted in the sudden light, gazing around the small enclosure. There was a mound of firewood stacked against a crate. A battered old couch sat a few feet away from the garbage can, and empty beer bottles and soda cans littered the floor next to it.
"You'll have to excuse the mess, Cloud let us hang out here with him once and the place started going to hell after that. It's great for private parties." He grinned at her and she nodded solemnly, trying not to smile at the strangely cozy feel the room had.
She jumped when she heard shuffling to their right, relaxing after a moment when Cloud appeared, hoisting himself over the crates and slowly making his way over to them.
"Cloud, merry Christmas." Squall smiled sweetly at the blonde man, who flapped his wing in a rather irritated fashion.
"Good morning, Squall. What do you want?" He replied, Kairi catching a hint of tiredness in his voice. He was trying not to let them know that they had woken him up.
~~~~
I'm home now, so I'll continue on with this part. Sorry if you guys found the cliffhanger irritating, but I really needed to get through that part and I didn't have time to write the next chapter. This chapter turned out kinda crappy, but it had to be done, and I know how much you guys love Cloud. I found it a little boring, but that's just me, you guys might like it. I'm more of an action/fluff kinda girl, even if I couldn't write an action scene to save my life.
Thank you for the reviews! Please leave another one when you finish!
~~~~~
Kairi jolted up, clutching her shaking hands to her chest and gasping. Startled, she looked around the room, recognizing where she was as her eyes adjusted to the darkness.
"It was just a dream.." She panted, gazing down at the boy beside her.
Riku looked so peaceful, a radical change from the vision Kairi had just seen. His silver hair glowed in the darkness, splayed gently across his face. He was completely silent and barely moved, the only indication that he was even alive was the slight rise of his chest as he breathed.
Kairi sighed, tearing her gaze from Riku and resting her head in her hands as she tried to stop shaking. There's something inside of him, she thought sadly, there's something wrong. What am I supposed to do? I love him so much, but it frightens me… She sat uncomfortably on the bed, glancing up at her bedside clock. 5:37.
Crap, I can't just sit in here with him, but what can I do? Kairi thought for a moment, finally lifting herself over Riku's sleeping form and changing out of her pajamas. She crept silently out the door, trying not to look back at the silver-haired boy.
~
Kairi walked along the silent street, looking around at the still-intact houses. She sighed deeply, trying not to cry as she stopped and sank down onto the curb. The wind began to blow and she shivered, pulling her coat tighter around herself. What am I supposed to do now? She lifted her gaze up to stare at the sky, watching the stars through the scattered clouds.
Lowering her eyes back down, she stared across the street to the nearest house. The clouds are so pretty, she thought, noticing the sky reflected in the window. Something in the back of her mind clicked, and she squinted into it. That house.. Wait a minute, I remember this. She looked around at where she was, finally looking back in the window. The clouds really are pretty, but so dark. The clouds? Cloud? It finally clicked and she jumped to her feet.
Of course! Cloud! It was him!! How could I have forgotten that so easily? He'll definitely be able to help me! She smiled and pumped a fist in the air, spinning and running down the street. Several feet later, she skidded to a halt.
"But how do I find him?" She groaned into the early morning darkness. Ah! Yuffie will know! Cloud and Squall are pretty good friends now, so they should know where he is!
~
"Yuffie!" Kairi cried, shaking the still form of her friend as she tried to wake her up. "Yuffie! Come on! I need your help!"
Yuffie groaned, rolling over and burying her head under her pillow. Kairi huffed, just a spastic ball of energy when she's awake, but as soon as she falls asleep!
Defeated, she turned, stomping out of the room. She stopped when she walked into the living room, a sudden sense of loss coming over her. I need to find Cloud now! What the hell am I supposed to do? I can't face Riku again like this! She clamped a hand over her mouth, sinking down to her knees and biting back her sobs as tears ran down the face. I need help, I love him so much.. Choked sobs of frustration escaped her lips and she buried her face in her hands.
Kairi immediately went stiff when a hand slowly reached down to grip her shoulder. She held her breath and spun around, tripping over herself and landing almost gracefully on her rear, facing the intruder.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to startled you." Squall whispered, bending down to help her up.
He watched her for a moment, resting his hand reassuringly on her shoulder as she tried to dry her tears. "Did you need something?" he asked.
She looked up at him, letting out a nearly joyful sob as she leaned forward and rested her head against his chest, relief flooding through her. She stood there for a moment, trying to recollect herself as Squall patted her back rather awkwardly, completely confused.
"Do you know where Cloud is?" She managed to choke, looking up at him hopefully.
Her question caught him off guard, and he gave her a confused look. "Cloud? Why would you want to see him?" He thought for a moment, "Is this about Riku?" He asked, finally realizing her new shadow wasn't with them.
She managed a strained laugh, "Yeah, a little, actually.. But, I really need to talk to Cloud.."
Squall looked quizzically at her, "Alright, if you insist. He's been hanging around the old abandoned part of town lately, don't really know why. He's been unusually quiet lately, come to think of it." He sighed, seeing the small glimmer of hope in the girl's eyes, "I can take you there, come on, before Yuffie wakes up." He added, ushering her out the door.
~
Kairi stared nervously around at the large buildings surrounding them. She shivered again at the cold and rushed to keep up with Squall as they tromped through the deepening snow.
Squall looked over at her, slightly impressed at her determination. He was curious as to her reasons for seeking out Cloud, but decided not to ask her about it.
Kairi sniffled slightly and looked up at him, "Are we almost there?" She asked, pulling her coat around herself.
"Yeah, next warehouse on the left after this one." He pointed down the alley.
Kairi was getting rather nervous, but she had to know how much Cloud knew about her and Riku. She skipped in anticipation and hopped forward excitedly, blushing lightly when Squall started to laugh.
He reached forward and gripped the side of a rusty door, groaning with effort as he strained to pull it open. He leaned in the doorway, shoving Kairi inside and looking into the darkness.
Kairi shifted restlessly, anxious to speak to Cloud but unwilling to go barging into a dark warehouse she had never seen before. She darted back behind Squall when they heard rustling on the floor, digging her fingers into the material of his coat and urging him forward.
"Oh, come on." He whispered, reaching around and grabbing her by the hand, pulling her through the abandoned building. Kairi felt her foot bump into something hard, and she jumped back.
"What's that?" She whispered, poking at it with her shoe as Squall tugged on her hand.
"It's just and old crate, I swear it isn't dangerous." He mumbled, "But watch your step, this place is full of them."
He grabbed her by the waist and quickly lifted her up, setting her roughly down on top of one and pulling himself up next to her. He pulled her across the top, swinging her forward as he jumped across to another crate and dropped down to the floor, catching her neatly as she tripped on her shoes. They continued on around another wall of crates, finally coming out to what seemed to be a room in the middle of the arranged crates.
"Cloud." Squall called into the darkness, walking forward and picking up a box of matches. He bent down and lit a fire in a metal garbage can that appeared to have been stolen from behind the grocery store. Kairi squinted in the sudden light, gazing around the small enclosure. There was a mound of firewood stacked against a crate. A battered old couch sat a few feet away from the garbage can, and empty beer bottles and soda cans littered the floor next to it.
"You'll have to excuse the mess, Cloud let us hang out here with him once and the place started going to hell after that. It's great for private parties." He grinned at her and she nodded solemnly, trying not to smile at the strangely cozy feel the room had.
She jumped when she heard shuffling to their right, relaxing after a moment when Cloud appeared, hoisting himself over the crates and slowly making his way over to them.
"Cloud, merry Christmas." Squall smiled sweetly at the blonde man, who flapped his wing in a rather irritated fashion.
"Good morning, Squall. What do you want?" He replied, Kairi catching a hint of tiredness in his voice. He was trying not to let them know that they had woken him up.
~~~~