:AN: Wow, guys! I'm making it far… so very far! I might actually finish this one, though I don't want to jinx it. Enjoy this chapter; it's going to be my favourite… I think. Oh, and just so I get no more of it… Just because there are some things in this chapter, it is still S/K… All right? S/K, not R/K.

Quick Summary: It had been four years since Kairi had seen her two best friends Sora and Riku. Riku was taken away and Sora had to go rescue him, not letting Kairi come along, telling her that it was too dangerous. He left her with the only knowledge that he would come back for her one day. She had no idea where either of them went or why. She had no idea if they even remembered her anymore, or even if either of them were still alive. All she knew was that they were gone and her life would never be the same as it was four years ago.

Sin's Remorse
Chapter four

Kairi blinked, trying desperately to regain her poise, but she failed miserably. A thousand questions ran rampant through her mind. Thoughts burned by so fast that she felt as though her head was about to combust. She attempted to collect herself as she closed her eyes tightly, waiting to wake up from this misleading dream. That's all it was, another silly dream. The man smiled lightly at her as he ran his fingers through her long, auburn hair in attempt to calm her obviously distressed form. She sobbed softly as she felt him touch her. A few more tears streamed down her cheek as she trembled slightly.

"Kairi…" he whispered tenderly, the words playing on his lips. He began to laugh quietly as she slowly opened her eyes, as if magically expecting herself to wake in her bed. She took a deep breath and threw her gaze down at the cold, dark stone of the cavern floor when she noticed that he was still kneeling there, staring at her with his deep, aqua eyes.

"Stop it," she whispered lightly as she took his hand and pushed it away from her. He sighed and looked down at the ground.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled as she stared up at him, a still unwilling expression of denial was lacing her face.

The cave had become unpleasantly cold and Kairi felt herself grow weak with confusion and heavy, bitter air as it seeped around her, through her. She could not find the words and, in essence, fell into a deep state of depressed silence as she shivered uncontrollably. She closed her eyes again, praying that she would soon wake up because she couldn't take much more of this. The games that her mind constantly chose to play with her made her very upset. She especially despised it when it played the games she hated the most, the ones that seemed to touch on a more tender subject. The ones, like this, that involved the false back comings of one of the two friends she had lost so long ago.

"Can you come with me, Kairi?" he asked calmly as he rubbed her arm lightly in attempt to ease her shivering. She shook her head lightly and grinned. He frowned and threw her a questioning look.

"I-I know that you're… not real, Riku, so just let me be," she spoke softly as she kept her eyes shut. He stared at her in his own confusion.

"Open your eyes, Kairi," he whispered as he ran his hand beneath her chin and raised her head gently so that she was directly in his line of vision. She refused silently and tightly held her lids together. Riku sighed. He slowly leaned his face in and brushed his lips lightly against hers. Just as Riku had intended, Kairi's eyes shot open in deep surprise. The feeling it gave her awoke uncharted memories. It was a feeling that she knew all too well. She stared at him, watching the grin play on his lips. She would be a fool to deny it any longer, this was it, this was surely him.

"Come with me, Kairi," he spoke softly as he slowly rose up to his feet and offered down a hand to her. She timidly wrapped her fingers around his and he pulled her up. He smiled and began to lead her out of the cave through the narrow, darkened tunnel. She tumbled aimlessly as she held tightly onto his hand, trusting him to guide her way.

It had gotten bitterly cold and Kairi could feel the wind as it whipped through the passageway. There was no light coming from the outside as they neared the exit. The beach was still warm, however, the remnants of the midday sun still echoed in the dusky sky. The breeze seemed only to be calm out here, as if the cave created it's own bitter draft unalike to the outside world. Kairi eased up a little as the tepid air met her shivering body. The sand was still slightly hot; warming her feet as it sifted through her toes. She calmed down. The sun was already setting into the peaceful sea. She guessed she had slept for longer than she had thought this morning. She had not been in the cave for very long, therefore it was her only explanation.

She followed the silver haired man as he led her out across a bridge to a smaller island. She remembered this area from her childhood. The two of them would often sit and talk out here in the evenings, as the sunset, just like this. He'd speak of his own life and how he was going to find other worlds someday. She'd just listen, in content silence, to his slightly philosophical outlooks. He was always so fearless, never seeming to show a weakness. He sat down on what looked like a curved palm tree, when in fact it was not a palm tree. It did, however, resemble a palm tree, yet it bore a strange, yellow, star-shaped fruit called a poupu. Therefore the tree was known as a poupu tree, regardless of its resemblance to a palm tree. Kairi climbed up next to him, keeping her gaze plastered on the fiery, purple sunset as her mind stayed focused on the man who sat beside her.

"Are you okay?" he questioned suddenly, his words shattering the uncomfortable silence that seeped deeply through the air.

"I haven't been okay for about four years. How are you, Riku?" Kairi asked in reply. Her words were soft, but they were sarcastically bitter. She took a deep breath and looked over at him, he said nothing. It was the strangest thing. Kairi had imagined this for so long. She had planned out exactly how she'd react so many times if he were to come back, if she were to see him again. She saw herself wrapped in his embrace, tears flowing out of her eyes. There was an unfathomable smile upon her face. Yet, here, she wasn't crying, nor was she taking him in her arms. She was not smiling.

"I'm… sorry," he spoke gently in reply as he stared longingly down at the golden weaved sand below him. Kairi shook her head slowly as an overwhelming feeling of reality hit her smack in the face. Her heart stopped and she felt herself choke.

"W-why'd you come back here, Riku?" Kairi asked as she held back the tears. She stared down at him, her large violet eyes glossy against the dying sun. He looked up at her and it broke his heart.

"I- I wanted to see you… once more," he answered lightly. Kairi frowned and drew her eyebrows together. She tried to read the expression on his face, but it was blank. He hid his deepest emotions well, but Kairi could still tell there was a second dimension to his feelings. She shook her head slowly.

"W-what do you mean… once more?" she questioned in a low whisper. He grinned at her and laughed lightly. He didn't answer and Kairi grew a frustrated sorrow. "Riku?" she asked, raising her voice slightly. The smile faded and he just looked intently at her, deep into her eyes. She grew slightly uneasy at his mortified stare.

"This was my final request, Kairi…" he spoke in an ashamed whisper. She stared at him, her gaze only becoming more confused as the tears stayed at the rims of her eyes. She didn't move.

"What's that…?" she asked softly as the dusky sun hit her face, casting an aura of golden light around her profile. Riku took a deep breath and stared out across the endless horizon, a horizon that seemed only to bleed through a morbid sea; a sea that held nothing but a thousand years of vague remorse. He didn't know how to explain it, the way was unfamiliar. It hurt too much.

"Look at yourself," he spoke in a cold tone as he glanced over at her. She looked down, noticing nothing but the ordinary, nothing unfamiliar. She stared back with a confused look upon her face. "Now look at me," he said as Kairi's gaze studied his form. He looked like himself, only older, taller… Kairi didn't understand. What was he trying to explain? "What do you see?" he asked as she let out a quick sob, overwhelmed with unexplainable confusion.

"I don't-" Kairi spoke as she tried to hold back the tears. She took a deep breath as he eyed her softly.

"Just tell me what you see," he whispered gently.

"I-I see you… I s-see Riku," she replied forcefully as he nodded slowly. A large wave suddenly crashed against the side of the island causing Kairi to jump slightly. She sobbed again. "I don't get it… Wha-"

"Look at me again, Kairi, look in my eyes," he requested as he stared at her, catching her vision within his. She bit her lip and looked again. She searched aimlessly. His eyes, they were not as they once were. She saw it now, they were darker, faded. They held no cheer as he tried to light a smile. The only emotion they held was something that Kairi could not explain.

"Do you see it now?" he questioned softly. He slowly pulled his gaze back as she nodded slowly. She saw it, but she didn't know what it meant.

"What does that have to do wi-" Riku stopped her and nodded.

"All I can say is that sometimes people change…" he began in a whisper. Kairi's confusion didn't cease to drown her. She stared at him in profound agony. "And sometimes, people are not always as nice as they appear to be on the outside," he continued.

"Riku, I don't underst-"

"Just let me finish…" he interrupted as Kairi fell back into her silent state of confusion. The sun sank down behind the sea, bleeding back into the horizon. "Seeing you was… My final request." Riku stated as he stared down at the sand beneath his dangling feet. They fell into a state of depressed silence once more. Riku nodded his head down and closed his eyes.

"F-final… request?" Kairi questioned unpleasantly. She tried to understand, to make sense of his words, but she could not. Kairi was flooded with such an overwhelming sense of confusion that she could hardly bare it any longer. Riku looked up at her and grinned.

"I'm dying, Kairi… Don't you get it?" he asked bitterly as he threw his gaze sharply back at her. Now it was a surprised confusion. She furrowed her brow and gazed deeply at him, shaking her head slowly.

"H-how? You just got here… I don't-" Kairi exclaimed urgently. She stared at him, trying to break through his malevolent façade. She felt the tears forming in her eyes, choking her spitefully. "I don't understand," she finished in a passionate whisper. The grin faded from Riku's face and his expression was suddenly drowned in a guilt-filled sorrow. Kairi stared at him as she could just see the tears welling at the brims of his eyes. It was unnatural to see, for Riku was too powerful to cry, it went against everything that Kairi had ever known. He stared at her and then looked hurriedly away. She felt a warm tear stream down her own face and she began to weep helplessly. She tried to force it back now, but it was a meaningless effort. She broke.

After a few minutes of depressed silence and weeping on Kairi's part, Riku turned to her. He hesitantly wrapped his arms around her back and placed her head upon his shoulder, rocking her weary body back and forth in attempt to calm her. They sat there as the darkness of night over took the beach, the sun setting off its last rays of light. There was a gentle breeze that blew warmly against Kairi's bare skin. It ran through her long, auburn hair and blew it softly over her shoulders, exposing the flesh on her uncovered back. She let herself cry, pouring out all of her burdensome emotions as Riku ran his hands through her smooth hair.

"W-why didn't you… come back sooner?" Kairi questioned through her tears as they choked her words. She forced them back and looked up at Riku with her wet, violet eyes.

"I have to go… soon," he spoke, pretending not to have heard her before. She stared at him, pulling his gaze toward hers. Kairi shook her head slowly as his eyes fell upon her. She pulled away from him; an expression angry with demanding confusion laced her face. It seemed to be the common feeling of the night.

"You keep avoiding my questions," Kairi stated sullenly. Riku sighed and looked at her. He lifted up one finger and wiped the tears off of her cheek.

"There are some things that I can not tell you, Kairi, I'm sorry," Riku spoke. Kairi shook her head slowly and eyed him gravely.

"Why not?" she asked.

"I… I can't say," he replied forcefully. Kairi fell into an angry silence that seemed to last only a moment. She angrily pondered her feelings and decided that this was not fair.

"What am I, too young or something?" she questioned bitterly as Riku instantly shook his head. She glared at him, no longer being able to withstand his secrets. "I've been alone for four years… waiting for you, for something… waiting for the day where I no longer had to wonder… when I no longer had to live in a world where all I could do was question," Kairi raised her voice slightly. "You left… Sora left. That's all I know. My two best friends were gone and, for all I knew, might never come back. I didn't know where you were or if you were still even alive. It's still a pending question!" Kairi shouted, her cheeks turning red with suppressed anguish. She took a sharp breath. "Give me some God damn answers, Riku, because I am not going to spend the rest of my life waiting," Kairi whispered in bitter softness as more tears came to her eyes. She held them back easily, however, for the anger in her heart overrode the pooling sorrow. Riku stared at her, a little taken aback. He sighed as his eyes ran over the tiny, golden stars that had long since begun to sprinkle the darkened sky. Kairi glared at him in sadness as a tear escaped her eye.

"What would you rather do… than live without answers?" Riku questioned softly as he gently closed his eyes, ducking his head down low. The warm breeze swept his smooth, silver hair across the back of his neck and off of his forehead. Kairi stared at his forehead, noticing a deep scar that ran the length from his hairline down the left side of his face, stopping as it reached his eye. She took her hand and gently began to trace her finger along it. Riku winced as if it were still an open cut and grabbed her hand, bringing it down from his face. He eyed her as she stared over into his eyes.

"I'd rather die…" she spoke fearlessly as she stared desperately at him.

"A-and what about Sora?" Riku asked lightly as he ran his rough fingers over hers.

"Huh?" Kairi questioned, throwing him a confused stare.

"What would you rather do… than live without him?" Riku restated as he stared long and hard into Kairi's eyes. A soft look laced her face, painful and weak. She fell still.

"I'd rather have never been born, than even live another moment without him," Kairi whispered firmly as she challenged Riku's intense stare with her own. He sat for a few moments, pondering something, and then he nodded. He took a firm grip upon Kairi's hand and pushed himself off of the tree. He pulled her down and caught her as she fell, taking firm grip of her arms in his strong hands.

"Are you undoubtedly sure that you want to do this?" Riku asked forcefully as he glared powerfully into Kairi's eyes. She furrowed her brow.

"What am I doing?" she questioned confused.

"I can not tell you until you are absolutely positive that you want to do it," he spoke harshly. Kairi shook her head in outrage.

"I don-"

"Are you sure, Kairi, that you know what you want," Riku questioned. Kairi sighed in confusion and stared up at him longingly.

"I don't want to be confused anymore, Riku… that's all I want," Kairi spoke. Riku nodded slowly and loosened his grip slightly.

"You're sure?" he asked as she gave him one last quavering look and then nodded. "Very well. Don't let go of my hand and close your eyes," Riku spoke sternly as Kairi hesitantly did as she was told. "Do not open your eyes, do you understand?" he firmly repeated. Kairi nodded. She tried to put aside the overpowering confusion that never seemed to leave her intently distressed mind. She heard Riku mumble some incomprehensible phrase and suddenly felt herself become overwhelmed with a sense of unfamiliar pain so powerful that she felt her entire body go numb instantly. She could feel the warm tears slipping from the brims of her tightly closed eyes as darkness seeped through her lids and she did not understand why she was crying. What was happening, she didn't comprehend. She heard a cry, no, multiple cries. It was all she could hear. It was her own jagged, piercing screams. They slipped uncontrollably and rampantly from her mouth and incased her mind. An unimaginable pain broke through her head and she felt herself lose grip of Riku, lose thought of him altogether. She shot her eyes open from the sharp pain and all she could see was darkness, it blinded her. And suddenly she felt her screaming stop and the pain faded and she felt her mind slip away into a hollow state of unconsciousness.