Hey! Look what we've got here! A new chappie! Lol

Chapter Four: Wind of Fate

"I don't want him to leave." Sora said, finally. "I never wanted him to go, least of all, alone."

"What will you do then?" Kairi asked. They were sitting at the front deck, eyeing the beautiful sunrise. Sora did not sleep at all last night, after his conversation with Riku. And it was this morning that Kairi asked him to watch the sunrise with her that he faithfully climbed out of bed.

"I don't know…sabotaged his raft maybe." Sora muttered, warily.

"He'll get mad, you know."

Sora nodded, "Yeah I know…"

They both sighed deeply again. It seemed as if there were no stopping Riku.

"Hey," Kairi suddenly brightened. "If we're going to miss him so much, why don't we go with him on his journey? He could use an extra helping hand."

Sora glanced at her. He appreciated her effort at trying to cheer him up. He knew that Kairi didn't really wanted to leave this island after the pains they had to go through to get back here.

"Is this really what you want, Kairi?" he asked softly.

The girl smiled. "Isn't this what you want?"

"But I'm asking you, how you feel about all this?"

A look of faraway hope shimmered in her blue-green eyes. "I don't know, Sora. Sometimes, I can't wait to get myself off this island but when I remembered what happened that last time we tried to leave, I just wished we'll stay here forever and ever."

"I know…" Sora sighed. He didn't want to leave either but if Riku was leaving, he couldn't possibly let him leave alone.

Kairi glanced at him. "Sora, you're going to leave here, aren't you?"

Her sudden question got him into a frenzy. "Huh..? Uh…why did you say that?"

Kairi lowered her head, still swinging her legs. "I can feel it, Sora. Your heart is not hidden. I can see your heart. Everyone here can."

"My…my heart?"

Nodding, she continued, "Yes. Riku, on the other hand, hides himself too much. In that process, he may lose his heart. But you're different, Sora. I know you can watch out for him and for yourself…so…"

Her words trailed off as she bit her lower lips. Sora could see tears welling up in her eyes.

"Kairi…" he gently placed his hand over hers. He didn't want to hurt her feelings. She was his best friend.

"I'm going to go." Kairi said suddenly, jumping up to her feet. "But before I do…here's something for you." She took out a small necklace made of seashells.

"What's that?"

"It's a charm." Kairi smiled. "A good-luck charm. You don't have to return it to me but if you do, I'll be especially pleased."

Sora nodded, fingering the necklace. "I'll return it to you, Kairi. I promised!"

"And I'll be waiting here, every day. During sunset and sunrise. I'll be waiting here."

Sora gazed up at her. He had a sudden impulse to hug her, to tell her everything was going to be okay and to tell her he was grateful she was letting him go.

But Kairi would not have all that. Instead, she simply waved and started to run back to her shack.

Sora did not see Riku for the whole day and only when the sun began to set, that Sora came out to the beach, because he knew that's where his silvered- haired friend will be.

And true enough, Sora saw him there. He was standing beside the skillfully made raft, the ocean wind ruffling his hair.

"Riku!" Sora called out and began to jog to him.

But Riku did not turn back. When Sora was behind him, Riku suddenly spoke.

"So you decided to let Kairi down once again." his voice cold and hard.

"What do you mean?" Sora asked, slightly insulted by Riku's words.

"You are coming with me, are you not?"

Sora lowered his head. He could see footprints made by Riku. They were larger than his.

"Yeah…if you don't mind…"

"I mind."

"Huh?" Sora raised his head. Riku still had his back to him. He did not like this 'negotiation'. "What do you mean by that?" Sora asked, raising his voice against the sound of the ocean tides.

"I want you to stay here."

"Why?"

Riku turned around finally and Sora met his deep green eyes. Silver bangs fall across his forehead as he spoke,

"You must stay here and protect her."

"Kairi? Why? It's safe here…"

"Sora, you're no longer the key blade master."

Sora frowned. "I know! So even if I stay here…"

"You just don't get it, do you?" Riku muttered, running his hand through his silver hair.

"No, I don't." Sora said angrily. "Why don't you spell it out for me?"

Riku sighed. "Fine. You're a hindrance."

"What!"

"You heard me." Riku muttered, eyeing the ocean now.

"No, you don't mean that."

"Yes I do."

"You're such a bad liar, Riku." Sora said, but his voice was trembling now. Trembling with heavy emotion. Why was Riku making this so hard for him? Kairi accepted it. Why can't Riku accept it as well?

Riku did not reply. Instead, he started to push the raft into the ocean.

"What are you doing!" Sora shouted. "Stop being so stubborn, will you? I'm coming with you whether you like it or not!"

When the raft was in the waters, Riku turned around and faced Sora. "Stop being such a crybaby. I can take care of myself."

"Riku!"

When Riku turned his back on Sora and began to walk towards the raft, Sora knew Riku wanted to leave him alone here. No way was he going to let that happen!

Quickly, Sora started to run towards the raft.

You're not leaving me behind, Riku. Not today!

Sora must have been so intent on running to Riku that he didn't see the jagged rock, hidden beneath a hill of sand that he accidentally cut his ankle against the sharp rock.

The sudden rush of pain was so acute that Sora fell down to his knees. Deep red blood started to ooze out of his cut and Sora bit his lips down hard.

He quickly looked up at Riku's direction; only to see the raft already sailing midway and Riku was standing there, looking at him.

"Don't go." Sora muttered and only the winds could hear his words. This pain, this loss was so strong and so unbearable that Sora lowered his head and the tears started to flow down freely.

You took away Riku, cruel wind. What are you going to take away next?

The winds just howled into his face and Sora gently wiped away a few droplets of his tears.

Maybe Riku was right, he was a crybaby. Maybe he really was a hindrance.

Suddenly, he heard a loud splash, coming from the direction of the sailing raft. Turning his head around, he saw the raft but there was no one on it.

"Riku?" Sora's heart began to quicken. Did he fell? Was he hurt? Where is he?

Must get to him!

He tried to stand but his ankle was badly hurt and so he couldn't. He felt so helpless. He was about to call out for help when suddenly; he saw a head of silver hair rising up from beneath the deep blues of the ocean.

"Riku?"

Riku appeared, totally drenched and started to run towards Sora.

"Riku!" Sora called out, struggling to climb back up to his feet.

But Riku reached him faster and pulled him up easily. "Sora! You're hurt!" His green eyes were full of concern

"Why did you come back? Look, your raft is sailing off!" Sora pointed at the raft. He knew how much Riku had planned on leaving. And he had also come to accept that he was a hindrance to Riku's journey.

"Look, there's still time. Go chase after it! Before it sails too far away."

What happened next was a blur to Sora. He felt Riku's big hands touching his face, framing his jaws as Riku gently tilted Sora's head so that Sora had to meet his eyes.

"I'm so sorry." Riku muttered. There was a frown on his face but the look of deep concern and regret in his green eyes was all Sora ever needed.

"No, I'm sorry." Sora said, lowering his head. He didn't know why but he felt like bawling his eyes out again. Being with Riku always made him feel weak. Physically and emotionally.

"Look at me, Sora." Riku whispered gently, and Sora did. He felt a thin shade of blush appearing on his cheeks and was ashamed. "I didn't mean to hurt you." Riku said.

Sora nodded still blushing and unable to tear his gaze away from those enchanting green eyes. "Riku, I don't hate you. I just hate myself for being so weak…"

Riku placed his finger on Sora's lips, hushing him. "No, you're not weak, Sora. I am."

"Huh? Why…?"

Riku lowered his head. He was still supporting Sora with both his arms. "I…I just couldn't understand you…and that's why, I was afraid…"

"What do you mean?" Sora asked, tears welling up again.

"I don't know, Sora. I don't know…" Riku sighed. He raised his head and saw the unshed tears. "I promised I'll try to make it better between us now."

Sora nodded. "Don't worry about it, Riku. I mean, don't worry about 'us'. We'll be fine, like always, won't we?" he tried to smile.

Riku nodded, ruffling Sora's brown hair again. "Yeah, we'll be fine. We'll make another raft and then, we'll sail off together. I'll find my dawn and when I do, we'll return here again."

Sora smiled. "Yeah, Riku…"

"You still seem sad."

"I don't know…" Sora glanced over the ocean. The small raft was already disappearing out of sight. "Maybe it's the wind…"

"The wind?"

"Yeah." Sorachuckled sadly. "This cruel wind…"

Ooooh, Sora is shy! 0.o And Riku seemed to 'feel' something for Sora! 0.o! But knowing Riku, he's going to try to hide his feelings or pretend it never existed and poor Sora! Being led on around like that…(

Pls review and tell me what ya think!