Chapter 4

I don't own Kingdom Hearts, cause if I did, 1. I would be insanely rich, 2. Not writing fan fiction and 3. I would be playing KH2 by now. Seeing as how I depend on pay checks from the Disney Store (don't own that either), writing a bunch of fan fictions and I have to wait till the 31st of March to get my copy of KH2 then I obviously don't own it, do I?

Riku held Sora's hand when the grip tightened and the brunette shuddered in his sleep. The three came over to the bed, watching helplessly as Sora cried, tears flowing down his cheeks. The boy was murmuring very quietly, Riku could have sworn he said 'run…got…to… run…"

Riku was beginning to find the grip painful, but he wouldn't let go. He let go too many years ago and Sora ended up like this. Riku wasn't letting go, this time. A cry was let loose from Sora's lips, and he fell very still. The group held their breath, Sora's grip on Riku's hand becoming slack. Only one word escaped his lips with a breath:

"Sorry…"

Sora's breathing stopped altogether, and Riku let go of the boy's hand, shaking his shoulders. "Come on, Sora, breathe…"

That one minute seemed like an eternity to the group, but they all breathed out as their prince took in a sharp breath, Riku leaning back. Suddenly, Sora grabbed him and pulled him back, Riku practically lying on top of Sora. Riku waved his arms frantically, but the boy wouldn't let go. The three sat in amazement, not knowing what to do.

"Don't leave me…please…." mumbled Sora and he relaxed, letting Riku sit him up. There was heat on Riku's face as Sora hugged him again, this time not so tightly, but gentle and warm.

Riku felt hot tears on his shirt, Sora sobbing uncontrollably. "Don't leave me…please! I can't…." Riku saw the blue eyes flicker open and closed

"Sora…?"

"Don't leave me!" Sora screamed, holding onto Riku, "Don't leave!"

"Sooraa…"

The brunette opened his eyes for the first time, Riku visibly seeing them adjust to the sunlight. The three adults all said, "Sora!" and crowded around him as he sobbed into Riku's chest, the affects of a nightmare wearing off with every teardrop.

Ansem smiled as some guards looked at him frightfully, looking back into the orb.

"What? Are you thinking that he won't come to me, that he's beaten it?" said Ansem smoothly, the guards shaking their heads in the hopeful right answer.

"Oh, he'll come…because he may have beaten the first part of the spell, but I've taken some special precautions with the dear prince…"

Riku walked into Sora's room to see the boy still sitting on his bed, knee bend slightly, elbows hanging off of them. He looked healthier, but his pale skin was very unnerving. Sora had always had very tan skin and ever since he woke up it had been the opposite. Riku carried a lunch tray in and set down on the bed.

"Sora…I have food for you…"

Sora didn't look at him, but looked out the window, his blue eyes deep in thought. Riku took the silence to get a good look at Sora's room, which was littered with clothes, papers and odd books. Some were old ones from their home, fairy tales. Riku picked up the closest one and Sora looked at him.

"I remember this story. Your mom read it to us once. It was always your favorite. The tale of the white knight…" Sora didn't say anything, just looked at Riku still, so Riku told the story of the time the queen read them a story.

"She was always so eager to let you play with me. Her majesty was always saying that children need to play, even princes…" Riku began, smiling at the memory, "I remember the day she read it to us, because afterward you said—"

"Light always protects….right?" Sora said quietly, looking at Riku hard. The boy smiled at him, Sora feeling a faint heat rise on his face. The boy smirked.

"What are you blushing for? What, do I make you blush?"

Sora regained himself, but knew he was blushing more. "NO! No! I was just…embarrassed that you remembered that. I just have that story book…Cloud and Leon gave it to me one year…."

Riku's smirk didn't fade, as he chided Sora more.

"Whatever…you know you love me sitting here, on your bed like this…."

That thought hadn't occurred to Sora, and he got up, smiling, trying to push Riku off.

"Get off then! I don't want you here anyway!" Sora said, but a light was dancing in his eyes happily, much different from the somber, thoughtful Sora was a few minutes ago. Riku didn't move as Sora tried so very hard to push him off.

"Get off!" Sora pouted, and Riku found it hard to deny that Sora was insanely cute when he pouted, so he handed the food to the boy, getting up and taking residence in a chair nearby.

"Thanks…" The boy ate the soup quickly, realizing how hungry he was after the lack of food he had eaten. Riku sat in the chair backwards, leaning on the back of the chair. The boys sat in silence, the sounds of Sora eating filling the room. Sora grinned at him as he finished.

"So you remember now, right?"

Riku looked at that grin, and felt himself truly smiling back. Sora got up and stretched, his long sleeve shirt coming up to reveal a tight stomach. On that stomach were black lines that were very fine, curling around each other. Riku stood, knocking the chair down, yanking up Sora's shirt.

"WHOA! Riku!"

The lines were suddenly gone as they had come. Riku pushed Sora's shirt down as Leon came in. The boys stood awkwardly together as Leon looked suspicious.

"What's going on…?" Leon asked his voice weary.

Sora looked at Riku, his eyes meeting his friends aquamarine eyes. Riku looked at Sora, shaking the scene from his thoughts.

"It's…it's nothing…"Riku said, looking away. Leon left the two slowly, Sora pulling on Riku's sleeve for his attention, but the boy couldn't bring himself to look.

Riku had seen those lines before…on himself…

A/N: HA! Two chapters, one day! EAT THAT MOTIVATION!

My Sora and Riku muses wouldn't leave me alone. I typed up the other chapter and they kept bugging me at dinner and then while I was trying to do my Spanish. They kept pulling my hair.

Oh well, expect the next chapter soon!