Disclaimer: Don't own anything. Well, I do own some stuff, but not anything that anyone's really interested in.

Chapter 18

"Are we . . .really going to do this?"

"It's what you wanted, isn't it?" Riku stepped up behind me and put his arms around my waist. I blushed furiously, wondering how I still had time to be embarrassed about displays of affection when we were all running toward what was, if not certain, than at least probable death.

"Yeah, but . . ." I turned, "I'm a little scared."

"Hey . . .it'll be alright," he tucked a stray piece of hair behind my ear. "The first time I went to the Heart of Worlds, I thought it was all over. But I woke up and found you," he smiled, "If something that great happened to me the first time, I have a hard time believing it'll screw us over this time."

I leaned my head against his shoulder, " . . .I hope you're right."

"This time, we'll all be together. All of us."

"Yeah." He fiddled with the metal claw that he still kept on his arm.

"You've . . .really missed him, haven't you?"

"He was my best friend," he deadpanned. That's one thing I've learned about Cloud over the time we've been together; the more emotional he's getting, the more calm his voice gets.

"He won't hold it against you, you know. And, as angry as you are at him," I sat next to him on the bed and pulled him into my arms, "You know I've been thanking him every single day, for helping you get back to me."

He sighed against my shoulder, "He died so I could get out of there."

"And you did the best you could to honor his wishes, didn't you? You lived. You came back. And now we'll all be together again, and you can finally give him back his things."

Cloud laughed a little, "Yeah, but . . .geez Aerith . . ." he pulled up the ripped edges of the cloak for us both to see, "You think he'll be mad that I haven't taken it to the dry cleaners?"

We both started laughing harder than we've laughed in a long, long time.

I looked down on Second District from my usual place on the roof of the Gizmo Shop. Going back to Hollow Bastion, huh? What did I care?

I mean, don't get me wrong, the Heartless are a royal pain in the you-know-where, but I've lived in Traverse since I was nine years old. Hollow Bastion, at least, the way it was, seems almost like an imaginary place to me. Like a vacation your parents took you on a really long time ago, a place that existed outside normal space. I know people think that I don't think about this stuff, and mostly they're right.

I don't like to spend time brooding like Squall or Leon or Bob or whatever he's calling himself nowadays. And I remember the years and years of seeing Aerith's sad smiles when she tried to get along without Cloud, and I swore I'd never be sad like that. Even now that Cloud came back, and they're both so happy it just makes you want to do those little high-pitched happy-squeals, you can still see how sad and guilty Cloud is all the time. Guilty for what, I'm not sure. For living? For not getting here soon enough? For something else? I don't know, and there's a mean part of me that doesn't care. Life's too short to waste time being guilty about things you can't change.

And life's too short to worry about what's going to happen after the door's opened again. I got up and brushed off my butt. This ninja's going to go get some ice cream.

"Hey Sora?"

"Yeah, what's up?"

"I'm coming with you this time, you know."

"Yeah. What's the matter? Do you not want to go?"

"No!" I almost shouted. "I wanted to come last time, and I want to come this time. It's just that . . .um . . .I'm not such a great fighter you know? I don't want to let you down."

"Don't worry about it. I'll protect you."

"But I—I like that you protect me, Sora, but I want to do something for myself, you know?"

He scratched his head, "Well, yeah, but . . ." he grinned, "You coulda started yourself off a little slower than this. And really . . ." He rested his hand on her shoulder, "You're helping us out just by being there. The door won't open without you there, right?"

"Yeah, I guess."

We just sat together in companionable silence for a while.

"Hey, Sora?"

"Yeah?"

"Last time . . .we almost lost each other at the end of it. I don't want to lose you again."

"Well then . . .let's promise."

"Promise?" I asked him.

"Yeah," he brushed my brown hair out of my face, "I'll be there."

"So just reach out your hand," he held my hand in his, "And I'll catch you."

"And if we fall, we'll fall together."

He was surprised when the pasta arrived; while they'd been waiting, he had completely forgotten what he'd ordered. A combination of sleep deprivation and trying so hard to concentrate on what she was saying, instead of what his own personal demons were telling him.

"So, once I'd been working at the Sunglass Hut for a little while, I could get myself an apartment in Second District! I have to share with a roommate, but she's really sweet. We get along great, except for that we both hate to do dishes, so we keep trying to pass it off onto each other. Rhubarb, rhubarb, rhubarb . . ."

She won't love you anymore when she comes back. She'll hate you. She'll hate you for letting her lose her heart.

"The moogles across the street are really nice, too! Aren't they cute? One of them kind of got annoyed at me for staring at its pom-pom, but doesn't it look like a little cat toy plunked on top of its head? Rhubarb, rhubarb . . ."

They'll all hate you. Zell, Seifer, Vincent, Tifa, Rinoa. Mom and Dad. Ellone and Marlene. They'll all hate you.

"So how old are you, anyway, Leon?"

"Huh?" he looked at Samantha in surprise.

She rolled her eyes, "Don't worry, I'm twenty, so I'm legal. I was just wondering."

"Oh. Twenty . . .six. Twenty-six."

She grinned sardonically, "It took a while for you to think of that one, huh?"

He shrugged, "I don't know. Guess it's not something I think about all the time, you know? Once you're legal to drink, you kinda stop counting. I actually forgot my birthday last year."

"You forgot your own birthday?" She giggled against her straw, taking a long drink of her cola. "I can't even image doing that!"

"Yeah. Neither can I." He answered. He frowned when he realized that didn't make any sense, but Samantha just laughed.

"Don't worry, I get what you mean," she put her hand over his. "I am surprised, though, to hear twenty-six."

He raised his eyebrows, "How old did you think I was?"

"Ah!" She waved her hands, "That's not what I meant! Ohhh, I'm so tactless! All I meant was . . .you look young, but you're basically in charge of the whole town! I guess . . .I guess I figured you had to be older than you looked. But you're not."

"Are you disappointed?"

"No. I'm glad."

Leon more or less kept the angry voices at bay for the rest of dinner. And dessert. And the walk back to her apartment.

"Well, um, I guess we better say goodnight . . ." She stood there, shyly, holding his hand the way she had since they'd gotten up from the table.

"Uh, yeah, this is your apartment building, isn't it?"

"Yeah."

"Which one's yours?"

She looked behind them and pointed to a lit window, near the far corner of the third floor. "Right there. My roommate's waiting up for me."

They both stood in front of the building for a few more minutes. Leon knew he was supposed to kiss her, but he was feeling like the world's biggest dork right about now. Hyne, I haven't worried about any of this stuff since I was a teenager! Am I just supposed to kiss her? Am I supposed to say something first? What do I say? What am I freaking out about? It's just a stupid 'goodnight' kiss!

As it was, Samantha took it out of his hands when she stood on her tiptoes and brushed her lips against his. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

She walked back into her apartment. Leon stood outside on the sidewalk for a little while. Then he turned and walked back toward Third District.

A/N: Hee hee, that first scene scared you a little, didn't it? I didn't even realize whatit sounded like until my beta started looking it over! Hee hee, I'm such a dork. P

Review Responses:

DarkRiku14: I'm so glad you like it! The next chapter should come fairly soon!

Kartoonz: Thank you for the compliment! I know that it isn't conventional to make the girl older than the guy, but I liked the idea of Amaya being a little older at the destruction of Hollow Bastion.

Pussycatdoll101? "Why" what? I'm confused (though that happens easily).

Idiotichobo: Thank you so much! I'll try my best.