Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts, if I did then life would be beautiful

Key:

- Dream State - , Flashback , ' thoughts ', " Dialogue "

----------------------------------------------------------------------------- A change in writing style/time/place/whatever (will notate in () which one)

Author's Note: This takes place after Chain of Memories. Hope you guys like it. Comments and critisism's loved, be kind it's my first fic!

Rating: M

Warning: This is a Yaoi fic! It pairs Sora and Riku and lemony stuff, so if you don't like kingdom hearts... or Sora+Riku, or yaoi, don't read it! Possible spoilers as well.

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(Chapter 3: The cost of denial)

"So... he rejected you?" Asked the blonde's hologram, her blue eyes looking sympathetically down at Riku who'd tossed himself onto the couch and refused to get up.

"Yup..." He mumbled into the couch, his voice was muffled by the cushions but still Namine understood the grunt of assent.

"Oh Riku... I'm sorry." Namine said then the hologram dissapated leaving the boy alone to have some privacy. Riku managed half a smile to himself... at least the girl understood when people needed to be alone. Silent tears found their way down his cheeks to stain the couch.

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(On the beach)

Kairi sat up and stretched shading her eyes from the sunlight as she looked around. The boys had not returned from their trip to go and get some ice cream and she was starting to worry about where they might be. She picked herself up off the sand and went looking for them, following their two sets of footprints to another beach that was on the way to the ice-cream stand. It appeared they'd gone off coarse. Over in a thicket of paoupo tree's sat Sora who looked like he had just lost his best friend and was still to stunned to cry about it. She carefully maneuvered her way over to him and bopped him on the head laughing as he practically jumped out of his skin in surprize. His eyes swiftly glanced up to her in a moment of panic, then he realized who she was and he relaxed a bit.

"Hey! What's going on Sora? Where's Riku?" She asked plopping down next to him and giving him a look of mild concern. She watched in surprize as his eyes flashed momentarily with pain before he sighed and ran a hand through his chocolate locks.

"Oh nothing Kairi... Riku and I... had a fight." He lied, unable to tell her what had really happened and frankly not wanting to remember it himself.

"Oh... that jerk! He should have more sense than that!" She replied immediately assuming that the whole thing was Riku's fault. Sora didn't bother to correct her, his heart found a sort of sick pleasure in letting her convince him that whatever had happened it was entirely Riku's fault and he should just move on.

"Thanks Kairi... I feel a bit better now." Sora said truthfully, although deep in his subconcious the problem would never completely go away... he did find solace in Kairi's words for the time being and he smiled one of his trademark smiles for her.

"That's it Sora... you always bounce right back." Kairi said cheerfully, completely unaware of the damage she'd just done unto the innocent boy. He leaned into her embrace and she blushed faintly, stroking his hair in a comforting way. "See? Everything's going to be alright." She said softly, rocking him a bit. She was treating him like a child... but that's exactly what he was as he smiled and fell asleep in her arms.

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(A few days later)

Sora and Kairi were sharing a bowl of chocolate ice-cream... they'd been dating now for a few days and Kairi couldn't have been happier. Sora believed that he was happy too, even though he still had those nightmare's involving Riku, he shrugged them off and assumed they'd go away after he'd been dating Kairi for a while longer. A chorus of trumpets sounded suddenly, breaking the tropical peace and tranquility that the islander's had come to expect and soon everyone had gathered near the edge of the islands to stare at the band of important royal-looking trumpeters as though they were a overly large bug that needed to be swatted. Sora and Kairi arrived hand-in-hand. Immediately Sora rushed to the head of the crowd, realizing that an important dignitairy of the Kingdom must've been sent to find him, the keyblade master. Instead of seeing Donald or Goofy near the back of the line of trumpeters he found himself watching a young blonde lady walking across the red carpet towards him. She paused at the edge of the carpet and smiled at him. Her smile captivated him... she was so familiar! And yet Sora was convinced he hadn't the faintest clue who she was.

"Good day people of Destiny Islands. I appologize for interrupting your daily lives as I am only here to collect certain individuals who apparently already know that I'm here for them." Namine stated, winking at Sora and Kairi who'd joined him. The islanders grumbled and wandered off, the inner-workings of the kingdom always reached them the last... they were a mostly untouched society and they liked it that way.

Sora and Kairi walked up to Namine and began introducing themselves but found themselves stopped by the young blonde. She smiled shaking her head and laughing. "You two need no introduction. I have heard of your great exploits Sora... and a certain friend of yours has told me plenty about you Kairi." She said with a hint of humor. She'd well rehersed her speech with a bit of Riku's help on what to say to explain how she knew them both when in fact neither of them had any knowledge of her. Well... ok Sora knew her... but he didn't remember that. "My name is Namine... I came to Kingdom Hearts not too long ago and began working directly for the king. I have come here to summon you both to the kingdom... his highness has something important to tell you."

They agree'd whole-heartedly, glad to get off the island and excited to begin their adventure to the kingdom. They boarded the cruise ship which set sail shortly after the trumpeters had finished loading their cargo back on board. Kairi looked at Namine thoughtfully, "You say a friend of ours told you about me? Could you mean Riku?" She asked curiously.

Namine smiled and nodded back, "Yup the one and the same." She replied.

"How do you know Riku?" Kairi asked curiously.

Namine was silent a moment, gathering her thoughts. She hadn't expected any questions like that... hmm what would she say? "Well... uh... back where I come from I was a well known witch. My powers attracted some of the local hoodlums and Riku rescued me from them on the king's orders. I owe him my life..." She said trying to make it sound like she was remembering this from a few days ago. Inwardly she winced at her own made-up story. Now she'd have to act like Riku was her saviour as would be expected of her and Riku wouldn't know what the hell was going on. She just hoped he caught on fast.

"Wow..." Kairi said impressed. "When did all of that happen?" She asked smiling.

"It was before he left for Destiny islands... but after he'd found his way out of the door to darkness... or something like that. You'll have to ask him for the details on that. I have no clue." Namine lied with a straight face and a shrug.

"Wow." Kairi said and propped her head on her hands trying to imagine Riku saving her from monsters and villains. "So, do you like him?" Kairi asked dreamily.

Namine blanched and stuck her tongue out in an honest reaction. "Ick no... he's more like an older brother than anything else. Why would you even think something like that?" She responded.

"Oh... I see. Well I don't know. I've never heard of a story like that where the damsel didn't fall in love with her saviour." Kairi said with an evil grin that said clearly that she didn't believe Namine for a second. Namine saw it and felt suddenly that she'd rather be anywhere else than sitting with this girl who asked way too many questions for her own good.

Kairi took her annoyed silence to mean that she'd hit the truth and beamed knowingly at Namine. "Don't worry Namine... I'm sure if you gave it a shot you could probably get him to like you too. Riku may look tough. but he's really soft on the inside."

Namine sweatdropped and fell over anime-style. 'Well... whatever, let her think what she wants.' She mused inwardly.

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(A few hours later)

The cruise ship finally docked at the harbor. The city was called Port Royal and it was directly adjacent to the kingdom. Everyone got off and made their way to the city, Kairi skipping along next to Sora who was also in an excited mood. Leading the way was a very frazzled Namine. Three hours on a boat with that overly-curious red-head had taken it's toll on her. They were greeted at the gates by Donald and Goofy who had a short reunion with Sora before they went in to meet the king.

His magesty was seated in the throne room and had been napping when the group clattered into the chamber. His circular black head rested against his royal-red outfit. He immediatly jumped to attention and smiled to all who entered. A smirk crossing his mousy features at Namine's state.

"Welcome one and all." He said as he watched them all bow in his presence. He smiled at them and jumped off of his throne, his royal cloak fluttering down behind him. "I summoned you here just to let you know the current situation. Now that the door to darkness is locked we shouldn't have any more worries about heartless escaping. However; with some help from my royal advisors I came up with a plan to ensure that the door will not be broken again in the future... and that if it does despite our efforts... that we'll be more prepared next time." Mickey announced.

Sora nodded and stepped up. "I'll be happy to do anything your majesty requests." He said, volunteering before the king even told him what it was he wanted of Sora. Kairi just rocked back an forth on her feet wondering what this had to do with her... not that she minded being away from home for a change.

The king smiled, "Well, the first thing was that we had to find someone who could work on the other side of the door to keep the darkness in check. That's been done already, Riku volunteered for that a few days ago. Today we'll be going to the door to help him cross back over without releasing any heartless. That's why you're here Sora. With our combined power of light we should be able to hold back the heartless long enough to allow Riku entry through the door." He said brandishing his keyblade.

Sora was stunned. Riku... the name echoed through his body and brought unwanted memories. Then he realized what the king was asking of him. Help... send Riku into the darkness alone? Regardless of what had happened between them, Riku was still a good friend and Sora couldn't understand why he would've agree'd to something so dangerous without telling him! He felt sort of helpless as he considered it.

'Maybe he's running away from me because I hurt him.' Sora thought, acknowledging for the first time in his mind since the incident that the whole thing had been his fault. As he found himself drowning in his own memories he could vaguely hear the king still explaining what he wanted of Kairi.

Riku would be gone... he would never see him again. Never be able to tell him that he was sorry for not understanding his feelings. It must have been awful for Riku. Sora was always so forgiving... Riku had probably expected him to laugh or something and make a point to conveniently forget what Riku had said so that they could still be friends. Sora bit his lip quietly, maybe it was for the best then that he was leaving. He'd never have to worry about Sora breaking his heart again.

"Sora?" The king's high squeaky voice broke through his thoughts and he looked up eyeing the concern on everyone's face.

He smiled and laughed jovially, "Sorry about that... I must've spaced out. Yeah I'll do it."

They all gave him a strange look but shrugged and smiled, agreeing to meet again at the door to darkness the next morning.

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sniff Ahh... bet you guys are wondering what the king wanted Kairi to do right?

Too bad :3 I left it out on purpose because it's not important and I didn't know what to have him ask of her anyways. :# lol

Laterz!rozukitsune