He wasn't sure what to do first when he arrived where he did. He wasn't sure what to think. Only that 'hey, I'm supposed to be dead'. He could just stare in shock, up at the happy, joyful, teary faces, so distantly familiar, nothing like he thought black-emptiness would be. And then the water. There was water around him- He was underwater. And he could breathe. Not that he couldn't before, but it was a different kind of feeling and it was-

"Edmy!" A plump and very familiar woman came into his blurry view, grabbing him into a tight hug. He squirmed in her embrace. Who was this woman? Man, he hadn't been hugged in … ever. Since-

It took a moment for the name to set in.

"My baby, my baby you're back I thought they t-took you!" She wailed, crying big, fat tears, visible, for some reason, even in the water.

"-Mama?" Demyx stared at her, and quickly sat up, surprised at the memory. He looked down at his body, and just like before, there was a tail protruding out where his legs should have been.

He squeaked and attempted to jump away from the replaced parts in surprise. "I- I'm a MERMAID! Well- a merman, but- I'm a freaking MERMAN!" Again.

The people around him moved away, a man in the back yelling at them to give him some air. Even though he was… kinda underwater. But that's beside the point.

"Edmy, merciful Neptune, You're-"

"Of course you're a merma-"

"Where were you? What happened-"

He tuned them out, just staring at all the worried faces with more surprise. He just kept getting surprised. They were worried. For HIM, DEMYX. No one from Organization was ever worried for him, except maybe Xigbar, but Xigbar had his own agenda going on. Or something. No one ever did anything for the sake of being nice in the Organization. Never. And Demyx' attempts to lighten things up always left him scolded and ignored. Sometimes bruised, but he always jumped back up.

But now. Now… People were worried. About Dem- Edmy. But Demyx wasn't picky. If he had to be Edmy to be around people like this, then he'd do it in a heartbeat.

But then again he died. So this must have been heaven. Or reincarnation? Or…

He began to laugh. It was a little bit hysterical- more than a little overwhelmed- just thinking of the idea. As if his heart could actually be back! After all that time- after all those fights about how they really had hearts, could it really be his again?

Clutching at his chest, Demyx closed his eyes. Trying to recall memories that used to make him emotional. Something happy.

Chasinghisbrotherthroughthecoralreefwatchingthesunsetthroughthewaterplayinghissitarandhavingtheaudienceclapandclapandclappingaskingforencoresandmore…

Then he felt it.

Just slightly- as if unsure- but it was there.

His heart.

Looking deep within himself for that emptiness that was usually present… he joyfully noted that the emptiness was gone. He felt like. Himself! His real self! Again!

Demyx opened his eyes in glee. Then, finally noticing the silence and the worrying, weird looks he was receiving from his audience, he scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. They momentarily wondered if he had turned insane when he was taken by the heartless.

The sitarist tried to comfort them, letting the love and worry wash over his newly-returned heart, pushing out the stolen happiness and buried passion in one, bright smile.

Everyone stared. Then slowly began to smile back, one by one, until he was surrounded by happy, smiling faces. He wanted to cry. Wanted to sing. Wanted to jump for joy and shout and grab someone and swing them around until he threw up from dizziness.

Instead he just said: "Hey guys. Uh- long time no see!"

There was silence, and then laughing, and then later he found himself under a large pile of loving sisters and brothers and cousins and a doting mom and dad and he…

He was finally happy. For the first time in his nobody-now-turned-somebody-life, he felt truly happy.

Perhaps one day he could visit the rest of the Nobodies in their own somebody life once more to rub it in their faces that they received their happy endings. A reunion party even! He would need to ask King Triton for some legs later though.