AUTHOR'S NOTES:

I forgot my shout-outs last chapter! I am so sorry! Thank you so much to YumeTakato and The voice of all things for your reviews, and a shout-out to Scarlett-95 for dropping in to my DMs. So lovely to chat to you all, and I'm so glad that you're still enjoying the story!

As I mentioned in the last update, this is Part II of a sequence that had to be split in half. Both of these scenes came out of nowhere, and I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoyed writing them.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO | TAKING IT EASY

Merlin's house was dark and quiet when they arrived; the large room was lit only with a blue-green wash of light from Cid's computer screens. As Kairi quietly pulled the door closed behind them Axel picked up a note from the small table in the centre of the room.

"Looks like everyone else has gone to bed," Axel murmured. "I didn't realise it had gotten so late." He stifled a yawn behind his fist.

"Here, let me sort the pie," she said, taking it off his hands. He glanced at her from the corner of his eye.

"You gonna stay up for a bit?" he asked. She nodded.

"I need some time to think," she answered. "You should go to bed if you're tired. I won't be much company anyway."

"If you're sure," he said carefully. She nodded.

"Certain," she replied. "I think I might see what time it is for Naminé. Talking to her might help a little too." He softened a little at that and gave her a small smile.

"Well then, goodnight I guess," he said. He paused for a moment, watching her carefully, and after a moment of quiet consideration he swept her up in to a tight hug.

"Axel! The pie!" she squeaked. He only squeezed her tighter.

"You're always a part of my family, you know that?" he said softly. She melted a little, and after reaching around him to place the pie on the table she hugged him back.

"And you're always part of mine," she replied.

She sat at the table after he left, curling up in one of the large armchairs and rubbing her thumb absently over the back of her phone. She wished she could call Sora. He had his phone with him in the Graveyard, but they'd quickly discovered that it was unable to make any calls or send any messages (not that she expected Luxu would allow him to use it, or that Sora would be in a fit state to do anything more than tear it to pieces). It had become little more than a glorified camera, and Sora had often found excuses to put her in front of it in some attempt or other to cheer her up. He had quite the gallery of pictures now, plus all the photos from his previous adventures. They used to huddle together at night when they couldn't sleep, and Sora would show her pictures of the people he'd met and the places he'd been until she almost felt like she'd been there alongside him the whole time.

"When we get out of here, I'm gonna take you to see all of them!"

She wondered what her grandmother would think of him, and what he would think of her grandmother. No doubt they would get along well (as Sora did with everyone), but she couldn't help but hope that her grandmother would approve of their being together. Even her parents didn't know. They probably suspected, and Kairi's mum had often asked after Sora with a sly smile when he and Riku had disappeared for their Mark of Mastery exam, but Kairi hadn't exactly been home since they'd officially become a couple.

Not that Kairi would be able to tell them exactly how it had happened (and her mum was sure to ask). There had been no singular moment, no outpouring of emotion or heartfelt confession the likes of which she had read about in various teenage novellas. Instead there had just been a mutual feeling that the friendship between them had blossomed in to something more, until one night they were no longer holding each other out of a need for warmth and comfort but from a desperate desire for something more.

Her mum would be delighted, of course. She'd always had a soft spot for romance, and as Kairi had entered in to junior school she'd often asked after the boys in her class. Her dad, on the other hand, was set to be less impressed. He got along well enough with Sora, but he'd always seemed so much fonder of Riku who had been older and more mature (at least, he had been in front of the Mayor). She closed her eyes and tried to remember them, and her heart lurched when she realised she could barely picture their faces anymore.

Your family, Vanitas said slowly. They mean a lot to you, don't they?

Of course they do, she answered. She braced herself, half-expecting some derisive follow-up, and when none came she chewed the inside of her cheek. But now I'm torn. It's like I have two families and I don't know what to do.

You don't need them, he answered. She frowned and bit back her initial response when she realised .

It's not about needing them, she replied carefully. Family is more than just something you need. It's… She couldn't think of the words and so instead she sent him a selection of feelings. The way she felt when she baked with her mum, or when her dad took the weekend out of work so that they could all go picnicking together. The way she felt when her mum used to kiss her forehead or her dad used to hold her tightly. Her heart ached painfully. She rested her hand atop the scars on her chest and let her head loll back against the back of the chair.

The doorknob rattled. Kairi sat up taller and her heart leapt to her throat as the door swung open. She slowly lowered her hand, ready to summon her keyblade as she watched the figure quietly slip inside. The computer screen cast a wash of light over his silver hair and Kairi sagged against the chair with a sigh.

"Riku, you scared me-"

He whirled around, summoning his keyblade in one fluid motion as his keen eyes picked her out in the darkness. It took a moment for him to finally relax.

"Kairi," he breathed, dismissing his keyblade with a flick of his wrist. "What are you still doing up?"

"I wasn't tired," she answered. He locked the door behind him and came closer.

"Why are you sitting in the dark?" He picked up a lamp from the counter by the door and lit the candle inside, placing it in the centre of the table. It had never occurred to her to switch on a light or even light a candle. It had been almost comforting being alone in the dark.

Now you're getting it, Vanitas chuckled.

"I met my grandma today," she said softly. Riku nodded.

"Was that who it was? Axel said you met someone you used to know. How was it?" She gnawed the inside of her cheek, unsure of how best to answer. It had been wonderful at the time, there was no doubt about it, but now the encounter had left her with too many thoughts rattling around inside her head and the happiness from the afternoon had been muddied by confusion and uncertainty.

"We made pie." Riku's eyebrow arched at the answer and she shrugged. "Do you want some?" He glanced at the pie and then back to her before wordlessly making his way to the small dresser by the bookshelf. He opened a draw and withdrew two forks before moving to join her at the table. She leaned forward to peel back the cover and he took a small forkful.

"This is really good," he said around a mouthful of pie. Kairi smiled lightly, twirling the fork between her fingers.

"Do you remember that time Sora's mum made a pie for our class and he left it at home?" she asked. Riku nodded with a smile.

"Yeah," he laughed. "He was so scared she was going to be mad at him that he made us help him destroy the evidence."

"That pie was huge," she laughed. "I can't believe we managed it all between us. I thought I was going to be sick afterwards." He swallowed a mouthful of pie and grimaced.

"Do you remember how I went for a walk when you guys went to wash up in the sea?" he asked. She nodded and stared at him curiously, waiting to see if he would elaborate further, and when she finally managed to put the pieces together on her own her eyes widened.

"You didn't!"

"Right behind the treehouse," he chuckled. "Covered it with sand and a couple of palm leaves." She pursed her lips and frowned at him, barely able to smother a smile at the memory.

"And you told Sora off for complaining on the boat ride home," she scolded. Riku shrugged and loaded up his fork again.

"He was being such a baby about it," he said before popping his fork in to his mouth. "This really is… so good. Did Axel help too?"

"Kind of. He helped with the apples, but my grandma and I did the rest." My grandma… It felt so strange to be able to say that now. She glanced down at her fork, watching as the sauce ran over the pastry and threatened to make a break for the tablecloth.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" Riku asked. She put the pie in her mouth, saving the tablecloth from its messy fate, and she chewed it over thoughtfully before answering.

"I always wanted to find out more about my family, and where I came from," she said slowly, "but I never figured out what I would do after I found out."

"Are you going to meet your parents tomorrow?" She grimaced tightly and lowered her gaze, staring at the pie again.

"They're gone," she murmured. "My mother disappeared shortly after I did, and my father… I think he became a heartless. Grandma said they lost him to the darkness." Riku's expression fell completely and his face paled several shades.

"Kairi, I… I'm so sorry." She shook her head.

"It's… Don't apologise," she said. "It's not like I really knew them, right?"

"That's not the point, and you know it," he countered. She sighed and chewed her lip. It tasted like cinnamon.

"Now I don't know what to do," she said. "I never really thought about being in one place or the other, but now… I don't know where I'm supposed to be." Riku folded his arms and sat back in his chair with a thoughtful frown.

"I guess that all depends on what you want," he said. "I haven't really given it all that much thought, but I honestly don't really see any of us settling down anywhere once this is all over."

"You mean… we won't have to choose?" she asked. Riku shook his head.

"I don't think so," he answered. "We know too much to be trapped in one place now. And besides, Aqua says Keyblade Masters used to travel to lots of different worlds all the time to maintain the balance of light and dark. I'm a Master now, and Sora will be too as soon as we can get him back to make it official. You're probably not that far behind him, either."

"I'm not?" she asked softly. He nodded.

"You're strong and you're skilled," Riku answered. "There are a few more hoops to jump through, but I'd say you're not far off." She couldn't help but smile at that. She helped herself to another mouthful of pie. "Terra and Aqua are already Masters, and Ven will probably take his exam too once Sora's back. Axel's a Master, and I don't know about Roxas or Xion but-"

"Wait, h-hold on," she spluttered, swallowing a lump of half-chewed pastry. "Axel's a Master?" Riku paused and his brow furrowed.

"He… He didn't tell you?" Kairi shook her head.

"I thought he was training with me after I came back so that he could become a Master," she said.

"He was," Riku said. "Well, that and to make sure you were okay, I'm sure. He didn't officially earn the title until…" He trailed off them with a grimace and Kairi nodded in understanding.

"Until he used the Power of Waking to put my heart to sleep," she murmured.

"It was all he needed to become a Master," Riku continued. He rubbed at the back of his neck uncomfortably. "It didn't exactly happen under the best circumstances, so he was a bit reluctant to accept the title." Kairi grimaced and rolled her fork absently between her fingers.

"I'll make it up to him," she murmured with a decisive nod. "It was my fault he didn't want to accept it."

"But it was because of you that he mastered the Power of Waking," Riku countered. After a thoughtful pause he added: "You're always so quick to blame yourself for the bad stuff, but you never take any credit for the good stuff." She snorted.

"He only mastered the power because I put my life on the line," she said dryly. "Hardly something to take credit for."

"What about the final battle against Xehanort?" he asked. "You brought Sora back to us, Kairi."

"And then I made him come after me," she countered.

"No, you didn't," he said firmly. "Sora would have gone after anyone in your position, you know that. He was just… a little less inclined to listen to reason because it was you. That's not your fault." She lowered her gaze to her lap where Hopsy was slumped against her stomach. She reached down to flop the patchwork ear back and forth.

"I miss him," she whispered. Riku sighed heavily.

"So do I," he murmured. She drew a deep breath in threw her nose and lifted her head, catching Riku's eye.

"He misses you too," she said. "He used to tell me stories sometimes, when I couldn't sleep, of you and Donald and Goofy and all the adventures you'd been on. About your Mark of Mastery exam, and the Dream Eaters. Sometimes, when he thought I was asleep I would hear him talking to you, asking for your advice." His eyes glistened in the lamplight as he smiled.

"I used to talk to him to," he murmured. "I'd look up at the stars, waiting for a sign. Every time I saw a shooting star I thought… maybe this time. Maybe this one is him. You said we looked like shooting stars when we came back after the fight with Xemnas. Do you remember?" She did. They'd been waiting on Play Island – her, Mickey, Donald and Goofy. They'd been discussing how to send Kairi back to the main island so they could go after Sora and Riku when Kairi's gaze had been drawn to the sky. Two shooting stars, side by side, leaving a trail of light behind them as they plummeted in to the sea.

"We're back!"

"You're home."

"I want to go home," she said at long last. Saying it out loud felt right, and it brought such a feeling of relief that she smiled a little. "Once Vanitas has his vessel then I want to go home and see mum and dad. Will you… will you come with me?" Riku nodded with a smile.

"Of course I will."

Over the next few days Kairi spent most of her time with her grandmother. Kadira had a wealth of stories to tell her about her own childhood and about her parents. Her father had been a real mischief-maker before her mother had caught his eye, after which he had 'sobered up' almost overnight and committed himself to earning nothing less than her hand in marriage.

Kairi in return told her grandmother what little she could about the life she'd led. She told her stories about growing up on the islands with Sora and Riku and the troubles they used to get in to together. She told her grandmother about her parents, how her dad was the Mayor and her mum was a librarian, and together they'd continued to nurture Kairi's love of reading. On her third night, Kairi told her grandmother the story of the Rainbow Fish and her grandmother returned the favour by telling her the story of the Children and the Light. It was just as magical as Kairi remembered.

They spent Kairi's fourth day in the garden behind the house, basking in the sunshine and pouring over an old photo album filled with grainy portraits of various family members. Her grandmother talked her through all of them, from her great great aunt Avila to her great uncle Gulzar (somewhat of a weed in the family flowerbed, her grandmother had whispered in a scandalous tone). They had spent the rest of the afternoon having tea and cake in a quaint little coffee shop overlooking the flower fields.

"So," her grandmother began as she poured the last of the tea, "how much longer will you be staying?"

"S-staying?" Kairi asked. The question had daughter her off-guard, not in the least because she had been distracted by Vanitas who had resumed pestering her about his vessel.

"Well I know I can't keep you here forever," her grandmother said. "You have your young man to find and your parents back on the islands. All this must seem very dull compared to the exciting life you've led."

She doesn't even know the half of it, Vanitas drawled.

"It's not dull!" Kairi replied. "It's been really nice to take it easy for a while." Her grandmother chuckled.

"Yes, dear, it has been lovely, but you're too young to 'take it easy' forever. I expect you'll need to be heading off at some point soon."

We'd better, Vanitas huffed. If I have to stay here another day I think I'll throw myself in to the darkness and never look back. Kairi did her best not to scowl as she shifted uncomfortably in her chair.

"I'm not sure," she answered at long last. "We came here to help a friend, and once that's done then I think it'll be time for us to move on. I think I have a few more days here." Her grandmother nodded sagely.

"I thought that might be the case," she said. She reached in to her pocket and withdrew a small velvet box which she slid carefully across the table. "In that case, dear, I'd like you to have this."

Inside the box was an ornate silver pendant on a delicate chain. It was shaped like a heart, with moulded flowers and vines intertwined around the edge. She picked it carefully out of the box, surprised by the weight, and as she turned it over in her hands she found a clasp on one side and a hinge on the other.

"It's a picture locket," her grandmother explained. "Go on, open it up."

There was room for two pictures, but only one of the frames had been filled. On the left was a picture of her mother and father, both smiling brightly. Her father was standing, his strawberry-blond hair meticulously quaffed and his beard and moustache neatly trimmed. Her mother was sat in front of him, her eyes piercing blue and her hair a waterfall of deep crimson curls that tumbled over her shoulder. In her arms she held a tiny baby swaddled in silk and lace. Kairi ran her fingers over the picture as her eyes burned and her throat itched.

"I left this side empty so you could put a picture of your other parents in there too," her grandmother said softly. Kairi didn't try to stop the tear that ran down her cheek at the gesture.

"What about you?" she said. "I want a picture of you, too." Her grandmother's eyes glistened and she reached out to squeeze Kairi's hand tightly.

"Come to the cottage tomorrow and I'm sure I can find you one," she said. She lifted her hand to brush away the tear on Kairi's chin.

"I don't know where I'm going, or how long I'll be gone," Kairi said, "but I will come back to you. It won't be forever, I promise."

"I know, dear," she said with a bittersweet smile.

"And if you ever need to contact me, you can speak to Ansem the Wise in the castle," she said. "He'll be able to reach me, or he'll know someone who will." Her grandmother's expression tightened a little at that.

"I never was a huge supporter of Ansem," she said tightly. "Nobody really knew what he was up to inside the castle, but it didn't seem particularly good. His apprentices were always snooping around-"

"They're not like that anymore, grandma," Kairi interrupted, though the thought of the laboratory was tying her stomach in to knots. "They're good people now, really." Her grandmother fixed her with a curious stare, like she knew that Kairi was hiding a secret (or several), but she didn't press the matter further.

After they finished their tea they went for a lazy walk around the square, pausing halfway to toss coins in the fountain and make a wish. Kairi wished to always be able to come back and see her grandma. Vanitas wished for this nightmare to be over. After that her grandmother sent her on her way.

"You can't come all this way and ignore your friends, dear," she said with a smile.

"I could join you for dinner?"

"Oh no," she laughed. "Old thing like me, I won't be eating dinner tonight. I'm still full up from all that cake. You have dinner with your friends, dear, and then I'll see you tomorrow I expect." Kairi could hear the exhaustion in her voice and her stomach churned.

"If you want a break from me for a day or two-"

"Nonsense, dear!" her grandmother exclaimed. "I'd see you every day for the rest of my life if I could, but I'm not as young as I used to be. I'm not used to all of this excitement. Let me recharge tonight, and then tomorrow why don't we go and explore the castle library?" Kairi could barely contain her excitement, and after one last hug they parted ways.

When she arrived at Merlin's house she was surprised to see the front door ajar. She stepped inside to find Riku, Cloud and Yuffie stood around the table conversing in low tones with Ansem. The conversation came to an abrupt halt as she entered, and Ansem folded his hands behind his back as he turned towards her.

"Ah, Kairi, I was wondering when you might be back," he said.

"Is everything all right?" she asked. He nodded, a small smile tugging at his lips.

"The vessel is ready."

So I went back and rewatched the ending scene from Kingdom Hearts II and it hit me right in the feels. The letter, the lucky charm, the flashes of Roxas and Naminé… perfection. Sheer perfection.

Now that we've all had a little break and we're full to the brim on sunshine and rainbows, I hope were all ready to dive right back in to the action because there, in the rear-view mirror, is a whole lot of plot and it's gaining on us!

See you in the next chapter.