Hello everybody!

The last chapter is ahead of you. A little warning: a slightly mature scene at the end (nothing too graphic).

Once more, I want to thank my fantastic beta reader - avatarquake who was correcting all my grammar mistakes. You are the best!

Thanks for your comments and support. Enjoy!

IX

The last Heartless disappeared after the strike of his Keyblade. Ventus exhaled deep and stretched his tired hands; the weapon vanished but the pain after a battle stayed in his muscles.

It was more than a year since they defeated Master Xehanort, but many worlds still weren't safe. Every Keyblade wielder fought with a plague of Heartless, which didn't seem to diminish.

Wounded in the arm and extremely tired, Ventus sat on the ground trying to regain his strength just a little. Now the landscape was peaceful and quiet, despite the battle that had taken place a few minutes ago.

Ventus knew that he wasn't the only one who fought. Terra and Aqua, Sora and his friends too, and even Lee with his new family, all wandered through countless worlds, trying to save them from a dark fate.

Sometimes Ventus also had a feeling that there was one more person who fought. Sometimes he was almost sure where to find him, but before he could come to that place, Vanitas had disappeared without any trace.

Ventus remembered clearly what had happened on the Land of Departure when he vanished, remembered how first terrified, then sad Aqua was. She was looking for Vanitas for many days, then waited even longer, but Ven saw how the hope faded in her eyes with each passing day. And in the end, she stopped waiting. Ventus knew that it was a very painful decision, but she was Aqua, and she was stronger than everyone thought. If she mourned his loss, she didn't show it to others, focused on her tasks, duties, and responsibilities.

However, Ventus knew she was suffering. He saw it sometimes in her blurred eyes or during the sleepless nights she spent in her office. Sometimes he hated Vanitas even more, for how much he had hurt her.

But other times, Ven wondered why it ended up that way. It was clear that between them was a strong bond, something that nobody fully understood, the feeling that was born when they were in the Realm of the Darkness. What had happened to them, why everything had broken so suddenly, and why had Vanitas left?

Despite his awful character and bold language, for sure Ven's evil twin had some feelings towards Aqua. There were no doubts about it. Ventus saw it each time they were together. It was also the reason he was trying to fix his relationship with Vanitas. He didn't do it because of Vanitas himself, or for his own purposes, but mainly for the sake of Aqua - she was so happy each time they peacefully interacted with each other.

To be honest, Ven also began to like their new line of understanding, without fights or endless quarrels. Of course, Vanitas still had been himself, but his attitude towards Ven also changed to some extent. They become real brothers, far more than they had been in the past.

And then Vanitas had left.

Ventus shook his head, trying to erase unpleasant thoughts. They all had closed that chapter of their lives and moved forward. Nobody was talking about Vanitas, nobody was trying to search for him anymore - for them he stayed in the past. Only sometimes, the longing look on Aqua's face had been telling Ventus that not everything was buried deep enough to forget.

Ventus was sitting on the ground for a long while, and when he regained a little stamina, he tried to stand up, but suddenly, he felt a sharp pain in his chest that forced him to come back to a sitting position. He knew what that meant. He had felt something like that in the past, but never so strong. Without a second thought, he closed his eyes and focused on that feeling, allowing it to guide him. It took a few seconds before he saw a dark landscape, fire, and dozens Heartless. The pain got stronger, so he didn't have much time.

Struggling with pain, he stood up, summoned his armour, and transformed his Keyblade into the glider, on which he jumped without hesitation. With one move of his hand, he opened a corridor and went through it, searching for the world he saw in his vision. One more time, he allowed his bond with Vanitas to guide him in the correct direction.

It was an unpleasant, cold, and destroyed place. It had to have emerged from the Realm of the Darkness not so long ago because there were still so many signs of its rotting. No one lived there, only thousands of Heartless wandered around without any real purpose.

It would take years to restore this world if it was possible at all.

Ventus landed on top of some rocky hill and looked around, searching for Vanitas. He spotted him a moment later, surrounded by Heartless, which attacked him without mercy. His armour was shattered in many places and drenched with blood. Ventus didn't see his face, but his angry screams spoke aloud about his mood.

Suddenly, around Vanitas the Dark Firaga exploded, burning everything in his surroundings, then he fell to his knees, resting his Keyblade on the ground.

There was no time to hesitate since more Heartless emerged from the shadows. Ventus launched his glider and flew towards Vanitas. He caught him up a second before the Heartless attacked. They were flying right above the surface, but it was not long before Vanitas jerked off and they both fell to the ground.

Ventus jumped to his feet, not sure what he should expect from Vanitas, and he was right because his evil half tried to cut him with his Keyblade. In battle havoc, Vanitas didn't recognize who was a friend and who - a foe.

"What the hell, Vanitas! It's me!" yelled Ventus, removing his helmet. It didn't do much because Vanitas attacked one more time, but his legs couldn't support his weight anymore, and he fell on the rocky ground. He had to have lost too much blood and was too exhausted to fight, but that didn't mean he wasn't going to try.

Vanitas' helmet prevented Ventus from seeing his face, but Ven was sure that he would find there only rage. Nonetheless, he stood up, came closer, and said with all the patience he could muster.

"It's all right, I'm not here to fight you, I want to help you."

"Bullshit!" barked Vanitas, but lowered his weapon a little. It was a good sign.

"You are in no shape to fight. You are badly wounded."

At that moment Vanitas was like a cornered animal, trapped but still very dangerous. Ventus had to act with caution if he didn't want to lose any limb.

"I can beat you with my eyes closed and my legs broken," said Vanitas angrily. It seemed his attitude was the last to die.

However, before Vanitas disappeared, Ventus had learned how to get on with him. Just like Aqua said, there was a better part of him, hidden, hard to see, and not very loud, but was there nonetheless.

Thinking about it, Ven removed his armour entirely and came closer, not paying attention to the Keyblade in Vanitas' hand.

"That's enough, I won't allow you to end like this. I'm not stupid Vanitas, I know what you are doing here."

He saw that Vanitas' hand flinched slightly at these words. Ven didn't see his face, but he noticed as his posture relaxed a bit. Dealing with Vanitas had only one main rule: if you didn't want him to attack, don't provoke him. Usually, your calmness calmed him too. It worked in this case either, so Ventus could come to Vanitas and cast a healing spell. Ven wasn't as skilled as Aqua, but it had to be enough for now. The spell stopped bleeding and closed the worst wounds, even though Vanitas barked something incoherently on this action. Finally, he removed his mask and looked at Ventus.

"What do you want?!" he asked viciously.

"From you? Nothing particular, just save you from killing yourself."

Vanitas crossed his arms over the chest.

"I'm stronger than a bunch of fucking Heartless."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm sure of it, but not today, when you are barely standing."

"I'm not…"

"Come with me, you shouldn't stay here."

The frown on Vanitas' face deepened. He wanted to say something, but Ventus stopped him.

"It's not a request, you will come with me, whether you want it, or not. It's only a matter of how we do this, peacefully or the hard way. Don't make me force you."

For a long while, Ventus was watching Vanitas' internal battle, but after that, his twin shrugged.

"Fine. You are lucky I'm tired," he spat, mentally defeated.

Ventus only smiled.

They ended up at some bar in Traverse Town, sitting in the farthest corner, where no one would bother them, and eating burgers with a huge amount of sodas.

Healed and full, Vanitas was far more bearable and talkative. He sat on the chair with a glass in hand and with his legs on another chair.

He told Ventus about what he was doing in that devastated world, and how many Heartless he beat there. However, Ventus had much more important questions in mind but knew very well how Vanitas would react to it. Nonetheless, he needed to ask.

"Why did you leave in the first place?"

Vanitas visibly flinched, but instead of getting mad, he only shrugged and drank more soda.

"I had my reasons."

"I know you had, for sure, and they had to be very important." Ventus didn't want that, but the words that came from his mouth were dipped in sarcasm, so he stopped for a moment, exhaled deeply, and continued more seriously. "I need to believe that you had your reasons because you hurt her very deeply."

Vanitas rolled his eyes.

"She is tough and came through worse than that."

"Of course she is, but it doesn't mean she didn't suffer."

Then Ventus, at last, saw what he expected to see from the beginning, anger on Vanitas' face.

"If you think that I feel some stupid remorse, forget about it. Don't even try to put the blame on me."

Vanitas said it with growing wrath in his voice, but Ventus only shook his head.

"I'm not trying anything like that, I only want to understand what happened," he said calmly, then added with bitterness. "You both looked so happy…"

Ventus saw as Vanitas clenched one fist and turned his eyes away.

"I don't want to listen to that bullshit," he murmured, still angry, but even more frustrated.

"But it's true, and you know that."

"As if I care about that."

Ventus snorted.

"You don't look like someone who doesn't care."

Vanitas flinched even stronger.

"Shut up, you understand nothing!"

Finally, Ventus heard what he was waiting for.

"And that is the case, I don't understand, and what's more important, Aqua doesn't understand it too."

"So be it!" Vanitas shouted, hitting the table with his fist.

Unconsciously, Ventus jumped in his seat but stayed calm.

"It's unfair… unfair to her. If you had truly felt something for her, you should find the courage and be honest with her."

Vanitas looked like he wanted to stand up and go away, his eyes were dark and his face full of anger. But after a moment nothing happened and he calmed slightly.

"I'm not much of an honest person," he murmured, finally.

"Nothing new for me," Ventus added.

"Besides, there was nothing to say. It wasn't some evil schema or conspiracy theory, it was only me and my fucking being."

Ventus looked at him with confusion, but Vanitas only shrugged and added watching his hands placed on the table.

"I'm not someone… good enough. I will never meet her expectations. She thought I had some feelings for her, and maybe it was true, but not what she wanted."

Ventus was watching him with concern for a moment, then asked quietly.

"Didn't you love her?"

On Vanitas' face appeared an ugly grimace, something between smile and frown.

"Get real, I even don't know what that means," he said with false amusement, full of bitterness. Then added with frustration. "That fucking word didn't want to come through my mouth… even though I knew she wanted to hear it."

Ventus listened in silence, not wanting to interrupt him, but after a while when Vanitas said no more, he drank a gulp of his soda, cleared his throat, and said:

"Why didn't you tell her that? She would understand."

"Of course, she would," Vanitas barked in response. "I was sick and tired of her understanding, of her kindness, of her… everything. Everything I had done was because of her, I had even stood against Xehanort only for her because I was thinking about the rampage I would unleash if he laid a finger on her. There was too much of her, and I began to drown in it."

Ventus looked at him with disbelief, but on the other hand, everything began to fit. Someone like Vanitas, who all his life was fed with dark emotions, not knowing anything else, could be overwhelmed by such strong emotions. He didn't fully comprehend Aqua's feelings, and even less his own. Probably he didn't understand them at all. So he ran from her, and from too many thoughts about her, and did the only thing he had known - began to fight. Fighting with Heartless, or anyone else, he didn't have to think, didn't have to feel. It was his method to solve his problems, even though it was a little radical.

But it could end very badly.

"Killing yourself doesn't solve anything, and countless fights won't make you forget about her. I'm not an expert, but from what you said, I think you love her more than anyone could expect."

Vanitas looked at him more surprised than irritated.

" How do you…"

"I simply know, I saw it then, and even better see it now. Maybe you can't name that feeling, but it is love that bothers you, that makes you so frustrated and nervous. You were trying to escape from it, but be honest with yourself, did you succeed?"

Something on Vanitas' face told Ven that he hit the point. There was only one thing left to say.

"You should come back to her. You both deserve that."

Aqua came to her room and sat heavily on a bed. She felt exhausted after a few hours of tutoring spells. Four months ago she had gotten three new apprentices, who wanted to become the Keyblade wielders and lived with them on the Land of Departure. Two teenage girls and one nine years old boy were talented and eager to learn. Like Aqua and Terra, they became orphans after their world was destroyed during the last war, so they found a safe shelter here. Aqua didn't know how many other children suffered the same fate, but if she could help those three it was an effort worthy to make, even if sometimes she didn't have time for anything else. She became their guardian, teacher, or sometimes a family member.

Aqua exhaled deeply and stretched stiff hands that hurt from too many spells. She looked at the watch on the wall and felt a chill when she noticed that Ventus should come back a long time ago. Maybe she should check the place he had to clear off from the Heartless today.

Before she could make up her mind, a knock on the door caught her attention.

"Come in."

The door opened and Ventus came inside. He was dirty and visibly tired but his eyes were clear and focused. He looked like he had something important to say.

"Something happened?" Aqua asked, momentarily alerted.

"I found him. He is here."

These words stunned her completely for a couple of seconds and she was watching Ven in disbelief. She knew exactly who Ventus was referring to, so after a while, she managed to ask:

"Is he all right?"

Ventus' expression was a mix of nervousness and amusement.

"Physically - yes, mentally more unstable than usual, if you want my opinion."

She abruptly stood up.

"Where is he?" she asked more confidently.

"In my room."

She nodded, thanked Ven, and quickly left the room.

She came downstairs where Ven's room was, at the end of the long, bright corridor. With each step, she felt a growing anxiety, even though she hadn't thought about him for months - she hadn't allowed herself to do it. It was too painful and she didn't have time for such meaningless thoughts; she was too busy taking care of the Land of Departure and the new children here. Besides, she didn't want to think about… him.

Him… Vanitas…

Aqua took a deep breath, pulled the doorknob, and entered the room. Inside was a mess left by Ventus, but the only thing she noticed was the person sitting on the bed. Vanitas sat there casually, with his elbows on his knees, and with his well-known smile on lips. So common as if he left yesterday. But nothing was so simple… not anymore.

"Van… so you are alive," Aqua said, closing the door behind her. Her tone was flat, even though she felt as if her heart sank, seeing him.

"Of course, I am. Ventus would be the first to know about my demise."

She knew that, but it assured her very little. Moreover, the thought that he was somewhere out there, and didn't want to come back, made her even more frustrated. Yes, frustration was the first feeling that appeared after sadness, after fruitless weeks of waiting. And now that frustration made her cold and distant.

"So what are you doing here?"

He raised his eyebrows. Probably he didn't expect her to act that way. Maybe she should be happy or cry with relief, and if he had come back a few months earlier, she would, but now nothing that kind came to her mind. Of course, she was genuinely glad he was all right, but nothing more. She had waited for too long and didn't have enough strength to worry about him anymore. She had too many other responsibilities and things to take care of than to pay attention to someone who willingly disappeared from her life.

Finally, Vanitas regained his composure and smiled even wider. This time she noticed the falsehood hidden behind it.

"I was bored, so I came to check what was going on here."

Aqua still stood next to the door and didn't feel a need to come closer. Opposite, with every passing second, she wanted more and more to leave this room. Leave before she felt something again.

"There is nothing here that should concern you."

A dark shadow marked his face. He probably understood now, that she wasn't going to welcome him with open hands.

"You are bloody right, I give a shit on this place, but…"

She didn't want to listen to him, mainly because with every word, she felt a stronger pang in her heart. He used to be such an important part of her life that with his disappearance, part of her has disappeared as well. And she was afraid of the pain it would cause if it came back. So she wasn't going to listen to his explanation, even though there was a quiet voice at the back of her head that persuaded her to walk closer to him, to touch him, to be next to him again.

"There is no 'but', Vanitas. It's meaningless now. Whatever you wanted to say, please, just don't.

Finally, her words removed the smile from his face. He stood up and looked at her angrily.

"Fine!"

"I wish you well, but go now," Aqua added through clenched jaws.

She saw as he curled his fingers into fists so hard that his hands trembled. Then he said with a vicious tone.

"I shouldn't have come here in the first place."

"You shouldn't have left in the first place," she said, much more bitter than she wanted.

"Happily, I can easily fix that," he barked, then the dark corridor appeared just behind him and he disappeared into it. Not two seconds later, Aqua was alone in the room.

Aqua stood next to the door for a long while, trying to calm her breathing, and not thinking about this ugly feeling she felt somewhere in the middle of her chest.

That was better, for him, and especially for her. She needed to be strong and reliable because on her shoulders lay the safety of this place and the people here. She couldn't bother herself by feelings for him, by his attitude, and his overwhelming presence. She couldn't play that game anymore, she lost too many tears for him, too many sleepless nights, and now she felt empty. And that emptiness was better than longing for him.

She took two deep breaths, turned around, and left the room, but stopped abruptly when she spotted Ventus in the corridor.

He looked at her surprised as if he didn't expect to see her there.

"What happened?"

"He left," she replied with a surprisingly even voice.

"What?! Why?"

"Because I asked him to."

Ventus looked completely dumbfounded by her words. He was watching her with wide-open eyes.

"But… Why?"

"That will be better, for all of us."

Suddenly, Ventus shook his head.

"I don't believe it. Do you know how hard it was to convince him to come here?!"

Abruptly, he came closer and looked her in the eyes.

"You didn't even listen to him, right? You didn't give him a chance to say what he said to me. You didn't want to listen, because you were afraid of what you could hear."

"It's not that…"

"It is simple, I put so much effort to bring him back, and I won't allow you to mess it up!"

"Ven…" She tried to calm him down.

"Don't! You are simply wrong, and you have to fix it before it is too late."

Ven took her hand and pulled her towards the exit, but she stayed in place. Frustrated, Ventus looked at her angrily, and Aqua thought that he had never before looked so much like Vanitas.

"Are you coming or do I have to force you?"

Vanitas liked this place, in his own, wicked way. This world, full of dust, trash, and Heartless, was the most similar to the Realm of the Darkness from all of the worlds. He felt here almost like at home. Almost, excluding the fact that he didn't have a home. He could fight here to the point when he would fall from exhaustion and drown in the sweet nothingness of darkness.

Sometimes he wanted to go back to the Realm of Darkness, in truth, he tried already, but there was too much of her everywhere, and he couldn't stand it. This place was better because it didn't hold a lot of memories, only fights, and pain from open wounds.

Now he wasn't wounded, but sitting on the ground he felt an unusual pain - not too strong, he came through worse - was very annoying and persistent. The pain, more discomfort even, without a particular source.

Vanitas didn't know what it was but was sure about its cause. It was because of her.

She was so near - he stood maybe four steps away. So close that he smelled her scent, almost felt the heat of her body, but at the same time, she was more distant than ever.

Surprisingly, he didn't feel anger, even though it would be the most natural emotion for him in that situation. What he felt at that moment was far more confusing. He could hardly name it - regret, sadness, loneliness - he knew these words, but he never could connect them to himself. They were alien to him, almost forbidden. He couldn't tell if what he felt at that moment was one of them. He wouldn't recognize sorrow even if it hit him right in the face.

However, what he felt now was very irritating and he would do anything for that feeling to disappear.

Sitting on the ground, in the centre of the dusty, plain landscape, he didn't know what to do next. The last few months were blurred in his mind. Countless enemies, endless fights, battle rage that covered everything in red, all this helped him forget about what disturbed him. About that unfulfilled emotion, he couldn't stand. About what he lost on his own, cowardly request.

He never thought that he would escape from something like that. But nobody ever had any expectations towards him. Nobody cared what he was doing or thinking, or moreover, what he was feeling. Nobody but her. She wanted him to be someone he never would be: someone who would be important for her, who could care and support her, who could…

He gritted his teeth, this bloody word didn't even want to come through his mind. It was something he couldn't comprehend at all, the whole idea was completely absurd to him, so he couldn't imagine how he could meet Aqua's expectations.

I think you love her more than anyone could expect.

Ven's words came back to him again and still, he didn't know what to think about them. For sure he felt something, but could it be this? Could he feel it at all? And did it matter anymore, after what he heard from Aqua? Did anything matter now?

"Why did you leave?"

He shuddered when heard a voice right behind him. How deep was he in thoughts that he didn't feel her presence, so strong and clear?

"What are you doing here?" he replied with a question.

Once more she stood a few steps away, but he couldn't look at her, so he didn't know what expression she had at that moment. In the past, he never paid attention to that kind of thing, then he met her and suddenly, it started to bother him. Was she angry, glad, anxious... disappointed?

With painful clearance, he understood that the last thing he wanted was to disappoint her. But did someone like him, so evil, wrecked, and rotten could do anything beyond disappoint? Could he do something good for her?

"Ven wanted me to hear what you have to say."

Ventus… his stubborn, so good brother.

Vanitas snorted without humour. What he needed to say was far from his reach. But he should maintain at least a little honesty, she deserved that.

"I left because I couldn't do what you expected from me," he said with more bitterness than he intended.

He didn't want her pity, he felt humiliated enough without it. But on the other hand, she always so easily understood him, and now, the only thing he wanted desperately, was her understanding of what he was not saying.

And maybe she did because suddenly she came closer, sat next to him, and placed her hand on his shoulder.

Her touch burned him like an open fire, but at the same time, he understood how much he missed that. So much it was truly painful.

"Look at me, Van," she asked with emphasis, and despite himself, he obeyed and moved his eyes to her face.

"Why did you leave?"

She was so close, so absurdly close, he could count all the brighter dots in her eyes, so close he stopped thinking about anything else than her.

All hidden anger and frustration hit him with a double force. All these feelings, he had pretended that didn't exist for months, emerged and tried to suffocate him, to the point where there was no escape.

"Fuck it," he cursed, then came closer and kissed her without the warning.

He didn't think about the consequences or her reaction, at that moment he couldn't think about anything more than the taste of her lips and that growing pressure building in his guts.

And when she answered his kiss, he stopped thinking about anything, as if his mind was stuck in place.

How much he missed that, he would kill dozens, if only that would allow him to reach this. It was like a drug, like fresh air after years in prison, like water in the desert… water… Aqua…

He pushed harder, so she lost her balance and finally he ended up laying on top of her. He raised his head and looked at her for a moment, trying to comprehend what exactly happened.

"I left because I love you so fucking much that I couldn't stand it," he said without thinking. "I left because I never will love you the way you want me to. I left because…"

He never had an opportunity to finish because her hands wrapped around his face and her lips covered his. Even if he could talk more, he completely forgot what he wanted to say.

He felt her hand tangle in his hair, on his neck, and later on his back. Her touch burned him to the core, but he didn't care anymore. If he had to burn off, so be it!

And when he felt like her warm, light magic erased his armour, he stopped thinking about anything. Her touch, her lips, her whole was everything that mattered, nothing else.

He never thought someone could touch him that way, to break every barrier, every wall he built around himself from all those years ago. But then she appeared, with all her fucking kindness, gentleness, and understanding, and suddenly he wanted her, her touch, and her presence. He wanted her, nothing more, nothing less.

And in that desert land, so similar to the Realm of the Darkness, he got her whole.

Aqua laid on the ground and was trying to slow down her heart rate, which pounded in her ears like drums. She also tried to even her breath, which was still a little erratic and too loud. She tried many things, but the heat of the body next to her still was throwing her off balance.

She didn't expect it would end up that way, but when everything started she hadn't enough willpower to stop it. When he touched her, everything she hid deep inside her emerged and hit her with so much force that she couldn't resist. She missed him so much that it was physically painful, even though she tried to convince herself that those feelings died months ago. And when the dam was broken, everything happened without any consideration, doubts, or hesitation.

She looked at Vanitas who also laid on the ground and was watching the grey sky above. This place was the last anyone could consider as romantic, but strangely, it was bringing back memories. It was a dark, empty place, where they were all alone. One more time, the two of them against the whole world.

She moved her hand to touch his, which made him look at her. He was so unnaturally calm, even though his chest moved in the rhythm of his quick breath.

"I love you, Van," she whispered, then added a little louder. "I don't care if you feel the same, or if you can show it properly. The only thing I care about is your presence next to me. I don't need anything more."

He was watching her for a long moment then moved his eyes to the cloudy sky.

"I won't go anywhere."

Aqua closed her eyes for a moment and intertwined her fingers with his.

"Thank you."

Vanitas snorted then smiled a little mischievously.

"You will regret it sooner or later,"

She also smiled gently.

"Maybe, but I'm ready to take that risk."

He suddenly rolled on his side, and his yellow eyes focused on her.

"You are the most stubborn and insufferable woman I have ever met."

"You are not any better."

He shrugged nonchalantly and changed the topic.

"So what now?"

Aqua also rolled up, so their faces were very close.

"Now, we go back home, for good."

She saw a shadow of a doubt in his eyes, but she removed it with a light kiss.

"Home, Van. My home, but if you want, it can also be yours."

"I don't need a home," he said sharply, but then added with an unusually serious tone. "But for sure I need you."

She knew that, she felt it stronger with each passing second. She nodded, then smiled lightly.

"So don't waste my time," she said, repeating the words he had told her many months ago in a completely different world, but in the same situation.

Fin.