Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of the other Anime/Disney characters.

Chapter Fourteen

Remembrance

-Love is hard to find, hard to keep and hard to forget.- Alysha Speer

For the first time in months, Riku had been able to sleep peacefully. He had no adult rated dreams, probably because he passed out with all the alcohol he consumed. His bed felt comfortable, not that it didn't before, but it felt familiar and the scent that surrounded him was soothing. He groaned in protest as he moved his body in order to stretch and fully begin to wake up. Slowly he opened his eyes and took in his surroundings, only what he saw wasn't familiar but at the same time it was recognizable.

He wasn't in his room downstairs, the bed he was in was a king-size, the sheets weren't a dull gray but a soft creamy color, they didn't smell like soap or him but a light musk that had floral notes. The room had a lived in feeling, he noticed as he sat up and looked around. The room was colored a light pastel yellow which drew in the warmth of the sun coming in from the two windows behind the bed. The room was furnished to the liking and appeal of a female, he saw the dresser to the left of the room with perfume and make-up. Beside it was the closet, he could see inside and caught a glimpse of female attire on one side and male suites on the other. He got out of the large bed and walked over to inspect the suites and clothes.

This was his room, he recognized the clothes, the suites were his and behind them there were some of his causal clothes since the other was in his room down stairs. To the other side he saw female clothes that he knew belonged to only one other person in the condo and if he didn't know, the chef attire was a dead give away. He pulled away from the closet and turned to the dresser, besides her cosmetics and perfumes he noticed more masculine cologne and items. He opened one of the drawers and saw her lingerie, he was about to close the drawer when something caught his attention. It seemed like it was a corner of a black and white picture, so slowly and carefully he pulled it out to study. To say that he wasn't shocked was an understatement, but he was suddenly hit by a series of emotions. The first emotion besides shock was disbelief, it caused him to drop the photo and just stare at it with wide dumbfounded eyes. After a moment, he bent down and picked it up from the floor before taking a seat on the small bench before the dresser.

The second emotion to hit him was rage, he clenched and unclenched his free hand while the other hand shook. This was never in the works for him, he had never imagined that this would happen to him, but it happened. The evidence around him proved that he and Amaranth were together and that was why she stayed by his side. But he didn't understand why she didn't tell him? Why she kept everything hidden from him? The third emotion was regret, his posture bent, his arms and shoulders heavy at the sudden realization that he had forgotten someone important to him. Someone that he was together with and cared about in more then just a physical level. Because he had never moved in with someone and sold his belonging before. His previous girlfriends always came over to his place and some stayed longer then just when the physical aspect of their relationship was achieved. When asked if they could move in together he always found an excuse and avoided the attachment and the longing for more. Estella had wanted more and it got them separated, since what they had was good but she wanted marriage, kids and so much more then he was willing to give her.

He studied the picture in his hand once more and realized that his dreams weren't fantasies of what he wanted to do with Amaranth, but memories. He had come to that conclusion when he recognized some of the outfits in her closet. He figured he had just made up the maid, nurse, secretary and nun outfits, but he was wrong. They were more conservative outfits, old-fashioned if you will, but they suited her and made her provocative. He figured it was his desire of tainting someone so pure and innocent and dressing her in such a fashion had been his form of achieving that goal. 'Heavens,' he groaned, he needed to see her, needed to talk to her and ask her why she didn't say anything. Why she hadn't told him the truth about their relationship and this, he looked down at the picture once more before making up his mind. Riku got up and was about to head out when he remembered he was still in his boxers. He needed to confront her, not scare her off before she had a chance to say anything. He grabbed a pair of sweats and a t-shirt from the closet, he went and washed up real quick before heading downstairs to go and find her. He was certain with how late it was, mid-morning, she was probably fixing lunch for him.

He stopped as remorse hit him again, he had been ignoring and refusing to see her when she needed him the most. Heavens, he had been a cruel bastard towards her, he realized and wanted to somehow beat himself for what he had done. However, now wasn't the time. He needed answers and he needed to know whether this was real or not, he had brought the picture with him not wanting to let go unless it disappeared or was a figment of his imagination. With some struggle he walked down the stairs and heard noise coming from the kitchen. He slowly drew near the kitchen and recognized the voices and noise of something being cut of the cutting board.

'You're doing that wrong,' Hina voiced, a constant visitor that didn't trust him alone with Amaranth and considering his dreams, he could definitely understand why.

'If I am doing it wrong, why don't you help me,' Nina, Hina's tamer and partner, asked.

'Um, no, I am not making anything for that Prick,' Hina announced and he stopped outside the doorway out of view and wondered why they would be there cooking for him.

'Amaranth told you to stop calling him that,' Nina reminded her and for a moment the chopping sound stopped and he heard the sound of it dropping into water.

'She's not here,' Hina muttered in her defense, which meant that she could call him as she pleased. 'Plus, I don't see why we're here cooking him food.'

'She asked us too, she said that he would probably have a hangover so we should make him some soup,' Nina reminded her.

'Humph,' Hina grunted, she still disliked him even though there were moments he thought the redhead was warming up to him. Nevertheless, what were they talking about Amaranth being gone and how did she know about him going out, he never told her. 'You know, I bet he did something to her last night when she came over all red and puffy-eyed.'

'He was probably upset by the fact that she was leaving and that's why he went drinking. As for her, she told us she had been watching a movie that made her get all emotional and stuff,' Nina reminded her.

'I don't see why she'd be watching a movie after he left,' Hina mumbled and he had to admit she had a point.

'Maybe to drown out the fact that he wasn't going with her, I don't know,' Nina sighed.

'Aren't you supposed to be the smart one in this relationship,' Hina pointed out.

'I thought hackers were smarter than us common folk,' Nina reminded her of her words from long ago.

'I am good at computers, not figuring people out and Amaranth looked more heart broken then not last night,' her voice soft and filled with sadness.

'Princess has had it rough these last few months,' Nina responded. 'I wouldn't blame her for being sad and depressed, considering how lonely she must feel being with the person that she cares about the most and them not being able to remember her.'

'Bastard,' Hina whispered.

He heard Nina sigh, but she didn't correct her, 'I think that we have to give them some time, I mean, I think that with time he'll fall for her again.'

'What happens if he doesn't?'

'Then we'll help Amaranth move on, I am sure she has come to that conclusion herself, of the possibility of him moving on without her.' Nina responded and his clutched his free hand, no way in hell was she moving on and finding someone else. Not now at least.

'Yeah, maybe Xemnas and Xion will fill the hole that Bastard leaves,' Hina suddenly had a cheerfulness in her voice.

'Slow down,' Nina advised her, 'don't rush too fast.'

'Yeah, but wouldn't they be perfect together,' Riku had enough, he came in to view of the kitchen and cleared his throat.

Hina and Nina jumped as they realized that they just got caught in the act of treason. 'Ladies,' Riku greeted them and noticed Nina's flushed face and shooting glance over at Hina, whom had her back turned to him.

'Hi,' Nina forced a fake smile in his direction, but avoided eye contact.

'Hina,' he wanted the red-head to face him and say that Amaranth was better off with his cousin and his daughter to his face.

Slowly Hina turned to face the young man they were just talking about, her heart racing from the scare and her lips pressed flat. 'Riku,' she nodded, but unlike her partner stared him straight in the eyes not regretting if he overheard her preference.

He wasn't going to ask or demand why he was so wrong for her, but he wanted to know where she was hiding. 'Where's Amaranth?'

'Hi to you too,' Hina stated as she crossed her arms before her and went back to her normal state of sass.

'I am not here to play twenty questions,' he told her.

'His Highness has come all high and might this morning, demanding from us peasants what he already knows,' Hina reproached.

Nina remained quiet and assessed Riku, he was tired she could see the deep lines and bags under his eyes. He was also annoyed, the clenching of his jaw after he spoke was a dead give away. Desperate, it seemed he had one goal in mind and that was Amaranth and he would probably disregard how he got the information if Hina kept mouthing back. Mixing that in with his hangover and it was a cocktail for disaster, so she had better intervene soon before Riku got ahead of his rationally. Mind you, he wouldn't do them any physical harm, but she was sure he'd find something to say that was just as hurtful. 'I won't ask again, where is Amaranth?'

'Not here,' Hina answered as she glared at him in challenge.

'I—-'

'She left on a trip,' Nina cut him off. 'We thought that she told you, she told us she told you last night.'

'She didn't tell me anything,' he hadn't given her a chance considering he had been avoiding any alone time with her. 'Where did she go and for how long?'

'A week and to her hometown,' Nina answered before Hina could intervene.

'I need to know exactly where she went,' he asked Nina, who was being more helpful.

'Why, what for,' Hina countered. 'Afraid that you can't live without your servant around?'

'She is not my servant,' Riku quickly and coldly snapped.

Hina's temper was rising and she was about to respond to him, but Nina stopped her. 'We'll tell you.'

'Like hell,' Hina said after.

'Hina will even help set up your flight,' Nina turn to Hina, who's head snapped to look over at her in indignation.

'I will do no such thing.'

'Great,' Riku looked over at Nina and nodded in gratefulness. While at the same time stuffing the picture that he was going to use to comfort Amaranth in his pocket, he had a suspicion that they weren't aware. 'Thank you.'

Nina turned away from Hina's dark glare, she'd have to tell her what she noticed later when they were alone and Hina cooled down. 'I am not doing this for you,' Nina answered honestly, 'so you don't have to thank me.'

'Still,' Riku felt in debt with her.

'If you really want to thank me, I have only one request,' Nina told him.

'That is,' he asked after she paused.

'The same as Hina's, we wish for our friend to be happy,' she answered.

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Hina glared at Nina, 'Why did we even have to bring him to the airport?'

Nina sighed in resignation, ever since they were caught talking she had forced Hina to hack into the airlines and arrange for Riku's flight. Being smart, Amaranth had already had his flight credited for future flights so all Hina had to do was book it. Nina hadn't told her anything since she had been waiting for the right moment to sneak into Riku's room. She had caught a glimpse of the picture Riku was holding earlier and wanted to confirm what she saw. So she had left Hina to figure out the flight while she went to snoop. She had gone into his bedroom and while he was showering, searched for his discarded sweat pants where she was certain the picture still remained. When she saw it, she was shocked, but she tried to clear her mind and scan the picture for information. When she heard the shower turn off she stuffed the picture back into his pocket, but not before taking a picture of it.

Afterwards she went upstairs to investigate further, because of of course her first thought was that it was a fake and that there was no possible way that it was real. If it was real then why hadn't she told them? Did she not trust them to keep it a secret or was she waiting to tell Riku first before she told anyone else? Her parents didn't know, that she was certain off. Otherwise her mother would be beaming with joy, her father the same, but after the shock wore off. Nina had put the pieces together, Amaranth must have found out after Riku woke up and she collapsed. She probably didn't want to worry anyone and but pressure on Riku. After all, he was recovering and had lost his memory of her, of them. It seemed that he still hadn't recovered them, but just like her put the pieces together and she also had an inkling that he had fallen for her once more.

'Earth to Nina, are you in there,' Hina was calling out to her and waving her hand in front of her face. They were at the entrance to the terminal waited for Riku to walk inside.

'Yes,' she turned away from the crowd of people that had arrived to get in line and hide him from view.

'Why are you spacing off and why are we being so nice to the Prick,' she asked. 'Don't tell me you've fallen for him and as a self sacrifice you're willing to let him go to some other woman.'

'No,' Nina looked over at Hina in disbelief, 'you are a moron.'

Hina was about to say something, but instead watched as Nina searched her purse and pulled out her phone, 'I am not doing this for some self sacrificing reason or to rebel against you,' she unlocked her phone and opened the photo app. 'I am helping him because of this,' she showed her the phone.

Hina looked at the black and white sonogram on Nina's phone, her mouth open and shut, shut and opened. 'You…but…you can't be pregnant. Unless you've…cheated on me,' Hina reasoned.

'You really are an idiot,' Nina groaned and watched as realization finally hit Hina.

'THAT BASTARD,' she cried out and everyone around them turned to see what all the commotion was about.

'Keep it down,' Nina told her as she felt her face aflame with embarrassment as so many eyes watched them.

'H-h-how can I keep it down,' Hina fumed, her anger making her stutter a little.

'We should go,' Nina couldn't take the stares, she grabbed Hina's hand and led her towards the exit and down the escalator.

'I need to go and stop him,' Hina protested, but didn't try to run back or snatch her hand away.

'And stop him from doing what's right,' Nina stopped once they reached downstairs and it was less crowded and people weren't gawking at them.

'No, yes, no,' Hina was confused and frustrated, this was a big bomb to process.

Nina sighed, 'You know, I love that you care so much for Amaranth, but she's a big girl and she can take care of herself. You made sure that if she didn't want anything, she could do everything in her power to stop it from happening. Therefore, I think that she wanted this, probably not this soon. But I am sure that with him, yes. Because she loves him, you know. It is something that doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out, just one to get it through to you,' she jabbed lightly.

'But he's hurt her so much,' Hina whispered.

'Unintentionally,' Nina pointed out, 'I am sure that with as happy as Amaranth was before the accident, he didn't make himself forget her. He's good for her and she's good for him. I mean, even now with his memory loss, he is willing to go out and search for her because unconsciously he's still in love with her.'

'It could be a ruse.'

'You're just in denial,' Nina was becoming a little frustrated with Hina's refusal to accept facts.

'Maybe, I've known her for a long time and ever since I've known her I've felt like I've had to protect her,' Hina confessed. 'She just has something about her that attracts trouble and with her looking so weak and docile, it's hard to let go and see what you mean.'

'You feel like a Mama Bear, who's baby has finally grown up and is ready to face the world?' Nina teased her crest faced girlfriend in hopes of lifting her spirts and even to annoy her a little.

'No, like a child that got left behind without warning,' she whispered.

Nina smiled and squeezed her hand, 'Well, I am still here,' she pointed out. 'I promise I won't leave you and I'll even give you sweets if you like,' she winked.

Hina's suddenly felt overcome with relief and laughed at Nina's insinuation. 'You sound like at creeper giving out candy to children.'

'Well, you're the one that compared herself to a child,' she pointed out.

'Yeah, well, I just think that for future reference I'll keep you away from my godchildren,' Hina let go of her hand and began walking away towards the exit.

Nina gasped, 'What makes you think that you're the godmother?'

'Cuz I've known her longer then you have and I am her favorite,' Hina turned her head and called back.

'Yeah, well I am Riku's favorite considering I don't call him names or say that Xemnas is better suited for Amaranth.'

Hina froze, her face going pale as she slowly turned to face Nina, who's face was smug with self righteousness. 'You don't think?'

'I do,' she walked towards her and without another word walked by, a pep in her step as she crushed Hina's spirits. If she knew any better, she would have to say that they would both be godparents to Amaranth and Riku's children. A shared title with Sora and Kairi, Riku's best friends and confidents, but she was sure that Hina didn't quite know that just yet.

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Amaranth stared up of the large store front window and admired all the teddy bears, plush toys and baby clothes that could be seen through the clear glass and bright lights. The nights were coming earlier, but unlike the bright lights of the city the town didn't wash out the stars. So when she turned from the window to look out into the starry night she couldn't help but smile. After a moment of admiring the stars and Christmas lights, her smile slowly began to fade and she stuffed her black gloved hands into her matching overcoat with white fur rimmed hood.

She had arrived early and been able to check into the inn, upon arrival. Amaranth had hoped to enjoy being back in her old home but it wasn't the same. She didn't have the freedom and access to all the places that she did when she was younger. Plus, over the years they had updated and renovated the place, so the small changes had transformed the inn from what she once called home. She walked down main street, heading back towards the inn and thinking about how it wasn't the only thing that had changed. She and her family had too, she reached the end of main street and the lights became dimmer and she stepped on lightly snow covered sidewalks.

Stores transitioned into homes and as she continued on her way, feeling a small chill as the wind blew, she couldn't help but think that change wasn't so bad. It was just a progression of life. If things had remained the same, her friendship with Riku would have never progressed. She never would have fallen in love and known the pleasure and heartbreak of such a feeling. The houses came to an end and the light became more spares, as the light post were set further apart. Walking along the isolated street surrounded by trees, she came to a gap amongst them and stopped. She looked up the stairs she was standing in front and recalled the shrine she had come to visit so often as a child. Maybe when it was light outside she would come and visit, she thought as she turned away and continued to the inn.

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Riku was worried, it was getting dark outside and the temperature continued to drop. He had arrived late in the afternoon, checked in and hadn't left the room since his arrival for fear that he might miss her when she returned. He tried calling her on her phone, but she wasn't answering, it went to voicemail. Maybe something had happened to her during the time she had been away, her clothes were here so that meant that she had arrived safely. Riku got up, he couldn't wait around any longer. The fear of something happening to her, to them, was driving him crazy and he couldn't just sit still. He grabbed his coat from the couch and put it on, he remembered a little bit of the town but not much since his visit to his Uncle's. Yet he was confident that he could find his way and that if all else failed he'd make the call and ask his cousin for help, he headed down the short hallway towards the door.

As he opened the door, all the anger, fear and worry dissipated. Standing before the door on the verge of opening it was Amaranth. 'Oh, I am sorry, I—-' he assumed she was apologizing for getting the wrong room, but she stopped after she looked up and saw him. 'Riku,' she said his name after she recognized him.

He grabbed her extended hand and pulled her inside, closing the door with his free hand before wrapping it around her as he had pulled her into his arms. 'Where have you been? Why haven't you been answering your phone,' he demanded.

Amaranth was surprised to say the least, she never expected Riku to be there, let alone him holding her in his arms. 'Let me see you,' he pulled her away from him and his hands went up to cup her neck and with his thumbs push her chin up so that he could study her. Amaranth felt a small blush grace her cheeks at the intensity of his stare and couldn't help but look away. 'You've been crying,' he noted.

'I…' she fell silent as his right hand lifted to cup her face so that he could lightly run his thumb across her cheek.

'You haven't been sleeping either,' besides her eyes being red and puff, he also noted the deep bags and lines underneath them. 'You need to rest.'

She nodded, she was still confused as to why he was there and why he was so worried. Maybe something happened, her hands lifted up to grab his and gentle pull them way from her. 'Riku, did something happen,' she found her voice. 'Is something wrong with my parents, your parents? Did you come to bring me back?'

There was a ping in his heart as she pulled away from him, his hands losing contact with her soft skin. 'No,' was his simple answer to all her questions.

Then what was he doing here, she wondered but was afraid to ask him as the light in his eyes slowly dimmed. She wanted to reach out for him, but stood her ground as she remembered the last week and how he had been pulling away from her. Against her better judgment she asked, 'What are you doing here?'

So she didn't even want to see him now, he concluded and there was another ping. 'Because we need to talk.'

Talk? Talk about what, she wondered. 'That's why you came here,' she asked, but it didn't make sense to her that he would fly all the way out to see her just because they needed to talk.

She had runaway from him, he concluded and his body stiffened when he thought that she had come here to see Xemnas. She was trading him in, damaged goods, for someone that was intact and aware. That was the only explanation as to why she had come here alone without him. He watched as she took off her purse and coat, revealing an over sized white sweater with white blouse underneath and tight thermal leggings. Her hair was down, it was the first time seeing it down since he met her, well more like since he woke up. She caught him staring at her and looked away and he followed her example and took his coat off too. He wasn't going anywhere and neither was she, he might not have all his memories but he had enough to know that she was his. He just needed to fight for her was all and show her that he cared, easy enough at least that was what he told himself.

Amaranth walked round him to lead the way towards the small living room area and to take a seat on the couch. She watched him as he did the same and noted that it was no wonder the females were all excited when she arrived. Riku was a handsome man and attracted attention wherever he went, his silver hair and pale skin a contrast against his red cashmere sweater and black pants. 'Are you upset that I am here,' he asked after a moment of silence.

'No,' she shook her head snapping back to reality, 'just surprised is all. I can't wrap my head around the fact that you came all the way here to talk.'

'You left me without warning,' he explained.

'I was going to tell you last night, but you were gone,' she lied not wanting to tell him the truth.

'You could have told me ahead of time,' he countered.

Amaranth turned away from him and looked down at her hands before her lap, the gears in her head turning as they tried to figure out why he was so upset. 'You were avoiding me, I didn't want to be a bother to you,' she answered honestly.

He opened his mouth to say something, but then closed it again since she had a point. 'You aren't a bother and I would have listened,' he said after a while, 'but I am sorry that I have been avoiding you. I did it for your own good,' he said the last sentence softly.

Amaranth caught it and wondered what he meant by for her own good, maybe he was afraid that she would catch him with someone. No, that couldn't be it, because the only people that visited him were his family, friends and Namine. Maybe something had developed between them and that was what he was protecting her from. 'So you're upset that I left unannounced?'

'Yes, no,' he was upset because of so many other things, 'I am upset because of so much more. You lied to me. You've been lying to me this whole time.'

Her head snapped up and turned to him, 'What are you talking about?'

'You never told me the truth about us,' he told her, his tone bitter at the knowledge that she was hiding their relationship.

'I don't know what you're talking about,' she denied and began to pull back.

'Lie,' he reached out to grab her wrist, afraid that she'd take off running. 'I don't have all my memories back, but I have enough to know that you and I are more than just friends.'

Amaranth stopped and looked at his hand holding her wrist, he had his memory back, she could feel a raise in her pulse as she heart began to pump a little bit harder. 'How? What do you remember?' She still needed to be sure how much he knew before she accepted him.

Riku studied her and watched as she waited patiently for him to talk. Although he really didn't want to tell her what memories were the ones that he remembered the most clearly and how he put them and their relationship together. 'I have some of our childhood memories,' he began, 'I didn't think that they were about us until I got here. The inn was your home when you were little and my sanctuary from the rest of the world. For the longest time I figured that I just enjoyed the peace and visiting my family when I came up here, but I was wrong. As I got older I realized that the person that I was most interested in seeing and being with was you.'

Amaranth could feel a small heat begin to raise to her cheeks, but then plummet at his next words, 'But I had lost, because in the end you didn't feel the same way. You found Sora to be more interesting than me and it tore me up inside.'

She shook her head, 'I went out with him out of kindness, because I didn't want to hurt his feelings. But I did and for that I am sorry.'

Riku nodded, 'After that my memories aren't all completely there,' he told her.

Amaranth wondered what she should say to him, to be honest and tell him the truth or to skirt around the memory of how they began their relationship. 'I am guessing that because you have to think too much our beginning as adults wasn't as magical as when we were kids,' Riku commented after a moment of silence. 'It probably had to do with my anger from when I was left behind,' he explained although he didn't actually know if his conclusion was correct.

'I didn't make things easy,' she told him after a moment. 'I ran away again, afraid to face you. Afraid to face the feelings that I had buried deep inside my heart.'

So she had cared for him, just like he cared for her, he summarized and felt an elation in his heart. It also meant that if she was willing to stay with him now the feelings still remained the same, right. 'Yet you caught me,' she continued, 'I was a moth attracted to the flame, a burning anger that seared at first, but as time went by and we got to know and trust each other things changed. We were happy…'

'Then the accident happened,' he filled in for her and she nodded. 'After the accident why didn't you tell me about us?'

He noticed her withdrawal and had an inkling at what was coming. 'Because you forgot me and not anyone else,' she answered.

'So what, you were going to leave me,' his hold on her wrist tightened.

She winced at the pain, but didn't pull her hand away, she shook her head in protest, 'No, I wasn't going to leave you. I didn't leave you,' she pointed out and felt his hold lighten. 'I was going to allow you to make your own decision and not tie you down to me.'

'Not just you,' he corrected and she lifted her head up when she heard him shuffling and saw him pull something out of his pocket.

Her eyes widen when she saw the picture in his hand and quickly with her free one reached out to grab it but he pulled it away. She began to fall over, but her failing hand changed direction and caught herself before she fell on top of him. 'Where did you get that? That's mine,' she told him.

'It's mine too,' he stated, wanting to see if she would deny it.

Amaranth could tell that he was challenging her and lying wasn't going to help for he already knew the truth. He said that he had wanted answers, but he had them all. What he wanted was confirmation of those answers. She couldn't deny that they were his, when she had just confessed that they had been in a relationship and that they were happy, had been happy together. She dropped her amber gaze from his piercing aquamarine one and hung her head. Her hair falling forward around her and building a dark curtain between them.

Riku's gaze softened as he noted her retreating form, 'Did I know,' he softly asked.

Amaranth shook her head afraid to speak and allow the sudden emotion that was building up give her away. 'Amaranth,' he called her name, but she refused to look at him. 'How long?'

How long what, she wondered, how long had she known or how far along was she in her pregnancy? She took in a shaky breath and answered, 'I am four months along, but didn't find out until after the accident.'

'Does anyone else know?' She remained silent for a long time, so he squeezed her wrist lightly.

'Xemnas,' she answered, 'and your parents, maybe.'

So his family knew before him, his cousin who had been keeping a close watch on her and making a fool out of him. He recalled all the small intimate moments they had shared together when they thought no one was watching. How he looked at her and catered to her when they were together and how much of a family they looked like with Xion was with them. He was about to reproach her and demand if Xemnas had offered to take his place, however he noticed her begin to shake. 'Hey,' he dropped the picture and reached out to cup her chin and lift her head up.

Amber hues looked up at him, tears running down and staining her perfect porcelain face. 'I am sorry,' she whispered, trying to pull away from him but failing.

Before he could stop himself he did the one thing that he had been dying to do for the longest time. He filled the void between them and kissed her. His lips brushed against her surprised ones, which refused to open for his, but soon found their courage and reciprocated. He shifted closer to her, releasing her wrist and finding it's home at her waist where he pulled her closer and held her in place against him. 'I love you,' he heard the whisper escape her lips after he broke the kiss. 'I love you,' she repeated and again he filled the void. An elation like no other filling his heart and set off butterflies in his stomach. She loved him, it was a soaring high that made all his worries vanish and disappear. That made his desire for her insatiable, he pulled her underneath him as he laid her on the couch, his ministrations never stopping or ceasing to slow down.