Chapter 243: is it

"RIKU!"

Though Riku'd never admit it later, he definitely jumped in surprise when Kairi slammed a hand against the doorframe to pull herself to a halt. It looked like she'd been running, and she seemed really urgent. There was also a glint in her eyes.

"There you are!" Kairi half-laughed, half panted. "Namine's fixed."

Riku stared, not sure if he'd heard that right. He looked around the room—they were in the room Alpha and 7 were using to look at Namine's data. Vexen's brow was furrowed with confusion, but he looked hopeful. Alpha looked suspicious. (7 wasn't actually currently here.)

"Is she?" Vexen asked.

Kairi nodded.

"And how'd you manage that?" Alpha asked.

"Memories." It was Roxas who replied, this time. He leaned on the other side of the doorframe, looking smug. "I figured if getting my memories back was enough to keep me from killing Riku, why wouldn't it work for Namine?"

Riku scowled. "Actually, you remembered everything, and then you tried to kill me."

Roxas considered that for a moment. "Oh. yeah. I guess that was how it happened."

"But restoring her memories would restore her personality, in theory," Vexen said. He sounded convinced.

Riku wasn't quite sure if he was. He turned to Kairi again, meeting her eyes.

"She really is her?" he asked, quietly.

Kairi nodded. She was grinning. She was crying.

"She's back. A little shaken up, but… I think we all are."

Riku didn't need to hear anymore.

xxx

"What if it's a trick?"

Riku skidded to a dead halt and rounded on Vexen. They all had gone to see how Namine was—even Alpha. Riku wasn't sure which he was more upset about coming: Alpha or Vexen.

What if it's a trick?

The thought made his blood run cold.

"Why didn't you mention that sooner!?" he demanded. Why hadn't any of them but Vexen thought of it? He didn't want to end up falling for another of her tricks. The last had nearly cost him his life.

"Riku, I swear, she's her!" Kairi said. She grabbed a hold of his arm, and he immediately shoved her off, his heart pounding angrily in his chest. The sudden grabbing definitely didn't help. "She's Namine," Kairi continued, undeterred. "Roxas can vouch for her. Ri—where'd he go?" She let go of Riku's arm, and glanced around. Roxas was nowhere to be seen.

"He left a bit ago," Alpha said. "Something about better things to do."

"What things?" Kairi demanded, then groaned. "Whatever. Look, Riku. I talked to her for a long while and I know she's her. Roxas talked to her too—"

"He doesn't know her," Riku argued.

"I know that," Kairi said. "But they talked and there was some… thing they had in common. Namine called it 'pounding' and- and there was something about punching you in the jaw."

Riku raised his eyebrows. Given the looks on Vexen's and Alpha's faces, they knew nothing about what she was talking about, either.

Kairi groaned again, and ran a hand through her hair. "Okay. I don't know exactly what I'm talking about, and I wish Roxas was here to explain it. Yeah. But I do know that whatever it was, Roxas was sure that her feeling it meant she was her again."

"I don't see how that's reassuring," Riku snapped.

"But I do think it is worth seeing her, at least," Vexen said. "Kairi seems positive of herself, and I don't think she's one to lie."

"Well…" Riku began, sending Kairi a distrusting look. It wasn't like she hadn't lied before.

"I wouldn't lie about this!" Kairi insisted. "Now come on!"

She started running again before anyone could argue further.

"I'll go after her..." Alpha sighed. "Just so she doesn't get lost."

Riku and Vexen waited a moment, but continued after them. It was a little frustrating to be walking at the same pace as Vexen, but Riku didn't have the energy to run. Or try and outpace Vexen "politely". Or tell him to buzz off.

At least Vexen didn't try and talk to him or anything, so they arrived at Namine's… holding cell. Whatever it was. The room Namine was in. Riku hesitated in the doorway, watching through the glass. Alpha'd released Namine from her restraints, and she and Kairi were talking. Namine kept sending hesitant glances at him, but she didn't seem keen on coming to talk to him or even waving him over.

Riku was grateful. This way he had an excuse to hesitate more.

What if it really is another trick?

"You should go in there." Vexen's voice.

Riku shook his head. I don't want to get my hopes up. I don't want this to be a trick, he thought. He didn't dare tell Vexen. He didn't particularly like telling Vexen things, he just ended up doing so after Vexen pestered long enough.

"Why don't I go in there, hmm?" Vexen asked. "And I'll talk to her. I should be able to tell whether or not she's still acting like Larxene."

Riku sent a disinterested look at him. Vexen just smiled, and ducked inside.

Riku just stood and watched. Everyone kept sending glances back at him—even Alpha—but no one moved to make him come in. He supposed he could just walk away. No one would blame him.

"Even if you 'fix' her, I can't be a part of her life…"

That's what he'd told Vexen.

But, if she has her memories back… then she really is still her, isn't she? I'm not just worried she's still like Larxene. I'm worried that she won't be her….

He tapped his fingers against the wall beside him, counting the beats, so he wouldn't have to think about it. His eyes saw Vexen and Namine talking—gesturing his direction—but he hardly processed it.

Maybe he should just go. At least for now.

Running from his problems was all he'd ever been good at, anyway.

"That's definitely her."

Vexen again. He must've approached while Riku was busy with his thoughts.

"N-not an act?" Riku asked.

Vexen shook his head. "Larxene couldn't keep an act up this long, and she sounds like Namine—well." He grimaced, reconsidered. "She's… she's a little off, but I think that should be expected after a full Rewrite."

"Mmm…"

That didn't ease Riku's nerves. At all.

"She said at least three times while I was in there that maybe it would be best if you just left for right now, so she couldn't hurt you," Vexen said, calmly. "She seems really worried about that. Larxene wouldn't be, and like I said, she couldn't keep up an act this long."

Riku swallowed. Tried to not look in at Namine.

"Just go in there. I promise. It'll be okay."

Riku slowly pushed away from the wall. Stepped through the doorway. Hesitated at the door next to the glass, but pushed through that one too. His lungs felt constricted. Too many what ifs ran through his head. He wanted to turn and flee from here.

I've always run from my fears, anyway. It's easier that way.

But he didn't run. He paused about five feet away from her, trying to figure out what to say. Was 'hi' appropriate here? Should he just say her name? 'I'm glad you're okay'?

Then she started moving towards him. At first he thought she was coming in for a hug—that would be appropriate now, wouldn't it?—but then he saw the malice in her eyes.

He sidestepped. She stumbled past him, regained herself, turned and thrust her hand against his throat. Her thumb and middle finger tightened in a clasp just under his jaw. The grip wasn't quite enough to be deadly—yet—but it did enough. He felt he couldn't breathe, and suspected it had little to do with the grip she had on his neck.

"N-Namine," he gasped.

She didn't move. He didn't either. His limbs were like jelly. Her grip tightened.

"Namine!" Kairi screamed. She dragged Namine off, wrapping her arms under Namine's shoulders to keep her restrained. "Namine, c'mon! C'mon I know you want to but it's not you it's just the pounding or- or whatever it was."

Riku just stood there, numb.

"Get him out of the room!" Kairi shouted. "C'mon, Namine. C'mon. You don't have to give in."

A hand wrapped around Riku's forearm. Vexen. Riku nearly jumped out of his skin, but Vexen held him firmly, and dragged him outside.

Once out there, Vexen let go. Riku rubbed his arm, trying not to think about how Vexen's grip had left marks on his skin. Though, better to think about that than the tightness of his throat. He could almost still feel Namine's palm pressed against his neck.

"Riku I'm sorry!" Namine called. She'd slumped to the ground, and Kairi'd let go of her, clearly no longer thinking her a threat. "I'm sorry I didn't mean it. I'm sorry, I- I'm sorry!"

"It's alright." The words just fell from his lips. It wasn't actually alright.

"What was that?" Vexen demanded. Riku wasn't sure who he was asking.

"The protocols telling her to kill Riku are still in place, that's all," Alpha responded. He smiled, just slightly. "But it shouldn't be too hard to remove them. I almost had 37's failsafes cracked when we were called down here. Besides…" He looked at Riku, and smiled in full. "It wasn't making her stop trying to kill you that I was worried about. It was making her her again. And it seems Kairi fixed that problem."

Riku just nodded. He couldn't think straight enough to come up with a reply.

"Go on," Vexen told him, gently. "Go see what Sora's doing, or something. Just for now. We'll take care of Namine."

Riku just nodded again. Very slowly, he turned and left.

xxx

Namine rubbed her fingers together nervously. She was sitting on a cot in 7's room, the pseudo infirmary. The other cot was empty. 7 and Alpha each stood at separate computer—7 at the one next to her.

She didn't know where Riku was at the moment. He'd left after she'd—well, she didn't blame him. And she supposed it didn't matter. As long he wasn't nearby, she couldn't hurt him. She'd apologize later. A million times, if she had to.

"I want any data that looks even remotely like Larxene removed," Namine said, firmly. "Especially the lightning. And I don't really want to keep the blade either."

"It may not be wise to leave yourself completely defenseless," Alpha advised. "I mean, it could come in handy—the blade at least. And some of your reflexes and strength—"

"I want it gone."

It wasn't like she hadn't survived without it before.

"But—even if it's not lightning—having particular control over a specific element nearly circumvents the need for ethers or…"

"I don't want it," Namine repeated.

"What she says goes, Alpha," 7 said. His tone left no room for argument. Alpha looked a little miffed, but he dropped it. 7 turned to Namine. "You'll want to lie down."

"What for?"

"So when your data turns off you don't collapse into a heap on the floor," 7 replied, a touch of humor in his voice. Namine liked that about 7. He had a personality that made even the most serious things seem laid back, and in a good way. (Unlike Roxas, who practically mocked serious matters by being laid back about them. It must've been something about the tone…)

"That's… yeah…" Namine lay back on the cot.

"Nervous?" 7 asked.

"No. Should I be?"

"You were Rewritten. I'd imagine this'd bring back some bad memories."

Namine shook her head and folded her hands across her stomach. "They disabled me before they even got me to the editing room. So no, I'm not nervous."

"Good—Alpha, stop giving me that look and let me do my job!"

Namine giggled.

"Ready?" 7 asked.

Namine nodded.

"Uh-huh."

The world went black.