Kairi found herself, once more, sitting on the edge of the shore… The cold waves pushing against her legs… She stared out to sea for what had seemed like forever. It made her sad… how empty she felt. And she didn't understand… What were those dreams… the voices… Ansem… The children…. Riku, and Sora… Sora… Sora….

Her hands suddenly drop to her side, wetting themselves in the current brushing upward on her legs. He breathes in deep, closing her eyes. Her hair blows back in the wind, and she lets her head fall. She needed to relax… Or so that was what she decided.

"Kairi…?"

A voice from behind makes her eyes slowly open again. She finds herself staring up into his eyes. "Riku…" She whispers.

He smiles, squatting next to her. "You okay?" he asks. She turns away. How could she look at him, when everything she had seen and felt… was so real to her!? She closes her eyes. "Hey…" He whispers, taking a gentle hold on her chin. She groans a little as he directs her face towards him.

"Kairi?" He asks her. But she merely closes her eyes, and will not answer him. He sighs. "What's the matter with you…. Your not the same as---" She pulls away from him suddenly.

"Please…" She whispers. "Just leave me alone…" He stares at her.

"No.." He says softly. She turns her attention to him and holds for a moment, before pushing herself off the ground.

"Kairi!" He calls, standing up after her. She had begun walking away, slowly, but still leaving him.

He grabs a hold of her arm. "Let go!" She cries out. "LET ME GO!!" She then begins to cry softly, at which point Riku pulls her into a gentle embrace. "Kai…" He whispers.

She closes her eyes tight, drawing back tears. "Please…. Just talk to me…" He whispers, holding her tightly.

"I can't…" She whispers, pulling back a bit. The sun was setting. "Why?" He asks.

"It's too hard…" She looks away, so he will not see her eyes.

"Kairi… you can tell me anything…" He pulls strands of her long, auburn hair from her face.

For a moment she is silent. "You left me…" She whispers.

"What?" He asks her. "Sora left…. Then you did…" She jokes.

He swallows, staring at her expressionless. "Where did we go?" He asks softly.

"Somewhere…." She says softly. "Somewhere…?" He questions.

"Somewhere…. Where you would never return…." She whispers.

He stares at her for a moment. "Kairi, that won't happen, listen to me, it isn't going to—"

"It could…." She whispers. "For all I know… He's gone…."

Riku shakes his head. "He isn't Kairi, there is still a chance…" She stares at him, her eyes full of hope, hurt, and sorrow. "No…" She whispers.

"So that's it…?" He holds her tightly. "Your going to give up?!" She lowers her head. "No…." She whispers. "I won't give up…." He smiles. This was the girl he knew… Kairi was strong. "But…" She starts. "I fear for the worst…" She whispers. He slowly lets go of her arms.

"I'm sorry you feel that way…" He says, his voice sounding hurt. "Riku…" She whispers. "I didn't mean---" He inturupts her though. "Kairi… When I was lost in the darkness… Did you give up on me?" She stares up at him.

"No…" She whispers. "Ten you owe this to Sora!" Riku says. "..To keep fighting for him…" She shakes her head slowly. "I can't… It hurts too much!" he cries out. He stares at her, simply, showing no sorrow, or joy. He merely keeps his eyes on her. "You can't give up…" he says softly. "I won't let anything hurt you Kairi… Not now…. Not ever…."

She lifts her head back up and tries to smile at him. He smiles at her. "Come on…" He says convincingly. "It'll be okay…" She nods slowly. "Your right, I'm just acting silly…" He nods. "You probably only fainted from the stress Humphre has been putting on you."

She smiles. He had been bugging her. "Promise me you won't do it again?" Riku teases.

Kairi giggles. He shakes his head. "I mean it, promise me Kairi…"

She smiles. "I promise…" She then gives him a hug. "Thank you…" She whispers. He smiles.

Secretly though…. Riku was also worried about their friend. It had been two years… and that was two years too many… And now, something was wrong with Kairi… She was… seeing things that she shouldn't be…

He needed to warn the king… and talk to Karu…. They needed to solve this…