Disclaimer; I own nothing.

Pairing: Riku/Sora

Rating: R, though for later chapters

A/N: I'm so sorry for the super late update, but like they say better late than never. Enjoy!

/Ch. 5/

Today was the day Riku started his classes. It had been three days since he had fainted, Squall and Tidus had, thankfully, not brought up the subject again. Nor did it appear they had heard him speak Sora's name, because if they had they would surely have let him know by now. As it was things continued as if nothing had happened and for that Riku was glad.

"So, how about we meet up for lunch? Say around twelve?"

The question brought Riku back to the present. Tidus and Squall were walking next to him, getting ready to depart to their own class. Taking a quick look at his schedule Riku noticed, twelve was not a good time for him.

"Can't. I have class from 11:50 to 1:20."

Tidus frowned, reached for Riku's schedule and saw no opening were they could meet. He sighed.

"Okay than we'll just meet up later."

Riku nodded in agreement.

"Alright I'll see you later."

"Have fun!" Squall said with a small smile.

They went their separate ways, all of Riku's previous thoughts were pushed to the back of his mind as he concentrated on finding his classroom. When he did, he entered the room to find some people were already there. The classroom was big but considering the number of students it was understandable. Riku took a seat in the middle rows and waited patiently for class to begin.

First class went well, but as predicted by Tidus, Riku had been late to evey single one of his classes with the exception of the first class. For that reason Riku wasn't too surprised or even upset that upon entering his last class of the day he noticed he was ten minutes late. His teacher a man who looked in his late forties barely spared him a glance, before calling out to him.

"Name?"

"Meneke, Riku Meneke. " Riku replied looking for an empty seat in the half-full or half-empty classroom, depending how one looked at it.

"Take a seat Mr. Meneke you haven't missed much." He said to Riku, than addressed the class. "Okay class I know you've been doing this in all you're classes and one more will not kill you. Take a card jot down your name, major and anything you would like to share with the class, I know it's a pain, but don't groan I expect better from my studens. Besides it's a good way to get your classmates"

His tone was teasing and friendly, Riku decided he rather liked him. Taking the cards that had been handed to him from the person in front of him, Riku took one and passed the rest back.

After making small talk with a few people, all who were mildly interesting people, Riku became bored. Currently he was talking to a boy who was going to become a brain surgeon and had a penchant for sky diving. Neil, his professor, called time and pronounced it was time to switch persons again. Before he could look around to see who he could talk to next, he felt a light tap on his shoulder and he turned to see a little girl smile and pull up a desk close to his bumping his own desk.

"Hi I'm Selphie, I'm eighteen years old, I love this class, my favorite color is yellow, I have a puppy named Ceberus, I'm afraid of spiders. I hate hospitals and I'm majoring in Math that 's why I love this class. Your turn."

All that came out without taking pause. Riku was impressed he only knew one other person who could have said all that in one breath, he shook his head getting rid of his initial shock and chuckled. This girl seemed nice, she was short too, that's why he had thought she was a little girl, he thought best to not tell her that. She was smiling, that smile seemed very honest.

"My name is Riku, I'm nineteen, I'm majoring in Psychology, I hate hospitals too and you remind me of my friend Tidus, after one cup of double shot espresso and a chocolate bar. It is a pleasure to meet you Selphie."

The girl smiled cheerfully at him, shaking his hand. "Like wise Riku. So you're majoring in Psychology, I wouldn't have pinned you for that, a doctor maybe, or a jock are you a jock you like one?"

Blunt would do no justice to describe Selphie, but at least she seemed nice, plus she reminded him of Tidus.

"No actually I'm not, but enough about me, you like math so you're definitely the person to cheat of off." Riku winked, Selphie only smiled.

"Math is easy and if you keep smiling at me like that I'll do your tests too." She teased lightly, laughing letting Riku know she was just playing. "So where did you go to school Riku?"

"I grew up in Midgar but went to a private school called Hallow Bastion Preparatory ."

Selphie's eyes went wide with surprise. Riku didn't need to wonder about her expression he knew perfectly well the reputation the Bastion had, Hallow Bastion was a very prestigious school and had a reputation for only letting the best in, a reputation which Riku truly disagreed with, most of the people who went to the school truly did not deserve to be there. The school greatest strengths had always just been two things; the school's connections to even more prestigious universities ,and two the few students and teachers who truly excelled at what they did.

"Wow! Hallow Bastion Preparatory, but I those people were like mega geniuses how come you're not graduating already?"

For reasons unknown to Riku, he was finding Selphie's company very comforting and relaxing, it had been a long time since he had taken such an ease around a stranger. So Riku found Selphie's questions unobtrusive or perhaps it was the lack of resentment in her tone and genuine curiosity he sawn in her yes, that made him want to trust her. Or perhaps it was because she truly did reminded him so much of Tidsu, regardless the reason she made him feel at ease.

"I wouldn't say they're mega geniuses. The people at the Bastion have either parents who are very rich and can get them in the school, or parents with connections the schools needs, or are on scholarships and are there because they truly are smart and deserve to be there, unlike the spoiled scions and heirs."

Selphie looked thoughtful but not too surprised about Riku's revelation.

"So where do you fall into Riku?"

"Ahh well, a little bit of everything. I really wouldn't say all the people who go there are very smart there are ,however many, exceptions. The teachers are the same just more expensive and as to why I'm not graduating yet, well minor complications and I'm only slightly above average which is more than I can say for half of the students at the Bastion."

After that Riku had learned, Selphie had also lived in Midgar and had indeed been offered a scholarship to attend the Bastion since she was fourteen, saying they had been relentless. Riku understood why, and told Selphie that most to the students who got the awards and all the recognitions where there on scholarships, the school needed students like Selphie to maintain their reputation of high prestige.

"Why did you refused to go?"

"I didn't want to leave my friends." Was the simple answer Selphie gave him. Her expression became distant and a small smile played on her lips as if she were remembering some fond memory"

Selphie and Riku were so entranced in their conversation it came as somewhat of a shock when the professor called the class over and reminded them their next class was Wednesday today being Monday.

"It was fun talking to you Riku I hope we become friends outside of class too."

"Yeah I'd like that too, I'll even introduce you to Tidus I swear you're the girl version of him.

Selphie smiled and nodded.

/0o0/

"So, how did it go?"

Riku heard Tidsu ask, before he felt his friend's arm drape over his shoulders, and began walking next to him towards him dorm. Tidus was smiling at him his book bag slung over one shoulder. Riku smiled.

"Besides being late to every class not bad and I met someone very interesting today."

This seemed to stir Tidus's interest, he waved to someone down the hall and turned to Riku.

"Really? And who could be so interesting to capture your attention?"

"A girl version of you." Rku replied sounding smug.

"What!" Tidus replied with fake shock in his scandalized tone of voice. "No, no ,no ,no, no. See, you can't possibly mean there is someone out there, just as pretty, and witty, and smart and charming as I am. I am truly one of a kind, I resent that comment Riku, you have wounded me deeply."

Rolling his eyes Riku laughed poking Tidus on his ribs.

"Get over yourself. I meant personality wise I promised her I'd introduced you two. She's really nice even lived in Midgar too."

Tidus's only reply was a nod, he smiled while Riku talked about his day, lingering on his meeting with the girl version of him who went by the name of Selphie. Tidus could hardly believe Riku had felt so at ease with her, it had been a long time since Riku found someone he felt at ease with.

"Well that's great glad to see you haven't lost the good old charm. With that dazzling smile of yours I bet in no time you'll have yourself a girlfriend."

A girlfriend? How would he explain that to Sora. Riku chuckled at his own mental thought and shook his head lightly.

"I'm hungry lets go find Squall so we can go eat something."

With that effectively brushing off the subject of a girlfriend. Which did not go unnoticed by Tidus, he knew it wasn't quite his business, but Riku's sexual orientation or lack there of had always been a question to him and even Squall.

Riku had never had a girlfriend, never shown interest in any girl, Tidus got too curious for his own good and had asked Riku if he was gay. Reassuring his friend that if that was the case he didn't have worry about him jumping him, because really, Riku wasn't his type. Riku of course had only laughed and had somehow or another been able to avoid the subject completely just like he had a second ago, the sneaky bastard. Tidus however had leaned to accept that behavior from Riku so he let the subject drop. Besides he had more important things to worry about like food.

/0o0/

Next morning Riku had three classes, he had a two hour gap between his second and last class which was perfect to grab lunch with Tidus and Squall. Riku went to his first class which passed without a hitch unfortunately the same couldn't be said for his second class where he walked in ten minutes late, cursing the grandeur of the campus.

Any worry that he might have had, however, quickly evaporated when a quick glance around the room revealed no teacher in sight. The classroom looking like a tiny version of a stadium, the seats rose on steps wrapping in half circle around the room facing the empty desk and board at the front.

Relaxing a little more Riku climbed to the seventh row, which was the last row in the classroom, and sat down. He noticed this classroom was not that big doing a quick head count , he came up with twenty students.

Five more minutes passed with a teacher-less classroom. The person in front of him suddenly stood up.

"Okay if there is no teacher I'm leaving."

No sooner were the words out of his mouth then a man looking in his mid thirties walked in smiling delightedly at the class.

"Ahh, glad to see you're all still here and that my little delay didn't discourage or encouraged you to leave. Which means two things one you have faith in me or two you have yet to hear about the, wait five minute for a no show teacher and than leave rule, which of course is a lie. But that's irrelevant and I digress. Good afternoon ladies and gentleman my name is Michael Brea, and I would appreciate it if you called me Michael, please."

All through out the professor's rant he had walked into the atrium, placed his leather suitcase on top of the desk and sat himself on the edge of said desk. He looked like he felt at home in the classroom, he continued on with his speech.

"I'll be telling you, what my goals are for this semester but first lets get introductions in. I'd like you to stand up and tell the class anything you'd like, you don't even have to say anything you don't please. Lets start in the back and work our way down."

And so introductions were made, Michael made small notes with each student which made Riku feel uncomfortable, it reminded him about his own therapy session which should've surprised him the teacher was after all his psychology teacher.

"Good now that, that's out of the way. You can get out of here and I'll be seeing you next class. Oh wait just one second." Every student froze in the middle of getting up, Michael smiled finding it amusing.

"Before I forget let me tell you that, I will be having an intern of sorts who will be here as much as his time allows. I would have liked him to have been here today, but he seems to have been detained. Next time perhaps, now let me pass out your syllabus and.."

A soft knock silenced Michael and someone walked in interrupting the class and the beating of Riku's heart. With a big smile Sora entered the room as if he owned it, sparing the class a grief glance before turning to Michael with an apologetic smile.

"I'm sorry I'm late Michael, we were kept a bit longer than we wanted."

Michael waved a hand in clear dismissal of his tardiness and turned to the class.

"Don't worry about it. Class I'd like you to meet Sora. Sora is, well you can call him my intern, now pleases I ask you to look beyond his age, for as I hope you know appearances can be deceiving. He'll be here assisting me with class as much as his time permits, Sora used to be a student of mine, very competent so feel free to come to him if you have questions."

Everyone in the classroom was eying Sora with curiosity, but it passed as they quickly brushed Sora off as some type of prodigy. Their attention returning to other things, all except for Riku who could feel his mouth going dry as if he had cotton balls stuck in his throat.

"Now you're free to go. Take a syllabus on your way out from Sora and If you don't mind telling him your name since he missed the introduction, have a good afternoon and read the first chapter of the book for next class"

Riku was in a state of shock in which his auto pilot took over his motor skills making him gather his things and stand up. He wasn't sure how he did it but next thing he knew he was behind two students both lined up to receive a syllabus form Sora, who smiled politely, Sora handed the girl in front of him a paper.

"Hi Sora, I'm Nicole"

"Hi nice to meet you."

She nodded and walked out leaving Riku face to face with Sora. Their eyes met, neither moved. Riku felt an overwhelming rush of emotions bombard his shocked mind, but his emotions came fast, too quickly to decipher exactly what he was feeling. He wanted nothing more than to throw himself at Sora hold him and tell him how much he had missed him, tell him all the horrible things the doctors had said to him. Wanted to know what had happened wanted to know how it was possible for him to be here at all. Most of all Riku just wanted Sora to hold him back and feel that the was indeed real and not a figment of his imagination.

Riku wanted, wanted so much it hurt, but he held back. Looking into Sora's eyes Riku saw Sora like Sora had always been, an open book. An open book Riku now wished he couldn't read so well. In Sora's face he saw no trace of recognition, no hit that Sora might be feeling the same things he was and that broke his heart and made him doubt for the first time his sanity.

Seeing Riku just standing there motionless, Sora's smiled faltered, his face becoming worried. Just like Riku remembered, and it hurt, because Sora was not worried about Riku he merely looked worriedly at a stranger. Riku had to leave, had to get away from Sora before he broke down, swallowing around the lump in his throat he spoke before Sora could ask him anything.

"Hi I'm Riku."

And even to himself his voice sounded heavy and dead. Sora however, didn't seem to notice and he was smiling again, handing Riku a syllabus.

"Hello Riku nice to meet you."

Just like Nicole before him Riku nodded and brushed pass Sora, willing his feet to move resisting the urge to break down in front of Sora. Human will, Riku decide, was the greatest mystery in the world. Riku didn't' stop walking until he reached his dorm room he stepped inside and gently closed the door and leaned back against the door sliding down to the floor feelings his legs could no longer support him.

"He didn't remember me."

The soft whisper resonated loudly in his ears. Riku forced himself to relax and clear his mind and think logically about the situation. What had he expected? What had he really wanted? Thinking about it Riku saw how ridiculous it had been for him to hope Sora would recognize him and know exactly who he was. However, unrealistic though, it didn't stop him from hoping and now it only hurt him to know Sora had no idea who he was.

Closing his eyes tightly Riku brought his knees up hugging them to his chest and he shivered. What was he going to do now? Did this mean the doctors had been right all along. No, Riku still refused to believe that. Sora was real, he just didn't remember Riku. Which was troubling and hurtful at same time.

If Sora didn't know who Riku was, had no memory of him than why did Riku know him, and not only him but Kairi too. There was something going on and he had to know what. He had to find out what this Sora was really like, if he was just like the Sora he remembered or if it was only an illusions that he loved.

Riku didn't believe in chance he didn't believe the Sora in his mind and the Sora now were different people, that would be to much of a coincidence to much left up to chance. He wasn't quite sure about the theory of probability but he could bet the probability of him dreaming up a person and said person actually existing were slime to none. And even though Sora seemed not to recognize him, he couldn't help but feel a warmth in his heart when he had been near Sora as if something missing had just been replaced. It felt right. He knew he had to do something, anything that would give him answers.

Sitting on the floor of his dorm room was, however, not going to help him at all. Standing up he inhaled deeply and just as he was about to exhale the door opened hitting him on the back and he went stumbling forward.

"Oops, sorry. I knew I should have knocked. Ready to grab something to eat?"

Tidus stood at the threshold looking sheepish rubbing the back of his head nervously, or maybe rubbing the sore spot were Squall had hit him for knocking Riku over. Riku sighed and quickly pushed his worries aside, no need to worry his friends with his problems. He smiled at Tidus and replied."

"I don't know. I think you might have fractured my back maybe I should place charges for

breaking and entering and attempt homicide. I even have a witness right Squall?"

Tidus rolled his eyes.

"Sending Tidus to jail, would be cruel, not even I would make criminalssuffer through having to listen to Tidus talk. That I believe is called cruel and unusual punishment and no longer legal." Squall said.

Instead of being upset Tidus reaction was to smile and throw his arm around Squall which look a little funny since Squall was slightly taller than Tidus.

"Aww, tell the truth Leonhart you just can't bear to be apart form me."

Riku laughed, at least one thing he could count on was his friends always being able to cheer him up. Even when they didn't know, he needed cheering up.

"Are you coming?" Squall asked a bit irritated.

"Of course, wouldn't miss it for the world"

/0o0/

After lunch Squall had to leave to his next class, Tidus and Riku still had time before their next class, so they walked back to the dorms. Walking back to the dorms was a quiet even. Which gave Riku time to think, which only have him a headache. He felt frustrated his thought returning to Sora. What was he going to do about Sora?

The only logical thing he could come up with was to watch Sora, which sort of disturbed him, he didn't want to become a stalker, that would truly hinder any progress he might make with Sora. But he saw that as the only option he had to see how Sora acted, had to look for any signs that might indicated Sora knew who Riku was. But if Sora knew who Riku was than why had he not said so. Suddenly it him like a ton of the proverbial bricks, he knew the answer.

It was for the same reason Riku hadn't said anything either. If Sora did indeed remember him than, he might think Riku did not. After all it would be strange for anyone to actually meet someone only seen in dreams, or something along those lines. The only problem was, Riku had not been dreaming he had been in a coma. Did that mean that Sora had been in a coma too? Agh too complicated.

All through out his internal blabber Riku hadn't even noticed he had stopped walking until Tidu splaced a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Are you okay?"

The concern in his eyes made Riku feel guilty and sad. Guilty to worry his friend and sad he couldn't tell Tidus or Squall about his problems, he would, if only they believed him.

"Yeah I'm fine just thinking."

Tidus didn't believe that for a second he knew Riku was battling with some issues but Tidus's had never been the pushy one in their long years of friendship. That honor belong to Squall. So with practiced ease he let it slide keeping it in his mind to mention Riku's behaviro to Squall. Who would of course grill Riku until he got the truth. Satisfied with that solution he turned to teasing Riku.

"Well don't hurt yourself than."

Giving his thoughts once again to the back of his mind he smiled at Tidus and engaged his friend in friendly banter.

/0o0/

It was the dream again but not his, yet it felt strangely familiar. Briefly he worried at the frequency in which these dreams were occurring, but only briefly, before doing as before. He walked to the only lit window and saw a boy with his back to him standing motionless next to what seemed to be and empty bed. The setting seemed to be a hospital room, of that Riku was sure, he had spent more than enough time in the hospital to recognize one when he saw it. The boy was, Riku noticed, about to reach out when there was a soft sigh and a doctor cam into view.

"Here again?"

Instead of sounding reprimanding, the doctor spoke with a hint of sadness in his voice. The boy didn't reply he kept staring at the empty bed.

"You can't do anything to help. As much as I know you would like to."

Help? What were they talking about. The boy shifted his head a bit turning his gaze up towards the doctor as if talking to him, but there were no words to be heard. The doctor was nodding his head as if he could actually hear what the boy was saying. Riku tried to move closer but still he could hear nothing. Finally the doctor shook his head.

"No. It would be dangerous. Now come. You've lingered here enough."

The boy nodded and looked down at the bed one last time as they moved away, their features darkened and than they disappear. Unlike before the light in the room didn't dim and now Riku could see the bed was not empty, as he had fist believed it to be, there was someone in it.

Before he could get a good look he heard a loud noise. Unbearable noise he covered his ears with his hands, stumbling back from he window, Riku looked around for the source of the sound. Finding nothing he shut his eyes tightly in a vain attempt to shut out the noise. Through the noise he could also hear a different sound a voice a familiar voic. He concentrated on that voice, trying to place the owner.

A flash came behind his closed eyes and he saw green. Green eyes.

Snapping his eyes opened Riku saw green eyes staring back at him. A smile, the eyes were smiling at him. Who was this? Riku closed his eyes.

"Look Out!"

A warning. Snapping his eyes open he saw the car and felt the impact as it hit his body.

"Ahhh!"

Again he was drenched in sweat his breathing, was hard almost gasps. He looked around frantically, there was only darkness, everywhere there was only darkness. He couldn't see anything couldn't hear anything, but before panic could set in he spotted the window and registered the light shinning through, and now he saw the shadows the light was casting in his room.

His room. He was in his room it had been another nightmare. Riku took several deep breathes before calming down and lying back down on his bed. Miserable.

Why? Why was he having the dreams again? The first time he had, had the so called 'night terrors' was due to repressed shock from his accident, that what he had been told. The doctors had said in time and with the help of his psychiatrist he would be fine, and he had been. It had been so long since he had a nightmare. The difference now was, unlike the previous times, he could actually remember what they had been about. Regarding the boy and the doctor he was at a loss. But at least the parts that had been relevant to his accident he now had an idea on how to deal with them. It was time to pay Dr. Yeo an over due visit and demand some answers. Finally after a long time of contemplation he fell into a restless sleep.

/0o0/

/Chapter End/

Cardel: Hmm, mmm hmm.

Demak: Ah What are you doing?

Jin: Thinking, where do you think that burning smell is coming from.

Cardel: Hardy har-har. I was thinking but anyway. I really love this story but how was that chapter good or bad?

Jin: Delightful! Though we could have made Riku feel more wretched /smiles evily/

Damak: Gods you guys suck, poor Riku why couldn't he just hold his Sora and live happily ever after.

Cardel: Nope not in the plans.

Demak: You're just trying to confuse people.

Cardel/grins/ Only a little I know most of you guys have questions and they're good but I can't say anything right Jin.

Demak/pouting/

Jin/sighs/ I suppose you could give them one small hint.

Cardel: Wow this coming form you Jin are you losing you angst mojo/looks panicked/

Jin: No but you know he /points to Demak/ will just bitch and moan. So get on with it.

Cardel/shrug/ Okay well just know that Riku's dreams are crucial to the plot /smiles/.

Demak: Yada-yada-yada review so I can get to the happy part of the fic.

Jin: Happy part/looks through notes squint/ Err right happy part.

Cardel: Ja-ne.