Author's Note: Does this scene even need an introduction? Probably not. Well, actually, it does. In the timeline that I have all figured out, this scene actually takes place AFTER my epilogue, but I'm still posting it here because it makes the most sense. This is the last little scene for you here. I just wrote a scene for Can't Escape that'll get posted after rarmaster gets done with Olympus Coliseum which she just started. Now, to work on the sequel. It would be awesome to get it done before Nanowrimo, but that's like... asking for a miracle. So, we'll see what nanowrimo brings.

And now my introduction has turned into a ramble. Awesome. Enjoy!

"I'm not five, Mom."

xx

"Okay, before you freak out," Riku said, pausing outside his front gate. "My mom already knows about Castle Oblivion."

Namine looked at him, her eyes going wide. There were several instances in Castle Oblivion that he could have been talking about, but she knew which one he was referring to.

"She knows about the memories?"

"She knows about everything. As I told Xion, my conscience wouldn't let me do otherwise."

"But she knows about the memories…"

"Well, just Sora and my replica. I didn't tell her about the other part yet. However, I wouldn't worry too much. She's pretty accepting."

Namine took a moment to think this over.

"She knows, everything?"

Riku nodded.

"She is accepting."

He nodded. "Shall we go in, then?"

She nodded enthusiastically.

"Do you think she'll like me?"

He put an arm around her.

"I know she will."

The two of them walked up to the door and Riku led her inside.

"Goodness!" Riku's mother said, peeking her head out from the kitchen. "I thought you weren't going to make it back for dinner!"

"Relax," Riku said. "I wouldn't pass this opportunity up. Mother, this is Namine, Namine, this is my mother."

Namine smiled and waved slightly. Riku's mother nodded her head in Namine's direction and waved a bit as well.

"It's good to finally meet you," Riku's mother said. "Riku has spoken highly of you."

Namine smiled.

Riku's mother turned to her son.

"We're not just excluding Xion, are we?" she asked.

"Oh, she went to Twilight Town with Axel and Roxas to get a few things of Axel's," Namine responded before Riku could even open his mouth.

Riku's mother laughed. "Okay then. Well, dinner will be ready soon. I hope you like chicken?"

"Chicken sounds wonderful," Namine replied.

Riku's mother smiled and went back to the kitchen.

"Do you want some help?" Riku asked.

"Nonsense. I've been cooking by myself for who knows how long. I think I can handle this. You and Namine just make yourself comfortable at the table."

"If you're sure…"

"Of course I'm sure!"

Riku went over and pulled out a chair for Namine. She took it and he pushed her in, then took the seat right next to her.

"So, catch me up, how are you separate from Kairi?" Riku's mother asked from the kitchen.

"Oh, there was this Program at Castle Oblivion that separates the Nobody and the Somebody if there are two consciousnesses to be separated," Namine replied.

"All right then. Makes sense, I suppose. Can you wield a Keyblade?"

Namine shook her head. "I'm strictly a memory…"

She frowned, trying to come up with the right word. Her fingers began absentmindedly drawing on the wood of the table.

"I have power over everyone's memories," she said quietly.

"Everyone's now?" Riku's mother's voice was not condescending, only curious.

Namine nodded. "It seemed appropriate."

"It's quite effective against most enemies," Riku said. "She cleared half a room of Heartless so Kairi could get to Sora."

"Yes, and then I fell over," Namine argued.

"But I caught you," Riku argued.

Riku's mother stifled a laugh.

"Okay, where did you leave off this morning?" she asked. "You were talking about a boy from another universe…"

"Joseph?" Riku asked. "I was past him…"

"Wait a second," Namine said, still sketching with her fingers. "How were you talking to her this morning? You were over at the other island before anyone else! It was barely even light!"

Riku's mother laughed. "We're both early risers."

She came over to the table and placed a notepad and a pen in front of Namine.

"Where's your sketchbook, sweetie?"

"It's full."

"I'm getting her another one tomorrow, promise!" Riku said.

"The way you say that makes it sound like it's your fault it's full," Riku's mother said.

Riku rolled his eyes. "Anyway, I was past talking about Joseph. I'd talked about Hawaii, hadn't I?"

"Oh yes, I remember."

Namine snorted.

"What?" Riku asked.

"I slept through Hawaii."

"Really, now?"

She nodded. "I was busy processing what Joseph had said."

Though Joseph had said a lot of things, Riku knew which thing in particular she was referring to.

"Ah," he said, flushing red.

"Halloween Town was next," Namine said. "We ran into Donald and Goofy, and then Axel left to go fight Saix."

"That's right," Riku said. "Do you want to tell it?"

"No, that's fine, you go ahead. Though, I can tell Hollow Bastion if you want me to."

"All right," Riku said. "So after Axel left to go fight Saix again…"

xx

After Riku was done explaining Axel's rather epic defeat of the second-to-last Xehanort Replica, Namine finished the first drawing.

"I did not want to know that," she muttered.

"Know what?" Riku asked.

She tilted the notepad to him.

"Well, I now know how Axel got himself that badly injured," she said.

He winced. "Ouch."

"Ouch is right," she said, turning the page. "Time for something happier."

"Hollow Bastion?" he prodded.

"Oh, right!"

She was still absentmindedly sketching as she continued the story.

"Hollow Bastion is when I finally told Kairi about the events that happened in Castle Oblivion."

"Forgive me," Riku's mother interrupted. "But wouldn't she already know since you shared a heart and mind?"

"Not necessarily," Namine said. "Because our consciousnesses were different, we were able to keep many of our thoughts to ourselves."

"Ah, continue."

xx

Dinner was nearly over by the time Riku and Namine finished recounting all the things that had happened on their adventure. Namine had only drawn one other picture and the pad and pen had been put aside.

"So," Riku's mother said. "Where does that leave you now?"

"Maintaining the balance of light and darkness still," Riku replied. "But hopefully we'll be able to use Destiny Islands as a base, like I was talking about last night. We're going to try."

Riku's mother smiled. "You don't know just how wonderful that is to hear. I might get to see my son around as he still has a few years of growing up to do. And I'll get to embarrass him in front of his girlfriend!"

"Mom, please don't!" Riku begged.

Namine flushed bright red for him and looked down at her plate with a smile.

"I won't," Riku's mother said. "At least, not tonight."

He groaned.

She reached over under the table and patted his leg.

"It'll be okay," she murmured.

He sighed.

"The food was very good, Ma'am," Namine said, putting her fork down.

"Call me Clare," Riku's mother said, smiling.

Namine smiled and nodded.

Riku got up and collected everyone's plates.

"Thank you, Riku," his mother said.

"No problem."

"I'm glad you brought Namine by for dinner."

"How many times do I have to tell you? I'm not keeping any part of my life from you anymore."

A small tear fell down his mother's cheek.

Namine reached for the pad and pen again.

"You're always drawing, aren't you?" Riku's mother asked.

Namine nodded. "I've always done this, ever since I was born. Mostly, I draw just for fun. Sometimes, I draw when I'm dealing with memories."

"You always draw when you deal with memories," Riku interjected, coming back to the table to grab the last few dishes that had made it to the table in the first place.

She shrugged. "Well, there was that one time that I was just moving them from one conscience to the other—when we were separating Sora and Roxas."

"Yes, but you still drew."

"I suppose so."

"Is that, Riku?" Riku's mother asked, looking over at the picture that Namine was drawing.

Namine nodded. "I'm not sure how old he is here, but it's certainly younger than I've ever seen him."

"He would have been just a boy there," Riku's mother said.

"Hmm?" Riku wondered, coming over to look at what Namine was drawing also. "Ah!"

He smiled.

Namine put down the pen and looked over at Riku's mother.

"Do you want to keep the picture?"

The older woman looked at the relatively neatly drawn picture of herself and her son. He looked to be seven or eight and he had his arms around her neck. She was stooped down on the ground to embrace him.

"I would love to."

Namine very carefully separated the picture from the rest of them and handed it to Riku's mother.

"Thank you."

"Sure!"

Riku squeezed Namine's shoulder.

"Yes?" she asked.

He shook his head. "Nothing."

"It's getting late," Riku's mother said, looking at the clock. "Shouldn't you be getting home?"

"Oh, should I?" Namine asked. "I don't really have a concept of time…"

"You'll get one," Riku assured her. "Well, you'll get an odd one. It depends on how much travelling you do."

"I'll be travelling with you," Namine said. "So, however much travelling that entails."

He shrugged. "Not sure yet. But, I should walk you home."

She nodded and tore the other two pictures out of the pad.

"Come back anytime," Riku's mother said. "And by that I mean often."

Namine grinned. "Okay!"

Riku's mother returned the grin. "Don't dawdle!" she cautioned her son.

"I'm not five, Mom."

With that, he and Namine made their way out of the house. Riku's mother got up from the table and went to hang Namine's picture on the refrigerator. Where it would stay until she thought of a better place to put it. Though, the fridge wasn't a half-bad place.

xx

"Are you going to color those?" Riku asked, gesturing to the two pictures clutched in Namine's hands.

"I don't particularly want to color this one," she said, grimacing at the one of Saix and Axel. "And I'm not sure where to put the silver and the yellow on this one, so it may just stay uncolored as well."

The second picture was a profile view of two women. One was Namine, the other one was Riku's mother. Each of them was waving at the other with a small, shy wave.

"How can you not know where the colors go?" Riku asked.

"I'm not sure myself, but I can't get a clear image of it in my head. So, I'll leave it until I do."

"Okay then. Well, I'm glad I brought you over for dinner. You and my mom seemed to get along alright."

"I like your mom," Namine said. "She's really accepting, and nice. And she's a great cook. Not that Kairi's mom isn't… but, still, I like your mom."

He smiled and put an arm around her. "I'm glad."