A/N: This chap is a little dull, sorry. I hope you guys liked the flashbacks in the previous chap. I'm trying to show how strong of a relationship Sora and Kairi have built over the years. You can imagine them between the ages of 8 and 12 during the flashbacks…

The Start of Something New

Meanwhile…in a world far away from Destiny Islands…

Something was stirring. Something that he had felt before. He had spent enough time in the darkness to protect the world of light to know what it felt like… It made him nauseous and an eerie chill raced down his spine. "Sora is in trouble" he stated out loud to no one, as he was alone in the throne room. He pounded his fist on the desk in frustration as he picked up the receiver beside him. "Chip, Dale… I need you two to ready my Gummi Ship pronto."

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Darkness. It fell in long black streaks around him as he fell, spiraling into the seemingly bottomless abyss. He opened his mouth to scream, but the air around him was thin and his voice trapped itself in his throat. His lungs burned in desperation, and he forced small gulps of air past the lump in his throat as he continued to fall…

"It is not over…"

A dark booming voice invaded his eardrums and reverberated off his skull.

"Dark memories lie in your heart…"

It seemed to come from nowhere and everywhere at once.

"You can not deny your destiny…"

Below him…a pillar of land appeared, the top looked similar to a stained glass window. He felt a strange connection and a sense of déjà vu, but he couldn't make out the figure crouched in the center. Too dark…

"But…"

Spiraling closer and closer to the surface, Sora whipped his hands out in front of him and tried to summon the Oathkeeper. Nothing.

"It is not time, yet…"

The figure…crouched in the center of the pillar that was now only a few yards away…he realized that the figure was him. Only half of his body was completely black and sinister with a glowing yellow eye…the other half, still in the light and not yet consumed.

"Soon…"

He closed his eyes and clenched his teeth, preparing for the impact that would most likely kill him.

"Nooo!" his gasped as his eyes flew open. He inhaled sharply against the shooting pain in his chest as he sat straight up. He breathed in the salty sea air and bewildered, he looked around him taking in his surroundings.

The musty cave walls surrounding him eased his hysteria as he realized his location…the "Secret Place" The bright light coming through the hole in the ceiling suggested it to be mid morning. He closed his eyes and massaged the bridge of his nose as he tried to remember how he got there. The storm…darkness…Kairi… "Kairi!" his eyes shot open once again as he frantically searched for her form in the dimly lit cavern. "I will never forgive myself if anything happened to her!" Suddenly, he heard something mumble beside him and he breathed a sigh of relief as he looked down on Kairi's sleeping figure nestled against him.

His face softened into a smile as he quietly watched her sleep. Her hair laid out across the dirt floor in long tangles, her wrinkled clothes were still damp, and her cheek was smeared with dirt…she was beautiful. He drew a deep breath and closed his eyes as he tried to replay the events of the previous night, and his dream. What does this mean? What….what's happening to me??? Am I putting Kairi in danger by staying here?? Kairi… He felt the heavy blow of guilt in the pit of his stomach as he remembered what she had seen last night. He had tried to warn her, tried to tell her to get out; but here she is... beside him. He didn't really know when his childhood crush had turned into the love of his life, but he had struggled every day for the past six months to tell her how he felt about her…

-----------FLASHBACK----------

"Hey Sora," Riku sat down on the long angled trunk of the Paupou tree beside his silent friend.

"Hey Riku, what's up?" Sora's reverie was interrupted and he sat up on the trunk and looked over at his friend.

"I should be asking you the same thing."

"What do you mean?" Sora questioned.

"I mean…you daydreaming all day and staring off in space." Riku smirked. "Don't think I don't know what's going on…"

"Man, I don't know what you're talking about…"

"Dude, I know that you're in love with Kairi." Riku answered blatantly as he looked back out over the horizon.

Sora was speechless…was it that obvious?? If Riku knew, did that mean that Kairi also knew?? Why hadn't anyone spoken up before?? And what—

"Man, why don't you just tell her how you feel?"

Sora sighed in defeat, realizing that there was no way Riku would believe him if he tried to lie to cover up his emotions. Riku just knew him too well…"What if she doesn't feel the same way…what if I tell her and it freaks her out and she never speaks to me again…what if it ruins our friendship…what if—"

"Look…" Riku interrupted as he looked back over at Sora. "You two share something special." He said as he pointed to Sora's heart. "And I can almost guarantee you that she feels the same way."

"Why?" Sora tried to hide the excitement in his voice, but failed miserably. "Did she tell you something!?"

"Nope. Just a feeling I get. I see the way she looks at you." He said over his shoulder as he climbed off the trunk and headed back over the bridge towards the docks. "Trust me on this one…"

----------END FLASHBACK---------------

He smiled at her sleeping form as he gently pulled a lock of hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear. "Kairi?" he whispered softly.

"Mmmmm…" Kairi moaned faintly in her sleep. Her long eyelashes fluttered as she slowly opened her eyes and focused on his smiling face. "Sora!" she smiled back and sat up. "You're awake!"

"Kairi," he spoke softly with an apologetic tone as his eyes fell to the cave floor, "I am so sorry about last night. I hope that you never have to—"

His words were interrupted as she threw her arms around his neck and buried her face in his chest. He was initially startled by her embrace, but once he regained his thoughts he wrapped his arms around her back and held her close.

She pulled out of his embrace slightly, tears brimming in her eyes. "Sora, I was so worried. I didn't know what was happening, but I knew I couldn't leave. You were so still, I thought maybe…well, I don't…I don't know what I thought…but, but I knew that I had to stay here with you. Are you okay? W-What happened to you? Does this have anything to do with that letter from the King? What are you going t—"

"Kairi," Sora chuckled as she bombarded him with her questions, "I'm okay, I promise."

"Oh, Sora." She buried her face back in the crook of his neck. "I'm sorry, I was just so worried about you. I wanted to go get help, but I couldn't leave you here… I just wouldn't leave you…"

"Kairi," his tone became serious as he continued to hold her closely. He drew a deep breath, preparing himself. He knew that she would not be pleased with what he had to say next. "I think I need to see the King… I don't want to leave you again, but I have to find Riku. I think he can help…"

Kairi suddenly straightened up, confusion written across her brow line. "But Sora, how could Riku help, I mean…" reality began to set in as Kairi realized what it was that had been troubling her best friend for the past six months. "You think the darkness is trying to possess you…don't you?" she asked flatly as she looked into his cerulean eyes.

He averted her gaze again, and his silence spoke volumes.

"Sora…" she reached a hand up to caress his cheek.

"I can't stay here…on the island…I'm putting you in danger…" Sora redirected his gaze on her. His eyes were bright, but Kairi could see that he was distressed as he searched for the right words. She smiled meekly at him in an attempt to comfort him. "It's getting out of…" he drew a deep breath, "It's beyond my control and I know that Riku can help. He knows about this kind of stuff…I have to go find him…alone…"

Kairi's smile faded and she pulled her hand from his face as she stood up in front of him. "Sora," her voice was stern, "there is no way I am letting you go anywhere alone…not after what happened last night. There was a reason I didn't leave you here by yourself! You can't fight this alone." Her brow creased in determination and she stared at him, her hands on her hips. "You…you need me." The last sentence came out more timid than she intended, and she drew a deep breath. "You need me, whether you realize it or not!" She was much more successful in her second attempt and she could see the shock in Sora's expression as he looked up at her.

"Kairi, I don't want to put you in danger…"

Sora's pleas were ignored. "Sora, I'm going with you. We will find Riku together. End of discussion." She offered a hand to help him up. "We need to get ready to go."

Sora sighed in defeat as he grabbed her hand and pushed off the floor beneath him, heaving himself to his feet. Kairi gasped lightly as Sora suddenly pulled her into him, wrapping his arms around her waist and burying his face in her hair. "Thanks Kairi" he whispered faintly.

She smiled in his embrace and rested her head on his chest.