*RIKU*

"Are we almost there?" I whispered, for fear of getting caught.

"Yeah," the boy replied, staring at me. His black hair was disheveled, but that wasn't what was so weird about him. It was his eyes. They were a piercing gold. Whenever he stared at me, I couldn't help but be a little scared. He had on a black cloak that covered all but his face. He had pulled the hood back after awhile, though, so I finally saw his face.

"Okay. Thanks for your help," I said, meaning it. He had gotten me through the dark realm, helped me steal the mirror, and we had made it this far together. I was almost home. Wait for me, Naminé. I'm almost there.

The boy stared at me with his cold, golden eyes. He looked angry. I challenged him with my own aqua-colored eyes. We stayed like this, staring angrily at each other for quite awhile before he broke the silence.

"Why do you want to help Naminé?" he asked, turning away from me and putting up his hood.

"W-what?" I asked, turning away from him, also. I stared at the mirror this boy had helped me steal for Naminé. It was a lot smaller than I had expected; it was only the size of a pocket watch.

"Why are you helping Naminé?" he asked again, but a bit louder than our usual whisper now.

"I want to help her because…" I trailed off. I couldn't finish the sentence. I heard the boy turn towards me.

"Why? Because you like her?" he asked, his voice taunting. I could hear the smirk he was probably wearing.

"No," I said.

"So you hate her?" the boy asked, confused.

"No, I don't hate her. I don't like her. I … I love her," I confessed, feeling my face turn red.

Silence endured as time slowly passed. Neither of us moved.

"What about you?" I asked quickly. "Why are you helping her? You don't even know me." I heard the boy move.

"No, but I know Naminé. She endured this prison Maleficent likes to call a kingdom with me. She's been my best friend, since we were both seven. She's always been there for me, and we always dreamed of escaping when we were little, but I never thought either of us would actually go for it," he whispered. "Come on, let's keep walking." He began walking. I followed.

Suddenly a thought occurred to me. "How come she's stuck as a seven-year-old and you have a normal fifteen-year-old body?" I asked, suddenly angry that Naminé had to endure that and he didn't.

"It wasn't by choice. Maleficent wanted me for fighting. She says I have potential when it comes to wielding the darkness," the boy replied, smirking.

"So you fought for her…for that monster?" I practically hissed.

"Of course I did. I didn't want to die. And if I did die, who would've been there for Naminé? She would be so lonely. You know, she went to your dimension while I was on a long trip away. She really must have felt alone." I pitied the poor boy. He felt so horrible, I could see that, and he looked so upset.

"Well, I'll be sure to tell her you helped me. What's your name?" I asked. The boy stopped walking. I stopped alongside him.

That's when I saw it. There was a body lying on the ground. The long, blonde hair flowed down to the girl's waist. She looked so pale and vulnerable.

"What is-!" I began to scream until the boy covered my mouth, and forced me to stop flailing. I recognized the body. It was the fifteen-year-old version of her. It's what she would look like now. The helpless girl lying on the ground was fifteen-year-old Naminé.

"Maleficent had to keep the body somewhere, right?" the boy said. "Poor little Naminé probably had to pass herself on her way out of the dimension."

"What?" I asked after he had uncovered my mouth. He knew I had heard him; I was just so hopelessly lost and confused. What had Naminé been put through with that witch ordering her around?

"Let's go, we're almost back to your home," the boy said, his voice suddenly cold and quiet.

"Thank you so much for all of your help," I said to the boy.

"No problem. Give Naminé my regards," he replied.

"I will. What's your name?" I asked. The boy paused, smiling sadly.

"Just tell her that her best friend misses her and loves her dearly," he said sadly, before vanishing.

I opened my eyes to bright light, and my vision was blurred. I blinked, slowly clearing my vision.

"He's awake!"

"He is? Oh, thank goodness! Riku, honey, thank goodness!"

"Riku? I missed you so much, kid."

"W-what?" I stammered, unsure of what to do. Once my vision cleared, I looked up. Surrounding me were my mom, dad, and Naminé. Except, this wasn't the Naminé I knew. This was the girl the golden-eyed boy and I had passed right before we left the dark realm.

"Nami! What happened to you? Where's the mirror? Where am I?" I gasped and sat up.

My mother and father looked to each other, confused. Naminé smiled, and put a single finger up to her lips, telling me to keep quiet.

"You're in the hospital. We wanted to make sure you were fine. I don't know where the mirror is, but I'm so happy you're back, Riku! I missed you so much," my mom said, hugging me. I could tell she was about to cry, and she left the room. My dad, looking worried, followed her.

"Nami, what happened?" I asked once my dad had left and shut the door.

Naminé sat in a chair next to my bed. "I found you in the alley I first met you in. You were lying on the floor, asleep; holding that mirror like your life depended on it. I looked into the mirror and changed myself from seven to fifteen," Naminé explained, looking at me strangely.

"Why does no one but me remember you being seven?" I asked, seriously confused.

"That's the thing about the mirror," Naminé replied, looking away. "Only people that know about the mirror remember before. Everyone but you and I remember me always being fifteen, not seven."

"Why am I in the hospital? I'm fine," I said.

"Your parents don't think so. Just be grateful that they love you so much to do this for you."

"They do love me a lot, don't they?" That fact gave me a sense of peace. The drugs must be getting to my head.

"Yes, they do .They wouldn't stop talking about you, refusing you were gone. You were away for a few weeks, you know that?" Naminé said quietly.

"You know who loves you?" I asked Naminé. She turned to face me.

"Who?" She asked, looking curious.

"Well, he wouldn't tell me his name, but he said to tell you that your best friend loves you and misses you dearly." I do, too. But I can't say that.

"H-he did?" Naminé's eyes started to tear up.

"Yes. Don't cry, please," I said, opening my arms, offering her a hug.

"I won't. I'm so happy you're back," she said, receiving my offered hug. "I missed you so much, Riku."