Hi guys!

I've been forgetting to put the future ages of the kids at the bottom… in KH4, Patria and Pith will be 14, Justin will be 12, and Xally will be 11.

This chapter has some blood and sensitive material, so be warned!

I only own my OCs:

Hara, Patria, Pith, Ayumi, Jirou, and Hikari!

To Be a Father

Riku loved patrol in the morning. Being the captain of the Coast Guard, he got to choose when he went. He always chose the morning hours so that he could be out on the water by dawn.

Today was like any other day on patrol… quiet but, it wouldn't stay that way.

"Captain Tsuchi," buzzed the radio.

Riku picked it up. "Come in, Wakka, what's up?"

"A fishing boat spotted a life raft tied to a rock formation about six miles west of your position."

"I'll check on it, Riku out." Revving up the engine, Riku's boat skimmed across the water. He looked around until he spotted the tiny yellow raft tied to a rock, a tarp lay over the top of the raft. Slowing down, he allowed the boat to coast up to the rock.

Casting a Stopza spell to keep it in place, he leaned off the deck and cut the raft from the rocks, pulling it towards him.

"Is anyone in there?"

"Hello…" A small, timid voice responded.

Riku's eyes widened, it was a kid. He pulled off the tarp and froze, his temper beginning to flare.

A little girl with blonde bangs and pink hair stared up at him with her teal eyes. She was lying down and couldn't get up because her hands were handcuffed to the sides of the raft. "A…are you here to help me?"

"Yes," reaching behind him and grabbing some small bolt cutters, he cut her free. "Come here." He picked her up and set her on deck.

"Than' you." Riku carried her below deck and wrapped a blanket around her. "Wha' you gonna do wit' me?"

"I'm going to take you somewhere safe." Riku looked at the girl and especially at the black eye and bruise on her cheek. "How old are you and what's your name?"

She looked downwards holding up three fingers; that young… "My name's Hikari."

"Ok, Hikari… who put you in that little boat?" The toddler looked away. "Hikari, was it the same person who hit you?" Slowly, Hikari nodded. "That's what I thought. Wait here, I'm going to take you to the police station."

The girl merely curled up on herself and closed her eyes. Riku went up to the helm and took a deep breath to quell his anger. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed a police detective he knew well.

"Hey Riku, *yawn* what's up?"

"Hey Sora," Riku answered, "Are you at the station yet?"

"Just got here… is something up?" Sora replied.

Glancing towards the cabin, Riku sighed. "I just rescued a three-year-old girl. She was handcuffed in a life raft and left on the ocean. She's also got some bruises… I'm thinking I might have just stumbled upon a domestic violence, and possible kidnapping, situation. I'm bringing her to the station now."

Sora was silent. "I'll tell the chief… bring her in."

"Be there soon, later Sora." Turning his boat around, Riku headed for the main island.

Hikari clung to Riku as he carried her into the police station.

"Mr. Tsuchi," the chief, Gippal, came towards him. "So, this is the girl you told Detective Sora about?"

"That's right."

Gippal looked at the girl. "We have a medical team on standby in the back. You can take her there and then we can discuss what to do."

Riku nodded and carried the girl to the back. "Hikari, these people are doctors. They're going to help you. I'll be right out here if you need me." He set her down on the medical table and left. "Chief Gippal, if this is a domestic violence case, I want to help. I can't stand a little kid being hurt like that."

"I was actually going to ask you to do that. You and Sora, since you work best together, are in charge of the investigation. The girl can stay with Sora's family or… you have your cousins over, so… she could stay with you."

Riku nodded. "I'm sure Ayumi and Jirou would love to keep an eye on her."

"Sounds good."

Sora came over and grinned at his best friend. "Guess we're working on this together. It'll be exciting…"

"Yea…" the silver-haired man put his hands in his pockets. "I'll talk to the girl before taking her to my house. My cousins will watch over her while we handle this."

"Sounds good."

Riku went into the other room and looked at the small child. The girl looked up at him and gave a light smile. A nurse came over and clasped her hands. "Sir, she has cuts on her wrists from pulling against the handcuffs, a couple bruises on her faces, and a few scratches on her body. It looks like you were right; seems like domestic abuse."

"I'm going to talk to her." Riku came over. "Hi there, Hikari."

The girl scooted over as the man sat down beside her. "Hi… Mr."

"You can just call me Riku. Now, I need to talk to you. I need to know who hurt you and put you in that boat."

The girl looked down at her feet. "I can't tell you… he sai' he'd hur' me."

"No one will hurt you. I'm going to catch the person who said that to you and put him in jail but, I need you to tell me who he is first."

"I… it…" the girl stammered. "It was Mommy's boyfrien'. He hit me and Mommy… Mommy sai' she tell cops and den he tie her up and took me to boat and lef' me."

Riku's temper boiled but, he kept it in check. "Ok… Hikari, I'm going to take you to my house. My cousins will keep an eye on you while I go find this man and save your mom. Do you know where he might be?"

"We live' in houseboa'. It white with dee name 'Coral Light' on side."

"Thank you, Hikari," picking the girl up, he carried her into the main room of the station. "I'm gonna take her to my house now."

"I'll meet you by the docks in two hours to begin the search," Sora nodded to his best friend.

"Sounds good."

Hikari sat in Riku's arms as he carried her into the small house. A black-haired man and a dark-skinned woman with black hair looked at him from the couch. "Riku! Glad you're hom… whose this?"

"This is Hikari. She's going to be staying here while I search for her mom."

"And, I'm guessing you want us to keep an eye on her." Ayumi smiled at the girl.

"Exactly…" Setting the child on the couch, he smiled. "Hikari, this is my cousin, Jirou and his wife, Ayumi. They'll watch you while I'm at work.

"Ok…"

Riku and Sora stood at the front of a boat and stared out at the sea. "There's a lot of ocean to cover…"

"We need to find them. If the man took Hikari because her mom threatened to call the police, who knows what he'll do when he finds Hikari gone."

"You're right," Sora squinted. "There's a tracking spell, right? Maybe we could use it."

Riku nodded. The police knew that Sora and Riku were Keyblade Wielders; everyone had heard that they were guardians of Kingdom Hearts so, the secret was out. He summoned his Keyblade and held it out. A beam of light shot out and streaked across the water. "Sora, get to the helm and follow that light."

"Got it!"

Riku looked down at the file in his hands; it was Hikari's. The file said that her dad had died a couple months ago. It made him want to help even more. If the worst came to worst, Katie would be an orphan.

Climbing onto the deck of the boat, Sora looked again at the name. "She said it was called 'Coral Light' right?"

"That's what she said…"

"Ok…" Sora went to the door of the houseboat and called out. "Destiny Islands P.D. open up!" There was total silence so, the police detective looked to his best friend. "Riku, you want to…?"

"With pleasure." The silver-haired man kicked the door in.

Everyone instantly covered their noses and cringed. A man and woman lay inside; the woman's body had multiple stab wounds all over it and the man's right wrist was slit near to the bone.

Sora turned his back on the door. "These kind of outcomes are why I don't like this job at times." Reluctantly, he turned back around and looked at the bodies. "We won't know exactly what happened until we get forensics down here but, I'm going to go ahead and call this a murder-suicide."

"Looks like Hikari's an orphan." Riku said as the team began hooking up the boat to their own.

Riku walked into his house and saw Ayumi playing with Hikari. "Riku! You're back!"

"Hey, Ayumi … I need to speak to Hikari for a minute." The woman stood and left as Riku sat down beside the little girl. "Hikari… do you know what happened to your dad?"

"He fell 'sleep and didn't ge' up."

Riku nodded slowly. "Ok. I'm sorry to tell you that your mom… fell asleep and won't get up."

The toddler stared at him. "Mommy's gone too…?" Riku nodded slowly. The little girl began to sob, leaning into Riku's chest.

"I know… I'm sorry…" The man pulled the girl into his arms and rocked her back and forth. "You can stay here for a while. My cousins and I will watch over you…"

"Tank you… Riku…"

Jirou and Ayumi came into Riku's house from work. They stopped as they noticed Riku sitting on the floor with the toddler; he was watching the toddler draw pictures. It had been two weeks since her mother had died and Hikari practically moved into the Tsuchi house.

"Lookie!" Hikari held up a picture. "I dew you!"

Riku had experience dealing with little kids since he'd babysat Sora and Kairi's twins more than once in his days. "That looks wonderful." He looked up at his cousins. "What?"

"Seeing YOU of all people playing with a little girl… it's just the cutest thing ever!"

"Ayumi… you're crazy." Riku picked up the toddler. "Well, I promised Kari here, some ice cream."

"Kari?" Jirou raised an eyebrow.

Hikari giggled, "It shor' for Hikari!"

The two went out of the house. A super close bond had formed between Riku and Hikari over the two week period. Sora and Kairi's kids had even taken to her greatly. The two were actually to meet Sora's family today for a little get together.

"Here you go, Kari." Riku handed the girl a sea salt ice cream bar. The two went into the town's mall, towards the kid's playground.

"Riku!" Sora waved at him from a plastic bench. "What's up?"

Picking Hikari into his arms, a small smile broke across his face. "Nothing really. Where are the twins? I thought we had a 'play date' planned."

"Uncle Riku!" Patria and Pith came running forward almost crashing into their uncle.

"Hey there," he hugged them both. "So, you're here to play with Hikari?"

The boy and girl grinned. "Yep!" Riku gave Hikari a little push towards the twins. The two kids grabbed her hands and the trio went into the play place.

Riku sat beside Sora and his wife. "So, how's Hikari doing?"

"She's doing great. It's taken her a little bit to adjust but, she's fine now. She knows she's only staying until someone is willing to adopt her." Sora took a sip from his soda and gave Riku a sideways glance. "Sora… wipe that dumb look off your face. I know what you're thinking."

"Come on… she already likes you."

Kairi smiled happily. "Sora's right; you'd make a great dad."

"Don't think I haven't thought about it." Riku leaned back and closed his eyes. "I just… I don't think I'm ready to adopt yet. I've thought about doing it but, I don't know."

Sora looked behind his best friend and got a bright grin. "You know… if you did adopt her, maybe, someday you could give her a mom too."

Riku popped up into a sitting condition. "Sora… how about you shut up!" Sora did nothing but point behind Riku. "She's… standing right behind me… isn't she?"

He turned and saw a young woman with olive-colored skin and curly black hair. "Hello, Riku!"

"Hara! I…it's nice to see you."

His friends chuckled at his sudden awkwardness. Hara did nothing but giggle. "So Riku, I hear you're watching over that little girl whose mother was killed." The man only nodded. "Oh, that's so sweet! You and her should come over to my house and have dinner with me tonight. I want to meet her!"

"T…that sounds great… um… what time?"

"How about… five thirty?"

Riku nodded. "Ok… do you... ya know… want me to bring something over too?"

"Well…" Hara tapped a finger on her chin, "why don't you bring over a dessert. You do make some of the best brownies I've ever tasted."

"Ok… we'll be there."

Hara bent down and kissed Riku's cheek. "Good! I'll see you then!" She then, jogged off into the distance.

"You know, it's kinda hilarious…" Kairi giggled "You're always so calm, cool, and collected until you get around her. You're so awkward every time you get around a girl."

"Just be quiet…"

Hikari rode on Riku's back, her arms wrapped around his neck. Riku held a pan of brownies in one hand. "So… where we goin'?"

"My girlfriend's house. She invited us over for dinner."

"Your girlfrien'?" Hikari leaned against his neck. "Is she p'etty?"

"Yep…" The man smiled.

They came up to the house and Riku knocked on the door. Hara opened the door with a smile. "Riku! Oh, and this must be little Hikari. Oh, you are just the cutest thing!"

"Hi…" the child blushed and hid behind Riku's shoulder.

"My name's Hara; it's nice to meet you, Hikari." The woman ruffled her hair playfully. "Come on inside. I've got lasagna in the oven and it's almost done."

The two came inside the quaint little house. Riku set Hikari down in a chair and smiled happily as he sat beside her. Hara came in with her lasagna and set it on the table. Riku looked over at the little girl. "Hara makes the greatest food in all the worlds."

"Oh Riku, you flatterer! I'm not that good a cook."

"She really is…" the tiny girl giggled. "Just wait till you taste it."

"I can' wait to try it!" Hara dished out three servings of the lasagna. The little girl stuck her fork in it and tried to pick it up all at once.

Riku chuckled. "Let me help you…" Using her fork and knife, he cut the food into smaller squares. "There…"

"Thank you!" she took a big bite of the dish and her eyes lit up. "You were righ' dis is da best!"

Hara laughed. "More flattery… you're no better than Riku." Riku and Hikari joined in the laughter and mirth filled the house.

The kid smiled as she rested in Riku's arms. "I like Miss Hara… she p'etty and nice."

"I have to agree…" Riku cuddled the girl close in the chilly night air.

"Riku…" the girl yawned, "you gonna marry her?"

The man gave her a, slightly, stunned look. "Why does everyone keep asking me that?"

"'Cause she p'etty and nice and she make you happy."

Riku couldn't help but smile at her logic. His smile only widened as Hikari yawned and leaned onto his shoulder. "Someone's tired… you played a lot today."

"No' tired…"

"Sure you're not." Riku smiled as he opened the door to his house. He stopped in the doorway and looked up at the sky; storm clouds gathered overhead. "Looks like it's gonna rain soon."

"I don't like tunder…" she cringed as a small booming echoed through the air.

Riku set her on the ground and took her hand. She cringed as another clap of thunder resounded through the air. His cousins were out at work tonight so, it would be just the two of them. "Do you want something to drink before bed?"

"Yea… EEK!" The thunder was closer this time. Hikari clung to his legs as another burst of thunder echoed about them. "Pease! I scare' of tunder!"

"Ok then… you can stay with me, then." He picked her up in one arm and grabbed a blanket in the other. As Riku sat down in a recliner, he placed Hikari in his lap and covered the both of them with a blanket.

"Are we gonna stay righ' 'ere?"

"Yes…" Riku glanced at a clock; his cousins wouldn't be home for another 3 hours, at least. He could do it, then… as long as no one was around. He did have a reputation to uphold, after all. Taking her into his arms he did something that only Sora's two kids had seen him do… he began rocking her back and forth and humming a tune.

Hikari smiled and closed her eyes. Riku continued to hum, his heart reaching for the little girl whom he'd grown so close to. "Mmmm… Riku…"

"Sleep well, Hikari." He kept humming and held her closer as the thunder grew louder.

The girl nuzzled up to him and sighed. "Goodnight… Daddy…"

"Huh!" Riku's eyes widened. "What did you…?" But, the girl was already asleep. She… she called him, 'daddy'. His eyes softened as he softly petted her hair.

Maybe… maybe he was ready to adopt. Just maybe, he was ready to be a father…

So sweet! And, if you don't believe that Riku is awkward around girls, go watch the scene in DDD where he talks with Shiki for the first time. It's so adorable how awkward he is!

This is how Riku ends up adopting Hikari; she will be 9 in KH4!

Ayumi is a character based after my friend and the cowriter of the upcoming Keyblade War story, Jayla the Panda!

Please review!

James 1:23-24:

"For if you listen to the word and don't obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like."