Set in the Keyblade Graveyard.

I... I missed a line from Aqua...?
No way... How could I have possibly missed a line from Aqua out of all the lines there?
*hangs head in shame*
I feel so awful... Lesson Learned: Take time to watch the cutscenes before writing...

But of course that was not the only thing I noticed out of all your amazing reviews!
(Although, it really felt like I'd been crushed by a rock or something...)
Anyway, thank you for the many cookies! No one ever makes cookies for me. Hahaha!
And it's good to know I haven't sacrificed quality for speed.
I was worried about that, because I haven't been... Proofreading... Sorry.
Thank you very much for telling me which lines you loved; knowing things like that gives me wings.
Also, I am thrilled that you liked the scene with Braig. I tried to give you just one more amusing moment because this story ends...
Well, I'm just going to say that if you laugh at the end, I am an epic failure. Hahaha!

So, moving on, in previous Chapters, a page break indicated a change in setting or a time skip.
In this one and the next, a page break indicates a change in point of view.
I hope that does not confuse you...

And I have no idea what you are expecting to happen in this Chapter.
But I hope you like what I have done.
And I'd like to know what you thought about how I closed this Chapter, and that bit in the middle where Vanitas whispers...

DISCLAIMER [I do not own Kingdom Hearts] DISCLAIMER

ESCAPE

A way to break free from destiny…

Vanitas stepped back as Terra attacked Master Xehanort. This battle has been going on for quite a while, and Terra was holding up well. The anger that the brunette harbored was giving him strength, causing him to emit such powerful waves of darkness. It amused Vanitas. It was almost comforting to be surrounded by a force he was familiar with. But he did miss that strange fiery feeling he got whenever he was in Aqua's presence.

He dodged quickly as one of Terra's attacks came his way. He did fight back, once in a while, but Terra was never his real opponent. His true adversary, Ventus, was somewhere at the foot of the cliff, lying in the arms of his… Hmm, what should he call her?

He had no time to dwell on that, though, because Master Xehanort was addressing him. "Go take what Ventus owes you. And take Aqua's life."

Finally. He nodded once and dashed towards the edge of the cliff. He leapt down, shifting himself so that he would fall at the highest possible speed. He was aware that behind him, Terra made to follow. But he was sure Master Xehanort would cut him off.

Vanitas allowed his eyes to focus far ahead of him. He could see her already, standing there, vulnerable. He flipped around, so he would land on his feet, and he held his Keyblade over his head ready to strike her. He heard Ventus call out her name in warning, and she turned around in time to see him.

Time slowed. He found himself staring down at her face and his heartbeats suddenly became individual bursts of thunder.

She gasped, her eyes wide at seeing him. And he saw himself reflected in those bottomless pools of deep blue. In her eyes, he was a wingless demon in black and red; death with her name on his blade. In a second, he dismissed his Keyblade. Nothing struck her but fragments of light and air.

He hissed as he landed, then he rose to his feet. For one moment, they stood face to face, and then she leapt away from him, closer to Ventus.

"Aqua…" Vanitas said smoothly, tasting her name on his lips.

She glared at him, assuming a defensive stance as she stood protectively between him and Ventus. The boy was still covered in ice, still struggling hopelessly against the frozen bonds. Vanitas stood, contemplating the moment.

Fight her… Kill her… Take what Ventus owes you…
Tell her who you are… Tell her how you feel…

But how does he feel, exactly?

"What are you waiting for?" she asked him, still scowling. He smirked, teleporting closer to her and summoning his Keyblade in one swift movement. She caught his blow with her own weapon and shoved him back. He tried again and again and again, teleporting in circles around her, trying to catch her off guard. But her defense did not yield. She was intent on protecting Ventus.

He leapt back, studying her. "You should take me more seriously," he said. "Defending does not make a victor, Aqua."

She ignored him and he sighed. He wondered if he should risk it; uniting their hearts. He wanted to; both his heart and mind – surprisingly – agreed on that. And Ventus was still incapacitated. This would be his chance, his only chance. But how would he get her to fight him with all of her power?

He looked at her, his eyes searching her for a weakness. And then it hit him. He smirked.

"Oh, Aqua," he cooed.

There was something wrong in the way he said her name and she gritted her teeth. He was planning something, she could tell. But whatever it was, she would be ready. She would never let him harm Ven, not while she could still stand and fight.

She watched with a wary eye as he reached into a small pouch tied to his belt. He pulled out what looked like a piece of paper. Or a card…

"Do you recognize this?" he asked her. He held it out in front of him for her to see.

Despite the distance that separated them, she could not mistake it for anything else, and her heart suddenly stopped beating. It was the picture she had left with Van. Fear gripped her soul as she remembered the last time she had seen him.

"Will I see you tomorrow?"
"Probably not."

She remembered asking Horace to pass on her message, she remembered her promise to return, to see Van again. But their very first day... Is that now their last day, too?

Vanitas smirked, as if he could taste how scared she was. "Is he important to you?"

Yes! Her heart cried. "How did you get that?" she yelled, trying to keep her fear under control.

He laughed darkly. "It's a very interesting story, actually."

"Can I keep it?" he asked her, indicating the photo.
"Sure," she answered.

Aqua tightened her grip on her Keyblade, her knuckles turning white, fury and anguish filling her core. "What have you done to him?" she screamed.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Vanitas teased as he released the photograph and the wind carried it away.

Aqua all but snarled at him. If Vanitas had hurt Van… If she had lost him… She could feel her heart dying at the mere thought of it.

"I'll tell you this, though," he said. "You are never going to see him again…"

And those words made her self-control suddenly run dry. All thoughts of defending were forgotten as she immediately assumed the offensive. "You monster!" she cried out, rushing at him. Behind her, Ven was trying to get her to stop, but his voice was lost in the flurry of her rage.

So many thoughts and emotions overcame her as she attacked Vanitas. They exchanged hits and blocks, cast and dodged spells, teleported, jumped, dashed, sidestepped… They were a blur of black and blue; a storm outside as well as within.

Vanitas… She was sure he had done something horrible to Van. And it made her heart freeze painfully to imagine what torture this monster had brought upon that troubled, innocent boy. And to think that this was likely her fault; that Vanitas was exploiting her weakness. And it was Van who suffered for it...

Her Van… His goofy frown, his golden eyes, his unkempt black hair… She would never see them again. She would never hear his cranky voice, or hear him snap at her for teasing him and saying silly things. She would never feel him touch her face in that shy, gentle way again, or have him murmur how pretty she looks. She would never find out if he wanted to be her friend or not. And he would never be old enough to ask her again...

She felt tears sting her eyes. He was important to her, that much she had always known. But he meant so much more to her than she had wanted to believe, and now that he was gone…

She continued to rain against Vanitas, her attacks relentless and merciless. She would never forgive him. She wanted to rip that mask off his face just so she could look right into his eyes as she avenged Van…

Vanitas teleported behind her, trying to catch her by surprise, but she spun around in time to block him. The shafts of their Keyblades connected, and they both trembled at the exertion. It was at that moment, when Vanitas had his back to Ventus, that the boy finally broke free of the ice. He had rushed at the dueling pair, his Keyblade at hand, and he struck Vanitas as hard as he could on the side of his head. A loud crack resounded in the air as Vanitas was shoved to the side.

He slid across the ground, landing several paces away from where Aqua and Ven now stood. Ven nodded once at Aqua and rushed to take advantage of the moment. He dashed towards Vanitas, but Aqua only stood there, staring at her… enemy…? He had his hand covering the half of his mask that had shattered, but between his fingers she could see…

What? Strands of black hair and the tiniest shimmer of gold...

"Ven, wait!" she shouted.

But he did not listen. He continued to attack Vanitas, who had gotten up and was fighting back. His hand had fallen from his face so he could fight better, and Aqua gasped. "No…" she heard herself say. "Impossible…"

Her knees were shaking, watching Ven fight with…Van.

It took a few seconds before she was able to regain control of her body, and it was just in time. The severe blow to the head had disoriented Vanitas, and Ventus clearly had the upper hand. He was about to strike Vanitas, but Aqua caught his Keyblade with her own, and in surprise, Ventus took several steps back.

"Aqua, what are you doing?" he demanded.

She turned around, looking at Vanitas, who was on the ground. She knelt down and hastily pulled off his helmet, her heart frantic and impatient. And at seeing his face, her mind reeled and her heart...rejoiced.

"Van..." she breathed.

"Yeah. Surprise," he mumbled, smirking and ruffling his hair. His face was scrunched up in a goofy way as he tried to brush away his headache. "It's short for Vanitas…"

They stared at each other for a minute. Aqua could feel her heart ramming against her ribcage and her mind was spinning in circles. How could she have been so blind? How could she have spent a day in the company of their fiercest enemy and not know who he was? How could she have smiled at him, laughed with him, embraced him?

More importantly, why did she want to pull him into her arms right now and just hold him close to her? Was it because she was simply relieved that the friend whom she thought had been hurt – or worse – was here; safe, sound, and perfect? But he had just revealed himself to be their enemy. She should be furious. She should be brimming with hatred for him.

There were sudden tremors in her heart. How could you possibly hate him?

And how could she? When thoughts of him made her smile? When she wanted so terribly to see him again? When she blushed at remembering the feel of his hand on her face?

She had no room for hatred, not for him. Her heart had already decided what it felt for Van. What was a change of clothing, a change of setting, a change of name? And Aqua knew it would be futile to deny what her heart had already accepted.

"Aqua!" Ven said from behind her, his voice harsh and worried. "Get away from him!"

Vanitas glared at Ven. "She doesn't want to," he hissed. Then he looked at Aqua, his piercing gold eyes meeting her sapphire ones. "Do you?" he asked. She saw that same look in them; expectant, wanting, needing.

"I…" she choked.

She heard Ven growling behind her. "Aqua, get up!" he begged.

Aqua knew that Ventus was afraid to make a move because of her proximity to Vanitas. He could hurt her, he could threaten her, he could easily grab her throat and choke the life out of her. He truly could have, and he should have done something by now. But he hasn't. And she knows the dark apprentice was right. She didn't want to get away from him. It was the very last thing she wanted to do.

He reached for her and touched her face, his gloved hand cold against her skin. It sent chills down her spine, but they were far from unpleasant. Then he laced his fingers through her hair, smiling. "Aqua…" he whispered.

"…Sleep," and she fell unconscious into his arms.

"Aqua!" Ventus yelled, alarmed.

Vanitas snapped up to look at him. "I'll kill her if you come any closer."

He wouldn't, but Ventus did not know that. The blonde glared at him with rage, but he believed the threat and stayed right where he was. Vanitas cradled Aqua for a moment as she slept, her expression slightly troubled, as if she were already having a rather vivid dream. She was lying against his chest, and he wondered if, even in sleep, she was aware of the frantic beating of his heart.

"Are you willing to fight for her, Ventus?" Vanitas asked softly.

Ventus snarled at him. "Get away from her, or I'll… I'll…"

"What?" Vanitas laid Aqua very gently on the ground and brushed the strands of her hair away from her face. He felt a little disheartened that it would not be her heart he would unite with, but perhaps it would be for the best. It meant he would surely survive, at least.

He turned his attention to Ventus as he stood up. "Or what, Ventus?"

The only answer he received was a menacing growl.

Vanitas chuckled. "So, are you willing to fight for her? If you win, you can take her home," he said. "Lose, and I will have my wicked way with her."

"Am I making you uncomfortable?"

And she looked at him with an expression that looked almost – just almost – frightened, as if for once she looked beyond the youthfulness of his appearance and saw something far darker underneath. "Why are you asking me these questions, Van?"

"Because I want to know… Do you think that there is a way to break free from destiny; that you could simply not do that thing you feel you need to do? And do you think you could ever be forgiven for all the damage you have caused, the wrong you have committed?"

The memory blurred until it faded to blackness and she found herself alone in a place that looked similar to the Lanes Between, except it was even emptier. Every step she took caused white ripples to form on the seemingly liquid surface that she was somehow able to walk on.

Suddenly, a silhouette started to form some distance in front of her. It took shape, that of a boy, and she recognized him even though his back was to her. "Van!" she called.

He turned around to face her and she ran to him, but she eventually reached a point where she could get no closer. She tried to reach out for him, but he did not respond.

"Van, please…" she said, her hand outstretched.

"Vanitas," he corrected, looking up at her. And his clothes changed. The shirt tightened around him and red veins scattered across its surface.

She lowered her hand. "Why did you ask me those questions?"

He remained silent.

She glared at him. "Did it mean anything to you? When I said I did want you to be my friend?"

His gaze lowered and his lips moved but no sound escaped. She was reminded of the words he had spoken in Disney Town; the words she did not hear.

"Van…" she said. "Please, tell me…"

He looked back up at her, his expression almost blank, but she could sense sadness in his eyes. And all he said was, "Even if I were a friend… Could you not forgive me?"

Vanitas breathed deeply and opened his eyes. In his hand, he felt the weight of a new and powerful weapon and he smirked.

Ventus was gone. In a way. They were one now; as they should be. He could still feel an internal struggle, but so what? Vanitas – clearly the stronger of the two personalities – managed to wrest control of their physical form. That was what truly mattered.

He paused a moment as a surge of Ventus' memories filled his mind. He was overcome by images of Terra, of the Land of Departure, of their Master, of Aqua…

He was pushing Aqua away, obviously angry…
"Leave me alone, Aqua!"
"Ven, it's dangerous."
"I can take care of myself!"

She was looking at him sadly, as they stood on a mountain summit…
"Ven, is it too much to ask you for just a few more minutes?"
"Aww, but I want to go spar with Terra! Can I go now?"
"…Alright, if that's what you want."

He was speaking to her when Terra walked away…
"You're awful, Aqua."

She was about to leave Radiant Garden…
"Let me go with you, Aqua."
"No, Ven. Do as I say and go home."
"Why won't you let me?"
"I don't want to put you in harm's way… You understand?"

He was alone in Disney Town…
"Wish somebody was looking out for me…"

Vanitas clenched his fist, feeling rage within his heart. "Ventus… You are an idiot."

He walked to where Aqua was lying, still fast asleep. He knelt down and touched her cheek lightly with the back of his fingers. "Aqua," he said softly. "Time to wake up…"

Thank You

~Alacquiene~