A/N: New chapter! Today was my last day of class so all I have is a couple more assignments and then I'm done with my first semester of college. In other words, I have oodles of time again. My boyfriend is uber busy so I can pretty much devote the majority of my time to writing again. So can expect updates more regularly and after December 8th I will be fully capable of updating like I used to. So, that's something to look forward to, right?

Lies Bring Us Closer

Chapter 13: Boiling Water

"Has the keyblade master finally come?"

"He's fighting his way to the front door."

"Excellent, go forth with the plan."

Kairi waited anxiously in her cell for any sight of Roxas's blonde spikes. It had been two days, or at least that was her estimate, since he had last visited her and promised to save her. In those two days she had mentally and physically prepared herself for the escape. Before Roxas left he warned her that it was going to be difficult to escape and that she should be ready to fight. So she began practicing her hand to hand combat with the air; it was the best she could do. She didn't have a weapon.

She peered through the purple bars and gazed down the long, white hallway. "Roxas, where are you?" she whispered with a frown. 'If you don't hurry and get here I don't know what I'm going to do. I can't take another test from Vexen…it's too painful,´ she thought sadly. She continued to scan the hall until she heard the sound of footsteps approaching the cell. She seized.

"Who is it?" she called fearfully. She prayed that Roxas would answer and not some other member of the organization. She had found they were all unpleasant.

"Kairi, it's me!" Roxas answered as he approached her cell, "You ready?" She quickly nodded. Within a flash Roxas was inside of her cell. Kairi quickly pulled him into a desperate hug. He returned the favor. "Don't worry, we're going to get out of here just fine," he whispered into her ear.

"Okay, okay," Kairi murmured as she snuggled into his chest.

Roxas outstretched his hand and opened a portal. "They're not going to let me teleport straight out of here so we're going to have to make our way to the exit of this castle and then teleport from there," Roxas explained. She nodded and the two made their way into the portal.

They re-entered the world in what appeared to be a large blue hall. There was a balcony above a doorway. Kairi looked around in awe. She had no idea the place was so big. Before she could speak she heard odd squeaking, squishy sounds. Roxas pushed her behind him and drew out his keyblades. "I told you this would be dangerous, just stay behind me and try not to get caught," Roxas instructed. Kairi nodded and Roxas began attacking the strange creatures. They looked like small, skinny people with zippers for mouths. There was a strange insignia on their head. They were white and gray and could bend in the strangest of ways. She made sure to keep out of their way.

Roxas grabbed her hand and the two ran out of the room and into another room. This one was completely white and appeared to be inside of a tunnel of sorts. "This is an elevator," Roxas explained, "It'll take us down to the ground floor." More strange monsters appeared. This time they looked even larger and tougher. They wielded lances and flew through the air. Roxas threw his keyblades and defeated them easily. Kairi clung to him tightly. She could feel her heart pounding through her chest. Something didn't feel right.

They exited the elevator and entered another large room. She could see the dark sky through the glass windows. The two ran hand in hand down a ramp. She heard sounds coming from the other side of a large, white wall. "I think there's someone else here," Kairi whispered to Roxas. Fear was written on her face.

Roxas tightened his grip on her hand. "Don't worry, Kairi. I'll protect you," he promised. He quickly kissed her cheek. They heard footsteps approaching them. Roxas summoned his keyblades and stood in front of Kairi defensively.

Kairi peered over Roxas's shoulder; she was curious to see who was coming. It didn't sound like an enemy. In fact, the voices sounded really familiar. She watched in awe as the two figures came into view. She felt her heart pounding and a lightness in her head. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. Those brown spikes. That tanned skin and goofy grin. Those silver locks and intense eyes. It was them. They were there. She nearly fainted.

Roxas narrowed his eyes. He turned to Kairi and whispered, "Don't be fooled, Kairi." It was all he had time to say.

"Who are you and what are you doing with Kairi?" Sora shouted angrily. A keyblade appeared in his right hand as he readied himself for battle. Kairi's breath seized; why would Sora ask that? He wrote that he hated her and never wanted to see her again in the letter.

Roxas growled. He felt his hatred for Sora boiling over. "My name is Roxas and I'm helping Kairi escape," he answered through gritted teeth.

Sora relinquished his blade and grinned. "Great! So you're not an enemy! Did ya hear, Riku?" Sora exclaimed excitedly, "He's helping Kairi!" Riku remained silent.

Roxas relinquished his blades as well and turned to Kairi. She didn't return his look. She was too busy staring at Sora and Riku. 'Oh no,' Roxas thought as he watched her walk over to them. He had to act fast or he was going to lose Kairi forever.

"Sora…Riku…what're you doing here?" Kairi asked in awe.

"To save you, of course. When that organization guy told me he had imprisoned you I knew I had to come find you," Sora explained. He pulled Kairi into a tight hug. "I didn't want anything happening to you," he whispered sweetly. Kairi felt her heart flutter as it began to melt from his sensuous voice and sweet words. She found her mind going foggy as Sora held her within his strong, muscular arms. Roxas cleared his throat and Kairi immediately pulled away.

"Why do you care so much now?" Roxas asked angrily.

Sora rubbed the back of his neck. "What're you talking about, Roxas?" he asked in confusion.

Roxas stepped forward and pulled Kairi into his arms. "You left her on an island and broke her heart. She waited so many years on you and nearly killed herself, because of that email you wrote to her!" he shouted, "Does that ring any bells? How dare you try to sweet talk your way into someone's heart that you completely abandoned!" Sora was silent; he looked away.

Kairi frowned. Roxas was right. She couldn't become putty in his hands again. All Sora would do was break her heart again and again. "You bastard," she growled. Her eyes were fierce as she glared at the shocked brunette man. She marched over to him and poked him square in the chest as hard as she could. Sora stumbled backward. "You promised you'd come back and you didn't!" Kairi shouted angrily, "Do you know how long I would sit and wait on the beach hoping to see your face again? Just hoping to hear the sound of your voice? And now you show yourself once you finally hear I've gotten into some trouble? You don't care about me!"

"Whoa, whoa, Kairi. Calm down, okay? Let me explain myself," Sora hushed with a wave of his hands. Kairi crossed her arms and glared at him. Sora nervously scratched his head. "I had to leave Destiny Islands to become a keyblade master, but I wasn't allowed to tell you. I thought I would be able to return to you sooner, but things didn't go as planned and the worlds fell into peril. I wrote you that letter, because I wanted you to forget about me," Sora explained earnestly, "Please forgive me, Kairi. I never meant to hurt you." Riku scoffed. "Well, maybe a little…but not this much!"

Kairi rolled her eyes. "Whatever, Sora. I'm done putting my hopes on something that's not going to happen. I've found someone that really loves me, and I'm not going to give that up," she vowed, "Now if you'll excuse us, we're leaving."

"But, Kairi!" Sora called desperately.

Roxas gave Kairi a quick peck on the cheek. "Come on, Kairi. We're almost there," he said reassuringly as the two began to walk away from Riku and Sora.

"Kairi…he's not real," Riku stated boldly.

"Ignore him," Roxas quickly instructed.

Kairi turned around furiously. "How can you say that?" she nearly shrieked.

Riku shook his head calmly. "Kairi, he's a nobody," Riku stated again. His composed facial expression did not change as the words flew out of his mouth.

Kairi clenched her fists. "I love him, Riku. Don't try to stop me from going with him just because you and Sora have become the best of buds," she quietly seethed, "I've made my decision and you're just going to have to deal with it."

Riku scowled. "Kairi, why do you think you are here? These people, all they want is to sacrifice you to Kingdom Hearts so they can become whole! And he is one of them! He doesn't have a heart; he's not a real person," Riku explained in frustration.

"That's not true!" Kairi cried defiantly. She turned to Roxas with begging eyes. It couldn't be true. "You're real, aren't you?" she pleaded.

Roxas paused. "I told you before…this Organization wants to be whole, so I was only recruited because I am not. I'm not a real person," he quietly and gravely admitted.

Kairi fell silent.