Mikey limped along, clutching Sora's hand as they stumbled down passageways filled with muck and grime. He had been getting progressively weaker as they went along, and, much to his frustration, had to wake up Sora and have her walk, despite her own injuries.

The little one didn't complain, just sucked on her thumb as they traveled through the sewers. Despite being in a dark, unfamiliar place with a giant turtle, she felt safe and content. She had Mikey. He wouldn't let anything happen to her. With that thought in mind, she smiled and skipped along, not minding the many bruises on her little body.

Mikey had different thoughts. What if he couldn't make it to the lair? What would happen to Sora then? She wouldn't be found until it was too late. And what about his family? What would they do? He closed his eyes and came to a stop. They probably would be just fine. He screwed everything up anyway. What was the point of all this? He should just give up. He slid to the ground, and couldn't help the groan that came out as his injured leg hit the floor with an audible 'thump'.

Just then, he felt a small tug on his arm. It stung, but he ignored the pain and looked up into a pair of eyes that seemed out of place in this cold, dark world that had suddenly become much, much more lonely. They were blue as the sky, and sparkled with a light that, deep down, Mikey recognized. It was the same twinkle that filled his own eyes when he was pulling pranks, or taunting enemies, or even just sitting with his brothers. It was the light of happiness, of trust, and most of all, of bravery.

"M'key. are you okay?" A high, thin voice filled the space around him, and Mikey breathed in deeply, closing his eyes.

Sora would have none of that. She climbed into his lap, being as careful as a child could be to avoid his injured leg, and threw her little arms around his neck.

Mikey could feel tremors shaking her small frame, and then, to his shock, hot, wet tears slipped down his neck. His eyes snapped open, and his arms went around her, holding her as tightly as he dared. Then, he picked her up and rested her head on his shoulder so he could see her face while he spoke.

"I promise, Sora, that we will get out of here. I promise that nothing, nothing will happen to you while I'm still kicking." She looked up at him, big eyes luminous as lanterns in the dark night, and he smiled down at her. She smiled back, with all the innocence of the child she was.

Mikey stuck out his tongue at her, and she giggled. A warmth filled his chest, and he felt stronger, knowing that he had the confidence of this brave little girl.

He reached out for the wall behind him, and got up as quickly as possible. A sharp, stabbing pain went through his leg and his wrists, where the chains had dug in, and he nearly collapsed. A sharp gasp from Sora gave him the courage to stand up fully, and keep walking, using the sewer's walls as a support system.

Sora snuggled deeper into his arms, and the tremors from the deep cold started to subside. She quickly fell asleep.

Mikey gritted his teeth as he kept limping along, towards home.

Had he looked down, or had he allowed himself to recognize the pain that thrummed through every inch of his body, he would have seen red streaks branching out from his inflamed, broken leg, and from his torn-apart wrists. But he didn't.

He kept walking, with only the cold darkness of the sewers to keep him company.

Hey guys! So this is the first part I'm publishing today. School finally ended, and that means I can finally get to real work on this story. I hope you like this chapter, and, as always, please review! I came back to the site, and I saw EIGHTY EIGHT reviews, and I nearly started to cry. It's been such a hard, hard year (I was hospitalized for an out-of-nowhere blood infection, my dog (AKA my best friend ever) died suddenly, with no prior warning, and my father was nearly arrested, and my brother moved far away with no prior warning (again), and I've just been trying to keep on top of everything. It's been so hard that I nearly stopped writing forever. But then I thought of all of you, supporting me and this story, and I was like; "Nah. I'm gonna be the cool kid who actually finishes a story for once." :)

~EmberAmberFirdaus~