Roxas' eyes flickered open slowly, his lids were heavy and his body acted all over. It felt like he'd aged overnight as he slowly creaked out of sleep and looked down at the weight on his chest. His eyes widened and he jumped to find Sora laying on him, with a supreme effort he pushed his cousin off of him and onto the floor.

Sora rolled over with a groan and looked up at Roxas blearily, "mother?" He inquired dully.

Roxas threw a pillow in his face, "I'm not your mother you dolt."

Sora shook his head, holding it gingerly, "ugh…what happened?"

"Don't you remember?" Roxas asked, truth be told he didn't remember much of anything either, when Sora shook his head he began to explain what he did remember.

"I said all that?" Sora asked in confusion, "and you saw my mom heal me?"

Roxas nodded emphatically and Sora looked even more confused. "I remember helping Riku and being stabbed…but I don't remember anything else…it's like there's something in the way."

Roxas frowned, just what had happened to his cousin that he couldn't remember any of what he'd said or done after attacking Xehanort that final time? Then it struck Roxas, where was Xehanort, and for that matter everyone else? Last he'd seen there had been only five of them left standing and the others had been suspended by spikes of Xehanort's creation and he and the other bearers had been facing Xehanort inside the barrier he'd created. He wasn't even sure if they'd won or not, but since they were sitting here talking he decided that they had indeed won.
"So," Sora asked slowly, "if we won where are we?"

The pair looked around them quietly, the room was large and spacious; it might have been luxurious at one point even if it hadn't looked like a pack of ravenous and overly large rats had taken a liking to the place.

"I think we're in the castle?" Roxas said hesitantly.

"So we did win then, otherwise we'd be swarmed by Heartless."

"I guess," Roxas slid stiffly out of bed. "Let's see if we can find anyone."

After getting dressed, clean clothes had been left for them, they began to wander around the halls in search of anyone that could tell them what had happened. The strangest thing in Sora's mind wasn't how battered the halls and rooms looked, the Heartless had been running amok within the castle walls and add to that the subsequent battle they'd fought in the same halls, of course everything would look a bit worn. No, what struck him as strange was that the castle was vacant and devoid of anything larger than a rat or a pigeon. Eventually they were able to find areas that looked familiar and get their bearing; once they knew where they were it was easy to find their way to what had been the throne room. If they didn't find anyone there they'd just have to keep searching through the echoing halls.

The throne room doors were ajar and the cavernous room beyond bore the signs of the battle that had been fought there before. There was no sign of anyone as they moved through the forest of pillars, it was eerie, and it reminded Sora of their trip through the forest when they'd fled Twilight. Remembering the forest reminded him in turn of Red and he felt his heart clench at the memory of his friend, he wiped a tear from his cheek and bit his lip quietly.

"Where is everyone?" Roxas murmured fretfully.

"Wait, did you hear that?" Sora asked quietly, holding up his hand.

They listened for a moment, and then the sound came again, a clacking sound, like something was stepping across the marbled floor somewhere out in the pillars. Their reactions were almost instinct by this point, their keyblades snapped into their hands and they stood back to back, scanning the shadows for the source of the sound. Something moved in the corner of Sora's vision and he whirled around, ready to strike and was greeted with a high-pitched shriek that made him cover his ears as a tower of black feathers reared over his head and squawked down at him. He and Roxas stared up at the black chocobo in confusion as it preened itself and clicked its beak at them as if in annoyance.

Its head lowered and it clipped at Sora's chest, butting its head against him.

"Hey!" He protested as it pushed him along.

It turned towards Roxas and clipped its beat onto the front of his shirt and tugged on him insistently.

"I guess it wants us to come with it?" Roxas said his expression one of bewilderment.

They followed the black bird back out of the throne room and through a series of halls and passageways, and then they spied a lighted room ahead of them and heard familiar voices. Both boys broke into a run and threw the heavy door open.

"There they are," Laguna said, looking up from the table he was leaning against. "We had a bit of a panic attack when you weren't in your room."

The big chocobo stuck its head in through the doorway and chirped in annoyance, Tifa walked up and stroked its flank, quieting it. "Hi Baast, thanks for finding them," Baast warbled contentedly as she reached up to rub under his beat.

"Baast?" Sora asked, looking at Laguna in confusion.

Laguna shrugged, "he found me during the chaos in the city. I guess it wasn't just the people that came back after you got Xehanort the first time. God knows where he was until then though. I'm not going to complain that he's back," he winked. "I don't want to jinx it."

Sora looked around the room for anyone else, he spied Cid in one corner tinkering with something, Tifa was behind Roxas and himself with Baast. He didn't see anyone else.

"Where is everyone?"

"Some of them are out looking for you; the rest are down in the city helping get things back to normal."

Roxas frowned, "what happened?"

Laguna opened his mouth, "you were possessed by the heart apparently." He closed it again as Maleficent stepped into the room from another door; she eyed the boys with an arched brow. "You two are more trouble than any other pair I know, but I am glad to see that you are unharmed."

She held out her arms, eying Laguna, "if you are done with them?"

"Don't look at me; I've got my hands full here coordinating the salvage operation."

Maleficent nodded, beckoning the boys towards her again, they swallowed and stepped besides her. There was a flash of green and their heads spun, when they stopped spinning both of them fell over and gagged.

"I am never going to get used to that." Roxas rasped, queasily.

"Sora, Roxas!" Came two, very familiar and very welcome voices.

The boys managed to stand in time to be tackled by Kairi and Namine. Neither girl paid any attention to the spittle on their mouths, they just held on tight. Sora closed his eyes as he leaned against Kairi, holding her close. They had won, it was finally all over and things could go back to the way they had been.

The train came to a stop and they stepped out as the door opened, Leon and Cloud led the group as they left Twilight Station and headed towards home. Sora looked up at his father, walking besides him silently. Auron had been very quiet for the past few days, Sora wondered if he'd done something to upset his father. There was still a lot that he couldn't remember about what had happened in the final battle. One thing he was certain of was that his father looked weak, worn, as if he'd aged decades in the days that had passed. Sora had asked him about it, but Auron had simply smiled, ruffling his hair and telling him not to worry. Leon had been just as helpful much to Sora's annoyance, there was something that both of them knew and he wanted to know what it was.

He had a vague memory of Xehanort saying something about his father, but he couldn't remember what in its entirety, it was one of the many things that simply blended together into a thick fog in his memory. He tried not to let it worry him as they walked through the town. The goodbyes had back in Hollow Bastion had been many; he'd been relieved to learn that most everyone was alright. Yuna and Rikku had both been fine despite the destruction of their house. Yuna had hugged both Roxas and Sora, wishing them the best. Rikku had been a bit worse, she'd kissed Roxas full on the lips much to Namine's annoyance but no one had made an effort to stop her though Roxas had to keep himself from throwing her off of him.

Laguna and his family had seen them off at the station, Tifa and Rinoa had each taken a long time with Cloud and Leon respectively speaking in hushed voices away from everyone else before the train left. Namine and Kairi had both stayed with Sora and Roxas until the very last moment when the train had pulled away. They'd all promised to see each as soon as they could. None of them wanted to be away from the people they loved. Zack hadn't been able to see them off; he was still recovering from his two shattered legs with Aerith in attendance. Riku hadn't shown up either, but Kairi had been given a message to wish Sora well for him. Apparently after all the mayhem that had happened over the course of the fighting; Sephiroth and Paine had concluded that a vacation was in order and had left with their sons and Riku for a much needed rest for all of them.

Mim, Merlin, Maleficent, and Cid had their hands full running the kingdom in the wake of the King's death. Sora didn't quite understand the politics behind everything, but some neighboring kingdoms were apparently making a good deal of noise about the lack of an heir apparent and there were rumors of a fresh war brewing, this time against the ambitions of rival royals. Sora hoped dearly that it wouldn't come to that, but it was out of his hands, and if it did happen, what could he do about it? His fight was over as far as he was concerned and he intended to return to living a normal life with his family and Kairi. They finished climbing the street to their house, the door was flung open and Aunt Tara and Uncle Allen were standing there. Tara was on the brink of tears as she wrapped her arms around Cloud and Leon, and then embraced Roxas as well. Allen smiled warmly holding his sons and nephew when she was done with them, beckoning them inside.

Sora could already smell his Uncle's baking from out in the street and wanted desperately to go inside, but his father wasn't moving at all.

"Dad, aren't you coming?"

Auron knelt and wrapped his arms around Sora who felt surprised at the sudden embrace but held on tightly.

"Dad?" He asked, his voice trembling.

Auron let him go, holding him at arms length, his eyes were pained even as he smiled.

"I can't come with you Sora. This is your life, and I'm not going to have any further role in it."

Sora was speechless and he shook his head, throwing himself around his father's neck, Auron held him gently, running a hand through his son's hair.

"Don't start crying now kiddo. Everything will be alright; I've just outstayed my welcome. I've been cheating this entire time and its catching up with me. I'm so tired, I need to rest now."

Sora shook his head again. "Then come inside, we'll set up the spare room and you can rest there, and when you wake up you can have some of Uncle Allen's cooking and you'll be fine!"

His voice was nearly hysterical, and Auron held him all the tighter for it, even as he shook his head.

"I'm sorry Sora, it won't work. The heart isn't going to let me stay any longer, if I do I'll become a Heartless and you'll have to destroy me," he smiled ironically. "That wouldn't be something I'd want to experience."

"But…I thought you'd be staying this time."

Auron's eyes hardened, though his expression remained warm. "Sora, you have a beautiful young woman waiting for you to spend a lifetime with her. You've found a better family and home than I could have ever given you, and you've got the best friends anyone could ask for." He ruffled Sora's hair, "and besides, your mother is waiting for me. Don't you think she's been alone long enough?"

Sora nodded, his voice choked. "This isn't fair."

Auron shook his head, brushing the tears from Sora's face. "Life often isn't, but you'll be fine Sora. You've got your brother, your cousins, your friends, and Kairi. You won't be alone."

He stood then, his hand on Sora's head. Sora held onto him tightly as he slid out of his coat, folding it up and handing it to Sora.

"Here, I know it's still a bit big for you, but you'll grow into it. Just so you don't forget about me."

Sora shook his head, clutching the jacket tightly. "I'll never forget you, I never did, and I still remember mom too."

Auron nodded, "good, she'll be happy to hear that."

He put his finger in Sora's chest strongly, "so long as you keep us here, we'll never leave you Sora. We'll always be in your heart, no matter what happens."

Auron frowned slightly and looked down at his hand; his fingers were starting to fade away in glistening silver light.

"Out of time huh?" Auron muttered his voice bitter.

He wrapped Sora in his arms, holding him close as more of him began to fade.

"I love you Sora, I'm sorry that I haven't been there for you; but I know that you'll be fine. You've got your whole life ahead of you, live it."

Auron looked Sora in the eyes and brushed a hand over his cheek. "I'm very proud of you and your brother. Your mother and I will be watching over you."

Sora reached up to take his father's hand, but it had vanished. He reached out for a final grip but his hand slid through Auron's shoulder as his smiling face and eyes faded away into the morning air. Sora bit his lip, holding the red coat close to his chest as he turned back towards the front door.

Tara wrapped him in her arms. "Welcome home Sora."

Sora nodded against her, tears falling silently as he looked up and smiled at her. "We're home; all of us."

Never doubt the power of a loving heart, it can change the world.