Without a Sound

Disclaimer: Disney lied to us all! I wished upon a star that I would own all of the Kingdom Hearts characters and I'm still doing nothing but writing disclaimers! My dream did not come true!

Epilogue Part II

Sora's POV

It's been two months since I won that award, and since then, I've been traveling all over the country to see doctors and all of these people so that I can finally get a hearing aid.

We had finally located the best Audiologist in the country about a month ago. He lives on Destiny Island and has been working a huge hospital there for many years. That seems pretty cool right.

I've been to so many places, seen and met so many different people… but I just missed going to school and seeing my dog. I missed Leon.

I hadn't seen him in a really long time… He's actually the one who is taking care of Pluto while me and my family are out and about.

And this was a month ago…

The doctors offered me a brand new, state of the art hearing aid that actually connects to the brain to stimulate activity that will give me the ability to hear. The aid is virtually indestructible; I can do every single thing I've done before in my life without endangering the hearing aid. The idea amazed me.

The only thing I could not do is take it out… it was a permanent hearing machine that would be surgically attached to my brain, so taking it out would probably kill me.

The good thing is that its not the type of device that can just be ripped out. Someone would literally have to go deep into my ear with tweezers and yank it out, but that's basically impossible. So no worries right?

Wrong… lots of worries actually.

This was a brain surgery, meaning that it was high risk and there was a pretty big chance that I could just die on the table.

And this is why I am currently mentally freaking out right now as I walk into the hospital on the day of my surgery. Outwardly, I seem alright… I've actually managed to learn how to seem calm with the help of the therapist I've been seeing prior to the surgery.

I'm sure that wasn't Mr. Taylor's goal… but that's what happened.

I sit in one of the chairs in the waiting room and play with my shirtsleeve while my parents get all of the final paperwork done. Roxas sat down next to me and smiled.

'I'm actually really excited for you Sora… just think about it… this time tomorrow, you'll be able to hear my voice… I'm trying to figure out what I want to say to you for the first time. I mean, I'm going to be the very first person you hear! That's like the greatest privilege for me to have the honor of having… I'm really stoked for it.' He signed.

I smiled at my brother. I was glad someone was excited about this… right now, I wasn't sure if it all was really worth it.

'I want you to say my name… I've always wanted to know what my name sounds like on my twin bother's lips… so it would mean a lot to me if when I wake up… I could hear you calling out to me…' I replied with my hands before sighing. I wanted to be excited… I really did.

But I was miserable with doubt… I was not okay with dying…

Roxas took my hand and put his head on my shoulder. 'I hope you realize you're not fooling anyone… I know you're freaking out. Which baffles me because you won't even be awake during the surgery… you go to sleep and when you wake up everything will be over and you'll be a hearing man. You have the easy job my friend…' Roxas signed and I bit my lip.

'That still doesn't stop me from worrying…' I signed before leaning back on Roxas' head.

-Without a Sound-

Leon's POV

It's been two months since I've seen Sora… We've texted each other every once and a while but it's still not the same as actually seeing each other.

I never thought I could miss someone so badly.

I had to take care of Pluto while the Gainsborough family was off to explore the country for an ear doctor. I really enjoyed taking care of Pluto while they were gone. My house wasn't as lonely and Pluto always found a way to remind me of Sora.

This fact only made it really hard to leave him with Zell and Seifer while I flew to Destiny Island to be there for Sora's surgery.

I had gotten all of the info from Sora's parents. Apparently this hearing aid was like a dream come true but the only downside was the fact that the installation of the hearing aid was extremely high risk…

There was a 70 percent chance that something could go wrong and Sora would die on the surgery table… I personally didn't think it was possible for a doctor to operate on someone with those kinds of odds.

Or at least lie to everyone and tell them it's the other way around. I mean, seriously? 70 percent? Sora's mother must be having a heart attack right now…

I can't say much though… I'm pretty sure I'm minutes away from having an aneurism.

I took a deep breath when I finally found a parking spot in the hospital parking lot… it was so weird to be driving a car again after years of having a motor bike.

Couldn't exactly take my motorcycle on the plane with me…

I got out of the car and headed towards the fourth floor where all the scheduled surgeries take place.

The elevator took forever and a day to finally get to the damn floor and all that time I spent in that freaking box only made my nerves worse.

I sighed when the elevator door finally opened and I could move down the hall towards the waiting room.

When I entered I saw Sora sitting on a gurney in a hospital gown. The poor kid looked like he was going to puke…

It's a good thing you're not allowed to eat within 12 hours of your surgery.

Roxas actually spotted me first and smiled. He took Sora's hand and pointed.

Sora turned to me and sent me a small smile. I walked over to him and signed, 'long time no see, huh?'

Sora nodded and replied. 'What are you doing here?'

I sent him a frown. "Did you really think I was going to absent for your big surgery? No way! I want to be here to support you." I spoke and signed together.

Sora bit his lip. 'I'm glad you're here…' he signed and I took his face in my hands.

"You shouldn't bite your lip like that." I said before pulling him into a kiss. It was only then that the time we spent apart finally registered as a really long time. Before it was just a concept, but now that Sora was back in my arms again… the time I spent without him only seemed more miserable than they once were.

Sora wrapped his arms tightly around me and I ran a hand through his hair while my other hand moved to his waist. I deepened our kiss and made sure to reexamine every part of his mouth, paying special attention to the places I new he would like.

Sora released a small pleasured sigh before we broke away for air. Sora closed his eyes and pressed his forehead to mine.

I missed you so much.

I pulled away and pressed a kiss to his forehead in reply.

I missed you too.

We pulled from each other and he sent me another small smile.

-Without a Sound-

Sora's POV

'Excuse me, but it's time for me to administer the anesthesia. Once that's done we can head into surgery.' The nurse seemed to say.

Oh God…

I looked at Roxas, then to the nurse, then to Leon, then back at the nurse.

I lifted my hands. 'Is there a chance that I could wake up during my surgery?' I asked.

The nurse gave me an unsure look. 'Theoretically, yes you could. But that's not going to happen, okay?' she replied but that didn't really help much. There were so many things that could go wrong.

I could wake up, the doctor could sneeze and then accidentally stab my brain with a scalpel… just one false move and it's all over for me…

I didn't want to die… I didn't want my last basketball game to be the Nationals, I didn't want the time I said goodbye to Pluto to be the real goodbye, I didn't want the kiss I shared with Leon to be our last one… I wanted so much more and I was so afraid that I would lose that chance.

I flinched when the nurse stuck me with the needle and when she was finished some other nurses began to crowd me and push me down the hall.

That was all it took for me to freak. I started signing frantically, 'LET ME STAY WITH THEM UNTIL I FALL ASLEEP! LET ME STAY! MOM! DAD! ROXAS! LEON! I DON'T WANT TO GO YET!' I could feel my body shake with sobs and when arms went around me I immediately latched on for dear life. I closed my eyes and a dry sob shook my form again. I felt large hands take my face and I opened my eyes to see Leon… his eyes filling with tears but his overall demeanor calm and steady.

'Sora, you have to keep it together… it's gonna be alright… I promise it's gonna be alright.' I watched his lips form and I bit my lip once more to stop another dry sob from escaping.

When the gurney started to move again, my grip on Leon tightened but he extracted himself from my grasp and sent me a teary smile before signing. 'It's gonna be alright… I'll see you when you wake up.'

I wanted to reach out to him again when everything started to get fuzzy and my body suddenly felt really heavy.

Leon's words flashed in my head before everything faded to black.

-Without a Sound-

Leon's POV

Watching Sora leave in such a horrified state was by far one of the hardest things I have ever done in my entire life. I had never seen him so terrified before… I had never felt him hold me so tightly, and it broke my heart to have to pull myself from that desperate grip.

His hands were shaking so badly and his eyes were desperately begging me to stay, to not leave him alone.

I ran a hand through my hair with a sigh. "Shit…" I said under my breath before collapsing into a waiting room chair. I covered my face and let a few tears escape before taking a deep breath and off anxiety.

If only it were that easy. My hands were trembling.

"I hadn't ever seen him like that either…" I turned to see Roxas trying to hold in his tears. I sent him a small smile before moving to rub the back of his neck in a comforting manner.

Roxas broke down and began to sob into his hands. I continued to rub his back and I let out a chuckle when Sora's parents sat across from us to join our sob fest.

"How is it that we all know he's going to be fine… but still can't seem to stay calm?" Sora's dad asked and I shook my head.

"Well… even with the knowledge that he's going to be fine… it doesn't change the fact that he's going into brain surgery… it's a terrifying concept… " I said and wiped a tear from my face.

"I can't wait for this to be over… I feel like once this is done, everything will be right in the world." Aerith said with a soggy giggle.

I nodded. "I just want him to be back home… I think we all just want to go home…" I said.

"Oh my god!" Roxas popped up, his face still riddled with tears.

"What?" we all asked, slightly alarmed by his outburst.

"I can't wait to do a video phone call with Sora! I can't wait to show him all my favorite bands! I can't wait till he finally get's to hear what a full stadium sounds like during a basketball game… or the sound of the ball swishing through the hoop! This is going to be so amazing! Just so we all know, I already called it on being the first person Sora hears. He asked me to say his name! So yeah I call that I get to be the first person to take his name virginity!" Roxas said.

His father laughed. "That sounded so strange… but I call I get to be the first one to say 'I'm proud of you.'" He said and I spoke.

"I want to be the first one to say 'I love you.'" I said and the family looked at me.

"Then I'm the one who get's to say, 'Let's go home.'" Aerith said with a smile and I returned it.

-Without a Sound-

Sora's POV

I opened my eyes and gasped. I paused before gasping again.

I couldn't even describe the sound of my own gasping… it was amazing! I could hear myself breathe.

I did have to ability to make noise!

Suddenly a new sound came into focus and I jumped at it. It was to the left of me I looked around…

What was it?

It was slightly uncomfortable and I didn't really like the fact that it wouldn't stop. Was it an alarm… maybe?

I looked at the heart monitor with every noise the line of the screen squiggled. The heart monitor was beeping. I reached over to touch it and my suspicions were confirmed when I felt the vibrations coming from the machine.

I jumped at another sound and I turned to see the door open. I smiled when Roxas entered the room. I could feel tears already forming in my eyes.

He lifted his hands.

"Sora…" he said slowly as he finger-spelled my name. I gasped again and signed for him to say it again.

"Sora… this is what your name sounds like." I watched his lips move to form words and I started to cry. I knew what he was saying, but the sounds were all gibberish to me.

'I can hear you.' I signed with more tears cascading down my face. 'I can hear you…' I signed again.

"Sora." Roxas said again before running up to my bed and pulling me into an embrace.

"I'm so happy for you Sora… Sora!" Roxas was saying words but I didn't understand them. I knew my name but the rest of it meant nothing. I pulled from him and smiled.

'I guess I have to learn how to understand spoken words, huh?' I signed and Roxas laughed.

I gasped at the sound of it. It was so beautiful. I held Roxas tightly once more before signing. 'I love the sound of your laugh.' I signed.

Roxas smiled and kissed my cheek before moving over to the door. He opened it and I smiled at the rest my family coming in to greet me.

"He can hear us now!" I heard Roxas say as he signed.

"Sora… I just want to say that I am so proud of you, son." Dad said as he signed and I let out an amused huff when I realized I wasn't going to stop crying anytime soon.

I signed my thank you to both of my parents and they both laughed before pulling me into an embrace. I was so happy.

My parents pulled away and looked at me with smiles on their faces. "We'll be back, okay?" they signed.

I nodded and I watched the three of them leave the room. I sighed before covering my face and letting out more huffs of amusement. I could actually hear things now.

"Sora." I jumped at the sound of a deep voice calling my name. I pulled my hands from my face and turned to see Leon looking right at me.

He spoke to me. I asked him with my hands to say something again so I could hear his voice.

"Sora…" he started before lifting his hand and dropping his middle and ring finger. "I love you." He said and I reached my arms out to him so that I could hold him close.

"Sora, I love you." He said it again in my ear and I shivered.

"Leon." He said and spelled his name.

I beamed at him. I spelled his name before mouthing it. I loved the sound of every word that has come out of his mouth.

"I love you, Sora." Leon said with a small laugh in his tone. He was smiling so brightly.

I beamed at him again. His voice was so beautiful! I couldn't contain how happy I was! "Haaaa…" I jumped as an odd sensation ran up my throat.

I watched as everything in the room seemed to stop at the sound. I sent Leon a startled look.

"Sora…" he said before lifting his hands. "Was that-"

I tried to recreate that sensation in my neck. "Haaaaaaa!" the sound came again.

"Oh my God… OH MY GOD! SORA!" Leon's face had double the excitement now as he pulled me into a kiss.

I didn't know what was happening but I went with it. "Haa-" the noise came again only to get caught in my throat and a coughed as scratchiness attacked me.

And then I realized… I was making sounds… vocal ones…

Leon handed me a cup of water and I took it from him. I drank down the water and my throat felt better.

'I'm going to get the doctor and your family, okay? I'll be right back! I can't believe this just happened!' he signed to me and I nodded slowly.

I was in a state of shock.

A/N: Part three shall be coming soon! I'm pretty sure a lot of you saw this coming but I couldn't help myself! REVIEW AND YOU'LL HAVE MORE!