Notes: The song used in this chapter is Center of the Universe and is copyrighted to Kamelot.

In Life and Death
Chapter 7: Box in the Closet

Sora's Kitchen, Week 12

"It's all settled Sora. Starting next month, you will be taking your senior year by correspondence." Rain poured a glass of milk and set it on the table in front of Sora. Then she turned back towards the refrigerator. "The first and third Mondays of every month, you'll go to the mainland to meet your instructors for tests and evaluations. The rest of the time you'll be doing work over the internet and through email. The program even set you up with a special email account to use." She placed the dirtied pans in the sink and moved to the table. "Although… I still don't know why you want to do this…"

Sora looked up from his plate of eggs to his mother. He lowered his gaze quickly and shrugged. "I just… want to try something… new mom." He answered carefully.

She shook her head. "With the new job starting, I won't be here much during the week for at least the first few months. And your little friends will be off at school while you'll be stuck here alone all day."

Sora laughed slightly. "Believe me mom. I'd prefer it that way. At least for now. I want some time to myself."

She shook her head again and stood up from the table. "It's your life, sweetie. Do what you please. I just want you to be happy." She reached across the table to take his empty plate away.

He gave her a big smile before pushing his chair from the table. Without thinking about his, his hand moved to his stomach before he stood up.

"That nasty ulcer isn't acting up again, is it?"

Sora looked over at his mom in momentary confusion. "Oh… yeah…" He said slowly, remembering the lie. "No. The pills Dr. Verse prescribed are working fine. I just… ate too quickly I think…"

"Well… I wouldn't doubt it. That was more than you usually eat for breakfast…" She was about to say more when the phone rang. She shook her head, dismissing the thought, and reached for the phone.

While her back was turned, Sora slipped from the kitchen with a sigh of relief. Once in his bedroom, he shut the door and leaned against it. The hand on his stomach hadn't lifted yet. He lowered his gaze and poked at his growing stomach. He was gaining weight and it was starting to show. "How long can I keep this secret?" He said slowly.

Pushing off the door, he flipped on his stereo and moved towards his closet. As the song began to play, he started sifting through his many shirts, picking out an outfit for the day.

If the war by heaven's gate released desire
In the line of fire someone must have known
That a human heart demands to be admired
Cause in the Center of the Universe
We are all alone

The last line of the song paused Sora as he turned back towards the closet he had just closed. He had said it himself. He was alone in this. And he would do it by himself.

"Sora?" There was a knock at the door.

Sora threw the clothes on this bed and turned the volume on his stereo down. "Yeah?"

"Didn't you hear me yell for you? Kairi was on the phone."

Sora crossed the room and unlocked the door. "No… sorry…" He said, giving his mom a smile. "Is she still waiting?"

"No. She said something about having to go. But she was hoping to meet you later." Rain crossed her arms and peered at her son. "Sora… is something wrong?"

"Uh…" Sora turned his back on her quickly and bit his lip. "No. Why ask?" He headed towards his bed to grab his clothes.

"It's just that… you've been acting differently lately." She said sadly.

"How?"

"You spend all your time in your room. You hardly see Kairi and Riku anymore. You don't…" She paused a moment, looking for the right word. "You just aren't as bouncy and energetic. You just aren't Sora anymore…"

Hurt flashed across his eyes as he gawked at his mother a moment. "Well… I can't act like I'm twelve forever, can I?" He grabbed his robe and pushed past her. "I'm allowed to grow up, aren't I mom?"

"Now that's not fair!" She started, following after him. "That's not what I meant!"

In answer, Sora slammed the bathroom door.

Rain threw up her arms and headed for the stairs. "Teenagers…" She grumbled.

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

A few hours later, at the paopu tree

Sora sighed softly as he stepped through the door. The paopu fruit tree loomed ahead of him, as well as the person standing just beyond it. He was dying for someone to talk to. The thought of telling his mom scared him. And Riku was out of the question. So that really only left one other person that he trusted. He just hoped that she would listen.

Kairi swayed back and forth slightly with the wind, waiting.

"Kairi..." Sora's voice was soft and it hardly belonged to him.

Kairi spun around at his voice, her face lighting up. "Sora!" She rushed forward and threw her arms around him. "Gosh Sora! It feels like I haven't seen you in forever!"

Sora quickly detached himself from her and took a step backwards. "Yeah... umm..." He scratched at the back of his neck. "Sorry..." He offerd her a smile. "Apparently I haven't quite been myself lately."

Kairi giggled and began to play with a strand of her hair. "It's okay Sora. We've all been through so much... and you've been sick..."

"Yeah!" Sora interrupted her. "That's what I wanted to talk to you about actually..."

She tilted her head to the side and leaned forward slightly. "Well my ears are open." She giggled.

"Well..." He stammered slightly. "So... umm..." Words played in his mind earlier but now everything escaped him. "Maybe this is a bad idea..." He muttered under his breath.

"Hmm? What is?" Kairi crossed her arms and pouted slightly. "Come on Sora! You can tell me." She stuck her lip out further. "Please!"

He sighed softly and looked down at the sand beneath his feet. "I... uh... have to run, okay?" He looked up at her. "Meet me at my house? In an hour? I have something that... I... want to tell you..."

Kairi eyed him a minute, as if testing his words. But it only lasted for a moment before she squealed loudly and hugged him again. "I'll see you in an hour!" She side stepped around him and raced off.

Sora turned to watch her go and shook his head slowly. "Just a bundle of energy..." He smiled. "Maybe this won't be so hard..."

Kairi practically floated down the stairs, her head in the clouds. "Sora wants to talk to me! Alone! In his room!" She squealed again and nearly collided with a certain silver haired boy. "Riku! Oh I'm sooo sorry!" She said, standing up and brushing off the sand from her skirt.

Riku smiled and pushed her hand away as she attempted to help him. "Don't worry about it Ki." He said standing up. "Now... are you going to tell me what has you so frazzled?" He raised an eyebrow at her, watching her.

Kairi giggled and slapped a hand over her mouth. That must have been the millionth time she giggled in the past few minutes. "Sorry! I'm just... Oh Riku! I just talked to Sora!"

"Really?" Riku mused. "So he's still alive then?"

"Oh of course!" She shoved him slightly. "And don't even mention such things!"

Riku laughed. "So what did our Keyblade Master have to say?"

"Oh... nothing much..." Kairi said slowly. "Only that he wants me to come over to his house in an hour..."

Riku nodded slowly. "And that has you so excited why?"

She gasped. "You should have seen the look on his face Riku! And the way he was talking. He couldn't get it out. It was so cute! So instead, he practically begged me to come over so he can tell me in private!"

Riku cocked his head to the side. "Tell you what?"

Kairi scofted. "Why... to finally tell me he's just as in love with me as I am with him!" She said wistfully. "And then he'll ask me out. And we'll get married and have kids and live happily ever after!" Her eyes took on a glazed, dazed look.

Riku bit his lip and turned away. "Are... you sure that's the reason Kairi?"

"Well..." She thought it over a moment and then bounced around Riku to face him again. "Of course I am!" She giggled. "He's been sort of avoiding me lately..."

Riku smiled. "He's been avoiding me too."

"And he spent all that time looking for me..."

Riku gasped. "I found you first! And I believe Sora was looking for me for just as long."

She glared at him. "Do you just have to ruin everything?"

Again, the silver haired teen smiled. "Just don't want you to get your hopes up."

"But Riku..." She whined. "I just know he loves me! You really should have been there..."

Giving in finally, Riku nodded. "I'm sure you're right. And you should probably hurry along..."

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

Meanwhile...

Sora paced the length of his room back and forth. The word nervous came to mind, but it wasn't quite strong enough. Sora wasn't nervous. He was terrified. There was no telling what Kairi would say or do.

"Will she believe me?"

Sora threw up his arms as he spun around. "No! Of course she won't believe me!"

He turned as he reached the end of the room again. "But then again... I didn't believe it at first..."

"But it's Kairi! And she's a girl..."

"But she's one of my best friends! And has known me like... forever..."

"But... it is Kairi..."

He went on like that, back and forth, talking to himself and making himself more nervous. "There has to be an easier way..."

And then there was a knock at the door. "Sora?"

Sora's eyes widened. "Come in Kairi..." His hands started shaking as the door was opened. "Right on time..." His voice was shaking too.

Kairi gave him a nervous smile and shut the door behind her. "So... you wanted to tell me something?" Her eyes sparkled with anticipation.

Sora noted her nervousness and silently wondered where it came from. He shook the thought from his head and closed the distance between them. "Kairi... what I have to tell you might surprise you..." He grasped her hands in his own. "But I want you to keep an open mind... okay? And just listen."

Kairi smiled and nodded, giving his hands a squeeze. "I'm ready Sora... just spit it out already."

Sora smiled at her eagerness. Maybe it wouldn't be so hard. So... just come out and say it. Just say it! "Kairi... I'm pregnant."

"Sora I love..." She paused as what he really said sunk in. "Wait... what?"

Sora took a deep breath before he repeated himself. "I'm pregnant."

Kairi took a step back slowly, staring at him and still not quite understanding.

Sora sighed. Maybe it would be hard after all. He stepped towards her and squeezed her hands that were still locked in his. "I know how it sounds. Believe me!" He said, shaking his head slowly. "But it's true. I have some rare, genetic mutation thing. Something about being born with an underdeveloped but still working ovary..."

Finally snapping out of her brief daze, Kairi wrenched her hands away from Sora. "What is this? Some kind of sick joke Sora?"

Completely taken aback, Sora stared at her. "I... of course not."

She threw up her arms and spun around. "This is just great. You invite me up here... letting me think that..." She sighed and shook her head. "You could have just told me the truth Sora."

Now Sora was confused. "The truth? About what? Kairi, I am telling the truth!" He demanded. "The shit about the ulcer was a cover story." He reached out the touch her shoulder. "Just calm down a second, okay? I have pictures. And a video. They're in a box in the back of my closet..."

Kairi wrenched her shoulder away and didn't listen to anything more. She cast a glare in his direction before disappearing out the door.

"Well... that didn't go over well..." Sora mumbled. Casting a quick glance at his closet, he moved towards the door with the intention of following her.

His mother stopped him, coming out of the kitchen looking worried. "Is something wrong with Kairi?" She asked. "The poor dear came tearing through here without saying anything. Did you guys have a fight?"

"Not exactly..." Sora said slowly.

"Well... whatever it was... you go and find her and apologize young man, okay?"

Sora gave her a smile and nodded.

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

A couple hours later...

Sora had looked everywhere. Kairi wasn't at home. She wasn't at the beach or the paopu tree. He asked Selphie, Tidus, and Wakka, but none of them had seen her. He almost went to find Riku, but thought better of it. He might ask questions and Sora didn't feel up to answering them. Sighing deeply, he turned for home. He was surprised to see his mother's car gone until he remembered she mentioned having to work.

He walked in the front door and passed the kitchen. Through the living room and up the stairs. There he stopped. He heard the unmistakable sounds of crying coming from the room at the end of the hall. Someone was in his bedroom. A bit nervously, he stepped closer to the door and reached out to push it open. "Kairi? What are you doing?"

The redhead was sitting in the doorway of Sora's closet with a certain shoebox lying open before her. Hearing Sora, she sniffed loudly and wiped away the tears. The pictures and tests looked real. The information looked real. The video tape...

Sora stepped up behind her and leaned down. "Kairi..." He placed his hands on her shoulders. "Other than my doctor, you're the only one who knows."

Kairi leaned into his touch and sighed deeply. "So it's not a joke Sora..." Her voice was soft and sad. She pulled away from him, turning around and standing up. "It's real..." Her eyes fell to his slightly showing stomach.

Sora smiled and nodded, lifting a hand to cover the bulge. "Yeah... two of them..." He reached for her hand. "Want to feel?"

She recoiled and stepped away. "I... just... so if you're the... who's..." A thought crossed her mind and she quickly shook her head. "Never mind. I don't want to know." She said, shaking her head and stepping back.

"Kairi..."

"No Sora..." She stepped back again. "I just... I... need to think... I'll talk to you later..." She turned and left for the second time that day.

Sora bent down to pick up the scattered pictures and papers and placed them gingerly back into the box. "Well... at least someone else knows, huh?" He smiled despite himself and put the box back in his closet. "Kairi will come around..." Sora's hand moved again to his stomach. "You guys just wait. Auntie Kairi loves kids... everything will be fine..." He moved towards his bed and laid down.

"I hope..."

End of Chapter 7. Stay tuned for Chapter 8: Coming Around