Chapter 14: Overnight Stay

Rated: M

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts!

Sora POV

I couldn't believe what Joshua was telling me. I still couldn't trust him, but was he right about Riku? Is he….alive? But I saw everything. How could he have survived something that horrible? Was I ready to see him in the condition he was in now? I sat in the van patiently next to Joshua and gazed out the window as Lea drove. The hospital shouldn't be too far from now. I got sick of sitting in the car anyway. These two had an apartment that was so far off I didn't recognize the location at all. This awkward silence was bugging me a bit. No one was saying anything. I sighed and rested my head on the window. Maybe a nap wouldn't hurt. Then again I couldn't just go to sleep in their presence. What if they decide to make a detour on me? I have to keep my guard up around these two. Lea seems okay though. I mean he is friends with Riku, right? There's only one way to actually confirm it.

"We're here." Joshua said signaling me to exit the van. I still couldn't believe this was happening. We entered the hospital and I sat down as the two waited at the information desk. If I see him, what am I going to say? What should I do? Will he be awake? There are so many options, but I don't know what to pick. I was so caught up with my thoughts that I didn't realize Lea and Joshua approaching me.

"Sora, we can head up now. Are you ready?" Lea asked and I nodded. We stepped into the elevator and I clutched my notebook tightly. I received a pat on my back from Lea who smiled at me.

"I'm actually nervous to see him at the moment too. I haven't seen him ever since what happened. Do you know what you're going to do when you see him?" I shrugged he chuckled to himself.

"Me neither. But let's make it impressive, okay?" I smiled to his words and followed along when the door opened. The hallway wasn't too busy and of course it wasn't too loud. Some of the patient's doors where either opened or closed but only a few roamed the corridor. We stopped at a door and the two looked at me. What for? I was more than ready. And so I thought. They opened the door and I took one step, but then I stopped and covered my face. I wasn't crying. I was actually scared, nervous, and all the above. I was feeling every emotion I could possibly feel. My heart raced and the butterflies returned in my stomach. I felt my cheeks warm up from embarrassment. And I was really smiling without having to make myself. Riku was just beyond that door and I was already turning into a puddle. How silly could this get for me? If my voice wasn't gone and my throat wasn't as sore I would've laugh at myself really hard right now.

"Sora, we're waiting for you. What's the hold up?" Joshua said and moved my hands from my face. I gave a silent laugh and this stunned the two of them. I have to take a deep breathe before getting my self together and walking into the room. Okay Sora, you can do this. I finally build up my courage and walked through the door. There he was, sitting up in the hospital bed with his eyes wide in shock.

"S-Sora?" He said and I just dropped my book and ran to him. I embraced him and he did the same I didn't want to let him go. I couldn't let him go. I missed him so much. Tears streamed down my face as we held each other. Riku released me and whipped the tears from my face before moving in for a kiss.

"Whoa there tiger, let's save that for after we leave you two alone." Lea approached and Riku laughed.

"I see nothing has changed about you." Riku spoke.

"Oh? So you're calling me boring?" Lea replied.

"I said nothing like that." So they are friends. Well that's a relief. Lea also came up to hug Riku.

"You smell like Joshua." Riku scrunched up his nose.

"Well thank you." Joshua walked in closing the door behind him.

"You're not welcome." Riku became angry.

"Riku, don't be like that to Joshua—"

"You mean the one that was trying to kill me as well?" Lea looked to Joshua for an answer who shrugged it off.

"Things changed. I grew sick of those baboons." Joshua took his seat on the other side of the room.

"Sora, why were you with him?" I tried to open my mouth to answer, but I forgot I couldn't speak thanks to all the excitement going on. Lea saw my notepad on the floor and handed it to me as I wrote.

"Sora, why aren't you speaking to me?" Riku questioned. I know he would explode if I told the truth. But I can't tell him. The memories would come flooding my mind. All of the torment and humiliation would ruin me.

"Laryngitis if you want to know." Joshua answered.

"And all the bandages covering his body? What's going on and what aren't you telling me?" Riku was growing impatient with all the tension. I gripped his hand to get his attention and shook my head for him to not get angry. I tried to hold my tears back, but they fell anyway when I held up my book to him.

"Please don't be mad." Is what I wrote and he sighed to himself.

"Don't think I won't get back to this later." I looked away and released his hand. I didn't want to talk about it at all. Can we just forget about it?

"Anyway, you finally got short hair now, just like we planned before." Lea laughed.

"We didn't plan anything. I was going to keep it long and now I have to grow it back." Riku yelled at Lea who still found it hilarious. I had to laugh a little myself. Of course they were silent.

"So how do you feel?" Lea asked pulling up a chair close to the bed.

"Well I'm actually almost healed up. Being in that coma actually helped not to hinder with my healing process, but I need to get back into working out soon or else I'm going to become flabby." Now that he mentioned it, he was still muscular as before. At least he was healthy and it helped speed up his healing a bit. I'm glad I didn't lose him. This all felt surreal. Seeing him off a cliff and now sitting in the hospital bed laughing and joking? Yeah, this all felt like a dream. Hopefully I won't wake up from this one. I felt a hand rest on my head and move through my hair. It felt comforting. I missed this feeling. It's so nostalgic.

"Sora, do you want to stay here for the night?" Riku asked and I nodded my head immediately. I want to spend as much time as I can with him.

"Well, anything going on Lea?" Riku asked.

"You know, the usual. I've been taking care of the business for you while you were gone. I was getting worried so I had to do something." Business? I wonder what they're talking about. I was starting to get thirsty and decided to walk to the water fountain alone. On my way to the fountain I see there are more people walking the halls now. I started to feel uncomfortable. I hurried to the fountain and began drinking what I can to stop the burning in my throat. I felt a tap on my shoulder when I quickly turned around to see an officer. He was tall and had long black hair and red eyes. He was actually shocked to see me.

"Are you Sora Hirosaki by any chance?" I didn't know what to do as I nervously backed away.

"You're mother is looking for you." My mother is looking for me? Should I trust him? What if this is all a hoax? I backed away more when he tried to reach out and grab me. I began running off into the crowd trying to dodge as many people and get to the room. The memories flooded back into my mind of being crowed around in that enclosed space and I almost dropped to the floor. I made it into the room and closed the door behind me.

"Sora, what's wrong?" Joshua jumped up and I ran to him since he was the closest.

"I'll get back to you about what happened later." Joshua turned to Riku who looked at me. I walked over to him and sat by his side. The door opened quickly and it was the same officer that chased after me. But what shocked me was my mother running in behind him.

"Sora!" She screamed and ran over to me and held me tightly. I saw Joshua and Lea make their leave, waving their goodbyes. My mother on the other hand began crying and giving my several kisses on my face before she took a good look at me.

"I missed you so much." She manages to say in between her sobs. She had me crying too. I missed her scent and her motherly touch. She stroked my head and wiped my face before kissing my forehead again.

"I'm glad you're safe." She rubbed my arms and pulled me back in to a hug.

"And I missed you too Riku." She walked over to him and pulled him in a hug, kissing him on the forehead. He laughed and responded.

"I missed you too Mrs. Hirosaki."

"Ms. Hirosaki, Riku. I'm not married anymore." She nuzzled his hair softly and I smiled.

"Sora, you haven't said anything all this time. Are you okay?" My mother asked.

"He's hoarse, but we'll work on it." Riku responded.

"Then I have just the remedy." She laughed and I stuck my tongue out at her.

"Now that the family reunion is over, shouldn't you be questioning his where about and all the bandages?" The officer said in all seriousness. There goes the uneasiness again.

"Wait, Sora wasn't with you?" Riku asked my mother and she shook her head and he looked over to me.

"Sora was gone for over two months while you were here. It was all over the news." Riku's glare was intense now and I looked away from him.

"Sora sweetie, tell us what happened." My mother tried to comfort me, but she wasn't helping. I wish I could mom, but I can't. I just can't…

"Sora," Riku called me and I looked over to him slowly.

"Joshua told me not to bring up anything that may have happened to you. I don't know what it was, but I can't force it out of you. When you feel comfortable talking about it, we will always be here for you." He said and I nodded. Things calmed down from there and the attention was off of me now.

"So did you want to come home tonight or do you want to stay here?" My mother asked and I pointed to Riku as my decision.

"I feel it would be best if Sora goes home with you. Riku was the cause of his disappearance." The officer spoke.

"Excuse me?" Riku's heated glare focused on the officer, but their glares matched each others I had to hold Riku and try to distract him.

"Vincent, please don't!" My mother turned him away from Riku and was directing him out the room.

"I'll see you later Sora, I will have someone pick you up okay?" I nodded my head and waved to her and listened to the door shut behind them.

"That bastard." Riku looked to the floor when I grabbed his face and directed his gaze to me. He smiled and stroked my face when I smiled back.

"You still haven't given me my kiss. And everyone is gone too." We leaned in and our lips connected for the first in a while. My hands clasped behind his head as out tongues tangled. I was overcome with this sudden feeling. Something sparked from my memories and made me push him away fast and I backed up slowly, crying to myself.

"I'm sorry" I said without my voice, but with my lips as I moved away from him. I don't think I could do this just yet. He was stunned himself and looked away from me after touching his own lips.

"It's….okay, Sora." He said unsure of what to do with me. I wouldn't know either. I'm sorry I turned out this way. I want to be with Riku, but I don't want to hurt him with what happened in the past. He patted the bed beside and I moved over to him and laid next to him.

"Let's start off slowly before getting back into that okay?" He hugged me close.

"We have a lot to do when I get out the hospital, but first I have to heal up. Then I'll get a new place. Would you like to move in with me?" He offered and I blushed at his offer. He poked my blushing cheeks and made me swat at his hands. I nodded and scooted closer to him, resting my head on his chest. Starting off slow wasn't a bad idea. Maybe I'll have some time in changing. Time will only tell.