[This next part of the story is going to be focused on Riku more. Just to show his side of what he's feeling and what's been going on. It's not in his point of view, just about him. I hope you enjoy!

& qeerie-me, thanks again! it is pretty sad. poor sora. & you'll just have to see what happens to sora. :p]

Riku had watched as his best friend walked away. His muscles were shaking with anger, and his mind was whirring a hundred miles an hour. He felt an unfamiliar urge to scramble after Sora, take the boy in his arms and hold him in his arms where he was safe, where no one could hurt him again.

The urge was the same as when he kissed Sora on the lips while the boy was fast asleep in his arms. Riku gritted his teeth and took a few steps after Sora, then decided better of it.

He had been given the chance to stay with him, and Sora had refused. He had just walked away. Riku felt empty without him.

Sighing, he treaded back to his own house. His room felt hollow without Sora in there, as if even the house missed him.

Riku struggled with his feelings. Maybe he felt more for Sora than he had anticipated he would. After all, the kiss they shared wasn't just some small little peck. It had made his pulse race and his fingers tingle. He craved Sora's tan, smooth skin and his soft lips, his shy touch.

Riku shook his head clear, and realized he was standing outside of his house with his hand around the doorknob. He let his hand drop. What was he doing? He should have followed Sora. He didn't understand his longing for the boy, but he knew he could no longer ignore it.

He turned on his heel, decision made, and started towards Sora's house. His thoughts raced about Sora. He thought about waking up with Sora in his arms and how the boy's face had fallen when Riku had said, "You're my best friend." And then how he had mentioned that he wasn't important.

Riku's gasped as he realized what his own hesitance had done to Sora. The hints had been there the entire time; he had been so consumed with Sora's predicament that he had missed what had been right there, waiting for him the entire time.

He increased his pace, his heart suddenly hopeful. He reached Sora's house just as dark started approaching. He hopped onto the porch and reached for the door when a wretched stench met his nose. He gagged.

He knocked on the door, holding his breath, his eyes stinging. No one answered. The hair on the back of his neck stood up on end. Silently, he opened the door and stepped inside. All the lights were off, leaving the home a dark, wasted place. The smell strengthened as he entered the living room. A large figure was passed out over the couch.

He peered over the couch and saw Sora's dad, in a drunk slumber, his face rough and unshaven. He shivered. "Sora?"

There was no reply. Riku felt his stomach sink. Sora was hurt. Or in a trance like before. Knowing the man would not so much as stir, Riku shouted. "Sora? Sora!" There still was no reply.

Riku hurried up the steps, two at a time, and ran into Sora's room. It was empty. Startled, Riku looked around. The bed was still made. No clothes were on the floor, and no lights were on…

Sora had never gone to his room. Where is he? Riku's heart started beating faster. Fear gripped at his conscience. He shouldn't have left Sora alone.

"Sora?" His voice echoed throughout the house.

He walked around the perimeter of the house, under Sora's window to see if he saw any footprints, indicating that Sora might have escaped from his dad. There were none.

"SORA!" He called into the woods desperately. Still no answer.

As he returned to the front of the house, a set of footprints leading away from the house caught his eyes. They were small enough to be Sora's and they were far apart, making Riku believe he had been running.

Without a second's hesitation, Riku took off, following the footprints. They seemed to lead to nowhere, as if Sora had been running blindly. As the night approached, his imprints became nearly invisible.

But Riku became even more determined to find Sora. His best friend was somewhere outside in the cold, dark night.

He ran nearly halfway around the island when the strides of the imprints became closer together. He got tired. Riku didn't blame him. He was breathing heavily and his muscles were shaking with fatigue.

He looked up and felt his heart skip a beat. The footsteps were right where the ocean waves crashed onto the shore.

By the third step, the footprints disappeared. Exasperated, Riku collapsed on the sand. "SORA!"

Silence. He only expected as much. Riku sniffed. It wasn't like him to get emotional. But he had searched for hours, following Sora's trail, and now he was at a dead end. His eyes were finally adjusting to the dark. There were strange marks in the sand several feet away.

Curiously, but doubtful, he crouched in the sand, inspecting the indentions. It looked as if Sora had fallen, and had forced himself to crawl until his body refused. Riku followed the misplaced sand for another twenty feet when he looked up.

"SORA!"

His exhaustion left his limbs as he scrambled towards the unconscious boy. The tide came to his waist, and Riku swore. Sora had been lucky he had not collapsed nearer the water or he would have been dragged out to sea.

He flipped the boy over and his eyes watered. Sora's face was pale, his lips blue, quivering. His side had been cut open and dried blood cracked around his cut.

He gathered Sora's limp body in his arms, cradling him softly. "Why, Sora? Why did you run away? You should have come straight to me."

He stifled a sob as he stroked his cheeks. There was a fading red mark across his cheek. Anger flared within him, making his body tremor. He had not kept Sora safe. He had failed miserably. Sora's body was frigid against his. He fought back his tears as he lifted Sora from the sand. His clothes were heavy with saltwater.

Riku groaned as he slowly began carrying Sora back to his house. They were miles away, and Riku felt like giving up and just letting his body fall asleep on the sand, but every time he felt as if his legs would give, a soft groan would escape Sora' lips and his body was somehow renewed with vigor.

It was long past midnight before Riku finally reached his house. He laid Sora on his bed and collapsed next to him, his muscles shaking violently. He took several deep breaths, his chest heaving. He closed his eyes in exhaustion, feelings as if he had just trekked Mount Everest.

"Sora?" he shook him gently. The boy's eyes fluttered ever so slowly, fresh tears streaking down his face. His brilliant eyes were glossy; they scared Riku. What did his dad do to him?

"Sora, I'm here." He said, catching his breath.

Sora trembled underneath him. When Riku bent down to kiss him, his lips were still as stone. He had shut himself off from the rest of the world again.

"Sora, please," he pleaded, "Come back to me." His eyes seemed to stare into the distance, unmoving and afraid. It scared Riku more than the fact that Sora had been hurt, not knowing if he would ever see the same Sora again.

He pulled Sora across his chest, wrapping his strong arms around his tiny frame. Sora was still freezing to the touch. Riku kicked back the covers from underneath him and pulled Sora under, warming him. He did the only thing he could do.

Collect him in his arms, soothe him, stroke his wounds. He laid Sora's head directly under his chin, his silver hair falling over his neck. He caressed Sora's face and neck tenderly. He spoke to the insensitive boy, apologizing for leaving him, and begging him to come out of his spell.

Sora nuzzled into the crook of his neck. "Sora?"

The boy murmured something incoherent. "Sora?"

He pulled him away for a moment, looking into Sora's eyes. The glaze was nearly gone.

Riku's breath caught, his heart started pumping faster.

"Sora!"

"R-Riku?"

"Oh my God, Sora!" Riku sat up, grabbing Sora into a tight hug. "Don't you ever run away like that again! You could have drowned!"

"I-I'm sorry."

His eyes were downcast.

"You don't have to be sorry," Riku said softly. "Just promise me you won't run off like that ever again. You had me so worried."

"I'm sorry," he repeated. The glossy stare was returning to his eyes.

Frightened, Riku held Sora's face in his hands. "Sora, why are you apologizing?"

"I should go," he mumbled, clawing at the back of Riku's hands.

"What are you talking about?" Riku asked, looking at Sora like he was losing his mind.

"He w-was right. I don't mean a-anything. I'm j-just in the w-way," he stuttered, crystal tears cascading down his face.

"Sora, look at me," he ordered. Sora stared into his eyes, his body shaking again.

"You're not in the way. You mean more than the world to me. Sora, I-" Riku lost his voice.

Sora looked at him questioningly.

It was Riku's turn to look away. "Sora, I-"

Why were the words so hard to say?

He pushed Sora onto his back and leered over him. He captured him in passionate kiss, his hunger driving him into the depths of Sora's being. He moved down to his neck, kissing the tender flesh, running his tongue along his jaw line.

He felt Sora's racing pulse against his tongue and he bit down. Sora gasped in a mixture of pain and pleasure. He kissed the forming bruise lightly before looking back into Sora's eyes. It hadn't been enough.

"Sora, I don't know what I would have done if I didn't find you tonight. I don't want you to leave my sight ever again!'

"But why?" his lips quivered. "I'm nobody."

"No," Riku shook his head angrily. "You're my best friend. More than that. Sora, I…"

The gloss faded from his eyes. His mouth opened in a small "o" and suddenly, he leaned forward and kissed Riku on the cheek shyly. Riku felt something wet across his face. He touched his cheek and was surprised that he was crying.

"Sora," he began again, "I…I love you."

[So, that's the end of this chapter. Kinda lameee, but it was all I could think of. This isn't the end. There's still more coming, so don't think it's over yet. I hope you enjoyed, & don't forget to review for me!]