Kairi crawled out of bed and stared in the mirror. A long red braid with random black streaks fell down her back. A knock on her door broke her concentration. In her robe, she shuffled down the stairs and towards the door.

"Sora?"

"Hey, Kairi." He was holding roses and a box of chocolate close to his thick coat.

"Come in. It's like negative fifty degrees out there."

He smiled and stepped inside. She pulled him to the dining room. "Let me change. I'll be back in a sec."

Kairi walked up the stairs and quickly slipped into a dark purple dress. She left her hair braided out of laziness. She skipped back down the stairs. "Are you still there?"

"Yes. Kairi, I have something to ask of you."

"What is it?"

"I love you and I was wondering if you loved me back?"

She cocked her head to the side. She's sure she didn't hear him right. "What?"

"I love you?" He posed it as a question, as if he was unsure.

"Um..."

"Anyway," he quickly skipped over the subject as if it never was. "I've come to give you a mission."

"Hm? Of what kind?"

"Kill the princess."

Riku woke up with a start. He didn't dream about Xion just now, did he? He loves her, yes, but Namine needed her for something else. Namine can see his dreams.

He's gotta start dreaming about puppies or something.

He laughed to himself and stretched. He scratched his head and got up. He walked down the stairs in his boxers and into the kitchen. On the counter, a box of chocolates and roses sat beside a neatly placed card labeled Namine.

"Namine?" he called. She came out of a closet, looking quite disheveled.

"What?"

"There are gifts for you."

"What? Who the hell would give me gifts?"

She picked up the card while munching on some toast.

"Can I have a piece?"

"Get your own damn toast, Riku." she snapped. "My toast."

He chuckled as he put the bread in the toaster. "Who's it from?"

"It's from Kairi! How sweet of her!"

"What?"

"She sent chocolate as a good luck present."

"I don't need luck. I need chocolate, though." Riku opened the box and picked up a dark chocolate truffle, but Namine slapped it out of his hand.

Her eyes flashed red. "It's poisonous."

"No, it's not."

Her eyes narrowed. "Cut it open, then. Prove me wrong."

He pulled a knife out of the kitchen drawer and sliced the treat open.

The part of the blade that touched the inside of the chocolate disintegrated.

Namine took the box and placed it in the trash. If any of the other treats break, it'll burn a hole in the bottom. "Told ya so."

Aqua looked in the mirror again. The bruises on her neck and arms were too obvious for any concealer. She brushed her hair out of her eyes and sighed. Xion's going to notice. And ask. And be nosy.

Aqua pulled her short blue tennis dress over her head. The long sleeves helped cover something, so she went with that. She walked Adele to school, and headed towards the castle.

When she entered, she found Terra sleeping near her weapons.

Totally normal.

Wait...

"Terra?" She stepped closer to him, brushing her fingers against his face. His eyes fluttered, and he looked up.

"Aqua? What are you-?"

"I work here." She tenderly kissed his forehead. "What about you?"

"Well-"

"Hey, Aqua! What's...up?" Xion skipped into the room, and stopped short as soon as she saw the couple.

"Hi, Xion. You know Terra?"

"Yeah. He's my brother. And you know him how exactly?"

"We're together." Terra answered, and grasped Aqua's hand.

"And I'm carrying his baby."

"Really? Is it a boy or a girl?" He looked up excitedly.

Xion put her hands on her hips. "Explain now."

Aqua smiled and sat down next to Terra. "Not sure. I haven't got a chance to go to the doctor yet. And besides, it's too early to tell. Xion, come sit by me."

"Fine." Xion went to sit down beside her. "Aren't you married to Xehanort, Aqua?"

She sighed. "Sadly, yes. But Terra and I were together long before that. He proposed to me a week before he died. He was so sweet."

"So, why are you with Xehanort?"

"My father liked Xehanort, because he was rich, and after I started working with you, I was forced into marriage with him. Terra had died the week before."

"So you're saying Terra asked you to marry him, then he died, and Xehanort decided to take advantage of that?"

Aqua nodded. "A year later, Adele was born. In the hospital, I had a dream Terra would come back to me, but I doubted it because of his death. And Lezarta herself talked to me, in my room, the night before Terra came back to Remrain. She told me the hotel location and everything. I followed the goddess's directions, and found him standing and waiting at the door of Holiday Inn."

Terra smiled. "And the rest," he kissed Aqua's forehead, "is history."

Xion pouted. "What are you guys gonna do now?"

His eyebrows drew together thoughtfully. "She could divorce him."

Aqua quickly shook her head. "He would beat me senseless."

Terra stared at her. "He beats you?" The softness of his voice didn't change the fact that she could hear the anger in it.

She nodded and showed him and Xion her bruises. She snatched Aqua's hands close to her and enveloped her marks in a soft white light. They disappeared in minutes.

"White Magik..." Aqua was in awe. She had never seen it up close before. She and her family only practiced Black Magik.

Xion grinned triumphantly. "It's actually one of my strengths."

Terra smiled. "So we're all cool?"

Xion nodded. "We're cool."

"Good. But you know I'm gonna have to kill Xehanort, right?"

Aqua chuckled and picked up her silver and blue staff. "As long as I get to help."

Hey, peeps. so do guys like it? it's different. and different is good. right? what do you think's gonna happen next?

=D Love ya-

Saphira