Chapter 7: I'll Be Right Here

Follow Me Home

Chapter Seven

o.o.o

"When daybreak seems so far away, reach for my hand
when hope and peace begin to fray
still I will stay right here..."

o.o.o

A loud cry erupted from the other room. Xion was snapped out of her deep slumber. She was grouchy due to a lack of sleep. It just wouldn't stop.

"Ienzo!" She covered her head with the pillow and tried to block out the noise, but it didn't help. Ienzo came into the room holding the newborn.

"She must be hungry or something and I can't help her with that!" Ienzo shouted.

"Ugh..." Xion rose from the bed and lazily walked over to him. She grabbed her daughter. Ienzo turned around as she began to breastfeed. It was exactly what the three month old wanted.

"Look, you're the one who wanted to get pregnant so badly." Ienzo mentioned.

"But you are basically living here for free. You could at least try to help out... I've only gotten four hours of sleep in the past two days..."

"Excuse me? Who has been the one babysitting while you went out to your two jobs? And by the way, when are you going to tell Roxas about this?" Ienzo glared.

"Never." Xion said instantly. "He doesn't need to know. It's not like... I liked him or anything..." Her eyes shifted to the side.

"I just can't understand it. Why did you need to have a baby?"

"My purpose is not important anymore."

Ienzo sighed. "Did you think that it would just be a free ride? Were you really that desperate for someone to love you?"

"Argh! Shut up!"

The baby started crying again. Xion shushed her.

"It's okay... Ayaka... don't cry..."

o.o.o

Terra sped down the road to the store that Kairi told them she was hiding in. As soon as he found it and parked, Roxas jumped out of the car and raced over to her, wrapping her in a tight embrace. Kairi flinched a little; anyone's touch just frightened her after what just happened. Eventually she succumbed and just wept as he held her. Aqua and Terra also ran over to her.

"What happened to you, Kairi? What did he do?!" Roxas was irate, but extremely worried at the same time. He could hardly keep himself together. Startled at his strong presence, Kairi couldn't help but whimper even more. 'What... had just... happened to me...?'

Everything happened so fast.

"Let's get her into the car." Aqua motioned them over to it and opened the door. Kairi tried to get inside, but Roxas had to help her lift her leg. As she lifted it, the pain from earlier arose again. "Ow..." Once she was seated, he hurried to the other side and gently pulled her so that she was leaning on him. Kairi's eyes and face were red from crying so much and now she was having trouble breathing. She shyly put her hand between her legs, making Roxas wonder even more about what he did to her. He felt like he knew, but he didn't want to believe it. He couldn't even imagine what Kairi was feeling.

'I'll... kill him...'

Terra started driving down the road. "Would you like me to just take you guys home or do you want to come to our house for a while?"

"Uhh..." Roxas rubbed Kairi's arm in support, "Just... take us home... please..."

"Kairi doesn't need to worry about coming to work. I'll see to it that she gets at least a week off..." Aqua watched her in the rear view mirror, but couldn't take Kairi's weak and vulnerable state, so she just stared out the window.

"A week...? She's never going back... I... won't allow it..."

"Honestly, I agree with him." Terra added. Aqua was silent. After about ten minutes, Terra pulled into the apartment complex parking lot and stopped.

"Do you need us to help you get her upstairs?" Aqua asked with deep concern.

"I'll take care of her." Roxas went around to the other side and lifted Kairi out of the car. Terra and Aqua just stayed in the car and watched him go inside. This was his job. He had to put broken Kairi back together. Roxas didn't want anyone's help.

"She's been through more than both of us combined..." Aqua said.

"Every time I look at her, it's like I'm looking at a lost puppy. Now... I don't even know..." Terra added.

"She's broken beyond repair..." Aqua's eyes lowered. "I can see it... every day at work. Actually, most of the girls that work there are lost and looking for something to fill the void..."

"I figured that much." Terra said and drove off. "It's almost pitiful."

o.o.o

Vanitas was thrown out of the cafe and onto the street. He walked over to his car with a bloody nose; he was no match for that guy. He was humiliated and it was all Kairi's fault.

'Just wait until I get my hands on her... she's going to pay for this...'

He kicked the edge of his car, hurting his foot in the process. He bounced on one foot as the pain circulated through his veins. He got in, slammed his car door and drove off so fast he could have killed anyone in mere seconds.

This was absolutely revolting.

o.o.o

Hayner opened the door for them and Roxas hurried to their room and put her on the bed. He pulled the covers over her, but she didn't move. He stayed there for a moment and tried to figure out something that he could do, but he really couldn't think of anything. Olette came in with a wet rag and handed it to Roxas; worry was written all over her face.

All he could do was blame himself for not being there for her.

Roxas gently put the wash rag over her head. She flinched at his touch and had the most devastating look in her eyes. Something terrible had happened to her.

Something... unforgivable...

...and he didn't know how to fix it.

"R-Roxas..." she choked out and turned over; her voice was barely a whisper.

"Yes? What is it?" he leaned forward, but she never answered him. Kairi started to tremble. Images of Vanitas overpowering her were playing over and over again. "Kairi... is there anything I can do for you? Anything at all?" Roxas asked desperately. Kairi shook her head frantically and hugged herself tightly.

So Roxas did the only thing he knew.

He crawled into the bed with her and held her from behind. Kairi continued to shake.

"I'm here for you..."

o.o.o

Olette and Hayner were sitting at the kitchen table in silence. Even they were worried about Kairi's state. After about ten minutes, Roxas came into the room and sat down across from them, leaning his head on his palm. Kairi was apparently asleep now; she was extremely worn out. He was deep in distress and had no idea what to do next.

"So... is she... going to be okay?" Hayner asked. Roxas just shrugged. He did the best he could.

"If there's anything that you or Kairi need, we're here." Olette reassured him.

"...Thanks, guys..."

o.o.o

Sora put his plate into the sink, slipped on some gloves and began washing the dishes.

"Thank you!" Rinoa exclaimed from the table. "Why can't Leon be more like you? He never washes the dishes!"

Sora grinned and looked out the window. "Actually, I have to thank you both... for not telling anyone that I've been here... especially my mother..."

"Are you kidding me? Your mom would flip." Leon said.

"I know."

Once Sora was done with the dishes, he went into his room. His suitcase and a few things were scattered across the floor; he was still in the process of organizing it so that he could leave. Sora sat down on the floor and picked his stuff up. As he lifted up some shorts that he had, a piece of paper fell out of it and landed next to him. He held it in his hand and stared blankly into the picture of Kairi in front of him. A weird feeling tingled underneath his skin. He may have thought about her nearly every day, but he didn't dare look at any old pictures—until now. He was surprised that he still had it. Painful memories of that time arose. Unable to take it, he threw the picture aside and just continued packing.

Leon appeared in the doorway with his arms crossed as he leaned against the wooden frame.

"You can't leave, Sora. You're still not ready."

"If not now, then when? I've been here for over a year." He said casually as he folded a shirt and placed it into his suitcase. "Besides, you and Aunt Rinoa have taught me so much. I have a pretty good basis of martial arts now... and I can cook something other than pancakes or mac n' cheese. I think I'm pretty set."

"But-"

Sora forced a smile and stood up. "I'll be okay."

"That's what amazes me about you. No matter what happens, you always seem to be optimistic. I don't know how you do it."

"Which is why you should have a little more faith in me." Sora said as he zipped his suitcase. He stepped on Kairi's picture as he pulled it over to the door. Whether it was intentional or not, he didn't really stop to think about it.

"So where will you go, then?" Leon questioned.

"I don't know. Back home, I guess. I'm sure Riku and Namine will be happy to see me."

"Yeah, no kidding." Leon agreed. Rinoa came up behind him.

"Sora, I baked you some goodies for your trip." She held up a bag of cookies.

"Junk food, Rinoa? Really?" Leon rolled his eyes.

"Hey! I like junk food!" Sora gladly took it from her. "Thanks... so much."

"You be careful out there, ya hear?" Rinoa told him, "And don't forget... you are strong."

Sora nodded. "Right."

"Well, then... I guess you should get going." Rinoa stated, a little sadness apparent in her voice.

"Yup. I'll call you when I get a new phone."

As Sora left, Rinoa and Leon stood at the door and watched him.

"Thought you were not going to let him go." Rinoa teased, nudging his arm.

"You know we can't control him. But you do have to admit, at least he's a million times better than he was when he appeared on our doorstep last year."

"That's true."

"Guess we'll just have to see what becomes of him now."

o.o.o

A/N: I had to put a little background before bringing Sora back! Now that I've introduced everyone that I needed to as well as some of their own problems, things can really get going. Yay!

Vanitas will actually be an important character. I will try my best to fit him into the story so that it still flows. It's a challenge but I love it!

OTHER UPDATES:
OMG YOU GUYS! I watched the episode of Nashville tonight. My scene was in the last 15 seconds. I watched that entire episode. WTF. It was when that girl was singing at the end and Juliette was watching the news, then you see her picture burning in the fire. I was right behind the reporter. I need to watch it again!

Well,

still got dat money! XD

BY THE WAY! (hyper) Do you like the cover? I made it! Whee!

Leave a sparkly review and maybe Sora will share his cookies.