Follow Me Home

Chapter Thirty-Seven

o.o.o

"I want you know that it doesn't matter where we take this road,
someone's gotta go...
and I want you to know, you couldn't have loved me better
but I want you to move on,
so I'm already gone..."

o.o.o

Kairi knew exactly how Sora felt about her being in this room right now.

Although it really hurt her to do this to him, she knew that if she didn't see Roxas at least once—even if he was unconscious, it would linger on her mind for the longest time and only cause a strain in their relationship. Seeing Roxas hooked up to a machine with breathing tubes over his mouth and down his nose was heartbreaking, no matter what they had been through. Sora refused to come in and she wasn't going to force him.

This was what had become of them.

It was natural for Kairi to blame herself, but right now she just wanted to admire the fact that Roxas cared so much for her. She had such a deep appreciation for everything Roxas had done for her and she had no idea how to make it up to him. She knew that it was wrong to feel this way. She knew it. But she couldn't look at him any other way. He tried so hard to keep her together when she was so ready to fall apart.

"I know that you'll find another... that won't always make you want to cry... there's someone out there for you, Roxas. Someone that is waiting... hoping... that you'll see them... and love them the same way, if not more than you ever loved me." Kairi took a deep breath. She knew that he couldn't hear her. "You have a good heart, even if... you and I..."

She didn't want to admit her mistakes, but at the same time she had learned so much from them.
Even if Sora didn't like it, it was the reality that she had to face. This entire journey of ups and downs—way more downs than ups—Kairi wasn't sure whether it had made her better or not, but she definitely felt stronger—and closer to Sora than she ever had been. It's funny how you could spend half of your life with someone and never really actually feel like you knew them. That's how Kairi felt about Sora, Roxas... and even herself.

She never really knew anything.

What she wanted—what Sora wanted—it was all blank.

She knew Roxas had feelings for her, but she never knew the intensity—until now.

Still, she felt like she made the right choice.

Her life was destined to be spent with Sora... no matter what. She was going to work her hardest to make him happy and that was her purpose in life. Wherever Sora was—that was where her home was and she would follow him to the ends of the earth. She hoped that Roxas could find his own path—back home.

"I hope you wake up soon, Roxas... and I... wish you the very best..."

o.o.o

Kairi came out of the room and walked past Sora. An awkward silence overcame everyone.

"I'm... done." she held onto Sora's hand slightly.

"Alright." Sora didn't look at her, "well, we'll be going."

"Wait, Sora..." Xion stopped him.

"Hm?"

"T-Thank you... for letting us know."

"No problem. Like Ienzo said, the little girl deserves her father." Sora smiled. Kairi gave him a very confused look. Xion's face turned red.

"Wait, what?" Kairi asked as she went with Sora down the hall. He didn't explain. As they were leaving the hospital, they ran into Tifa and the others.

"Hey, Sora," Tifa started, "by the way, if you were looking for a job you can come back to the toy company. I'm allowed to hire people!"

"As long as I get to come home every night." Sora said, glancing back at Kairi.

"I have the power to do that too." Tifa grinned. "See you on Monday?"

"Thank you..." Sora looked at the others, "thank you all..."

"We'd do anything for a friend." Zack told him.

"We've always got your back." Cloud added. "Leon would say the same thing."

"I know." Sora bowed to them and Kairi shortly followed. She knew that she should be thanking them as well, but she was at a loss for words.

They said their goodbyes and Sora, Kairi and Riku made their way back to Riku's house where they would be staying for the time being until Sora found a new place.

o.o.o

Namine greeted them at the door. She had already made up the bed down in the basement and had the room ready for them. Sora and Riku went out into the backyard. The moon shone directly above them.

"Want a beer?" Riku asked. "I think I need one after tonight."after a simple nod from Sora, Riku headed back inside and met up with Namine and Kairi in the kitchen. They were quiet when he walked in.

"You two should come outside with us. Ken will be fine. He's asleep, anyway."

Kairi and Namine exchanged looks and helped Riku carry some beer. Sora offered Kairi a chair and she sat down at the small, circular table with the others. Riku offered her a beer, but she refused.

"So... what happened?" Namine asked, still examining Kairi's wounds.

"Stuff." Riku responded, sipping on his beer. "Everything is fine now, though."

Dissatisfied with his answer, Namine turned to Sora, but the nervous look on Sora's face spoke volumes. She decided not to press the matter anymore, especially since Kairi was starting to whimper. Namine rubbed her back gently.

"Anyway," Sora started, "...I hope that... we can all... just be happy from now on..." his eyes glistened in the moonlight.

"I'm game." Riku said.

"Me... too." Namine agreed.

Kairi couldn't bring herself to say anything. Sora gave her an empathetic look. Her eyes were glued to the ground beneath her. Sora was about to get up, but then Kairi spoke.

"I know that... I've been a terrible person lately... but..."

"Kairi," Sora was shushed.

"...I'm glad that... I'm getting a second chance..." she looked directly at Sora.

"Hm." Riku put his beer bottle on the table, "Sora's just a softy."

"Am not!" Sora said playfully.

That night, Kairi fell asleep in Sora's arms. He wasn't drunk, bitter or pushing her away.

She truly felt like he loved her.

o.o.o

o.o.o

Eight months later

Roxas was still in a comatose state. Xion visited him almost every day. The doctors said his condition was stable, but the pain that it caused her and his family was nearly unbearable. He had been like this for so long that it was really taking its toll.

"Xion," Ienzo appeared in the door way, holding Ayaka's hand, "are you staying here tonight?"Just as he said that, Ayaka ran over to Roxas' bedside and stood on her tip toes so that she could see him.

"Mommy, why won't daddy wake up?"

"He's having a long dream." Xion told her as she picked her up and placed her in the chair so that she could see.

"What is he dreaming about?"

"I don't know..." Xion didn't know what to say in these situations.

"Maybe if you call him, he'll hear you." Ienzo patted Ayaka's head. Xion's eyes shifted over at him in a glaring manner, as if he was giving her false hope. Ienzo merely shrugged.

"Daddy!" Ayaka called out, taking her uncle's advice.

"Ayaka, sweetie..."

"Wake up, daddy!" Ayaka reached for Ienzo's jacket pocket and pulled out a piece of folded paper. She unfolded it and said, "look, daddy... I drew a picture of us..."

It was just colorful scribbles on a page, but it meant the world to her.

"Daddy," Ayaka sniffled, "...please wake up..."

Xion couldn't take this anymore. She took Ayaka's hand and said, "let's go back to the hotel."

"No! Daddy has to wake up! What dream is better than being with us?!"

"Ayaka, we're going home."

Ayaka cried as Xion forced her out of the room. However, they were stopped.

"Wait!" Ienzo called out, pointing over at Roxas' bed.

"Huh? What is it?" Xion and Ayaka ran back into the room. They heard a soft grunting sound and the covers were moving.

"R-Roxas?!" Xion ran over to him.

Was this really happening?

Roxas' head slowly moved from right to left as he groaned. His eyes slowly flickered open. A huge sense of confusion came over him.

"H-He's awake! Nurse! NURSE!" Ienzo ran to get one. A few nurses rushed back with him.

"We're going to need you all to leave for the time being while we contact the doctor." one of the nurses forced them out.

"H-He... actually... heard her..." Ienzo said in the middle of the hallway. Nurses rushed in and out of the room as they all just stood there in a daze.

Xion wasn't prepared for this.

o.o.o

o.o.o

A/N: tear. Jerker.

I'm undecided on one or two chapters left.

I THINK.
TWO.

BECAUSE I LOVE YOU GUYS.

So leave a review. And you shall receive.

-heart-

Another thing.

To some people, my chapters are short. When I upload them on here, they're generally around 1600 – 3000 words.

Here's the thing about that:
I don't like fillers and I try to avoid them. I tend to get to the point when I write. Lol.
Sometimes the point may not be made until way later but at least I keep the story going at (hopefully) a steady pace.

'til next time!