Sora gave me cheerful grin, a mockery of his former self. "Well, take a good look around. This will be the last time you ever see this place."

His eyes were so dark, so...unfeeling. It hurt to stare, hurt to see that awful blankness in his depths. But I refused to look away, refused to give up.

Because...even surrounded by darkness...I could still see miniscule specks of blue in his orbs.

So, I did the impossible. I brought up trembling arms, crushing him to my chest and kissed his cold, harsh lips.

After a couple minutes of imaginary bliss, he pulled away from me. He was frowning but his eyes were glowing wildly with some unseen emotion.

I smiled weakly. "Thank you...for believing in me." I then used every ounce of strength I had left in me to swing at his chest, right where I had last seen the tentacles escape.

Sora's eyes flashed red and his body shook with violent vibrations. The darkness left him in one swift motion, leaving him standing with his mouth agape and a large chest wound running across his stomach.

The dark tentacles formed into his shape, eyes wider and glowing purple. "You..." The real enemy hissed, body shaking.

I slumped, hitting the sand. I closed my eyes. I'm sorry...I can't...move anymore...

But now...now you're free...

Don't Be a Gentleman: Shattered Heart pt. 2

Do you ever wake up and feel like everything is just...wrong?

Your toes ache, blisters run up your spine, everything is always too loud, and sometimes...sometimes you'll get really angry over simple things like the door creaking.

Then there's the beeps. Not from your phone, clock, fire alarm, or the car just down the street. Just a simple beeping sound that rolls in and out of your ears, like a diluted siren that changes it's frequency every five seconds.

So, you're lying down on a somewhat soft bed that smells like funky soap, everything is annoying your ears half to death, and to top it all off...just when you feel like it can't get worse you fall asleep.

What? Do you think that's relieving? To fall asleep...it should take away the pain, right?

Nope. You wake up...and it's the same thing all over again. Except everything is louder and you can feel the prickling through your entire muscles and up your back. Your hair is standing on its end and you want to throw up all the time just because it it fits the mood.

It's a never-ending cycle of torture and vagueness (I mean, you're never really fully awake long enough to make sense of anything).

Ladies and gentleman, welcome to the hospital. A place where nothing can comfort you unless they're from within your memories...

"Kairi! Open your eyes, Kairi! Please!"

But I can't open my eyes, there's too much blood. So much blood...

"No, you can't do this to me, Kairi. You promised!" His voice hits me in the gut, sending waves of pain in my stomach.

It hurts, it hurts everywhere. But...I have to see his face one last time...

So I open my eyes...and it only gets worse.

"Kairi..." He stares at me, never blinking even as blood drips from his damp hair. He lifts one hand towards me...and then he screams.

I strain to keep my eyes open, try to lift my Keyblade only to realize that I don't have one. All I see is my shaking, pale fingers as he continues to scream.

Sparks fly from his chest as light breaks out from the area above his heart. I follow the purple beam that's shooting into his chest with my eyes until I spot the source; his double is doing it, still furious from my attack. His body is still black though I can now make out hints of purple and blue in his skin.

The sparks of light fly away towards my enemy, swarming around him in spirals.

I react to the light Sora is losing as my hands shake. Finally, a Keyblade answers my call, entering my palm in a single burst of power that rivals the sun.

I don't have enough energy to lift it, so I simply point.

A trail of light escapes from my Keyblade and hits the imposter in the chest. The Sora-look-alike glares at me before disappearing as the portal he created draws him in. The moment he leaves the island is the moment pain shoots into the crane of my neck.

"Kari..." Sora's voice...it sounds like he's moaning. But I can't respond. I'm too busy screaming...

Okay, things are going a little better for me now. I mean, I stayed awake for five whole minutes last time. That has to mean something, right?

Eh, except for all the prodding and poking. Seriously, all I have is a giant hole in my chest and a twisted ankle. What's up with the touching and rubbing of my scalp and arms?

Ugh, what a pain! I'm still having a hard time recalling everything to be honest...urgh, is that my dad standing over there? Wait a minute...is that-

"Sora?" I croak, than it turns into a coughing fit as spasms wreak havoc in my body. "What are you doing here?"

He smiles at me and brings one finger up to his lips, shushing me. "Go back to sleep, Kairi."

I shake my head. "No. What's going on? Are...are you okay?" I flinch back as I take in the space between us. How did he get this close so fast? He was five feet away a second ago.

He chuckles before bringing a hand up to my face. Warmth floods into my cheeks as he slides his hand across my face down to my neck. "S-Sora?" I gasp as he kisses my neck.

"It's okay. I'm here." He places his fingers on my eyelids. "Just rest for now. It will get better soon."

"No. I don't want to." My eyes close against my will as I struggle.

My arms fall limp at my sides and my chest twists up. My fingers twitch before staying still as darkness spreads across my closed lids.

The last thing I feel is his warm hand massaging my neck.

"Sora...Sora, please..."

"Don't talk Kairi."

"No. You're hurt. Don't carry me-" I stop to cough, tasting something metallic as the bile nearly reaches the surface. "Please, let go of me."

"Not until you're safe. You need help," he says stubbornly and that's when I give up.

It's hard to see, and I keep coming in and out anyway, but from the buildings bouncing in and out of view I can tell that we're not on the island. He must have used magic to get us here since my boat was destroyed.

I wince as the cold wind brushes by my face. He brings me closer to his chest as I shiver. "I'm so sorry, Kairi," he says and then he starts crying.

I try to tell him that I'm fine, that it's my fault, that it hurts me more to feel his tears falling on my face than the hole that continues to bleed as he carries me. But by the time I open my mouth my body is already pulling me under as my eyes close to seal the deal.

This time when I wake up it's Riku comforting me. His smile seems forced though, and sometimes little bursts of darkness escape from his shoulders and hands as he moves.

But, considering the fact that I've hallucinated many times before his visit, I decide to overlook it. "Riku? Where's Sora?" I curse inwardly. Sheesh, Selfish much? Ugh, nice going, Kairi. That's a wonderful way to greet a friend...

Riku just chuckles. It sounds strained, cross between being dark, desperate, and teasing all at once (if that makes any sense). "Hey, Kai. Nice to see you haven't changed," He says, then goes back to laughing again.

I'm having a hard time telling if it's a joke or not. Whichever one it is, it only increases the guilty knots curling up in my chest. "I'm sorry."

He shrugs, glancing out of the window, like there's actually something interesting to look at. "For what?"

It's too many, way too many to count, I think. I say this bluntly, "Everything."

Riku turns towards me and then I'm drowning in a world of hurt as I look into his tortured eyes. He blinks once then smiles, his face gaunt. "You don't need to apologize, Kairi. You've done nothing wrong."

I growl and clench the blankets locking me to a flimsy excuse of a bed. "Don't say that! Don't pretend like what I did doesn't matter!" The tears come then, and I start wishing for myself to fall asleep right then, because looking at him isn't making me feel any better.

I'm a horrible person, I think as he gives me a sympathetic look before a guy in a white coat comes in, sticking a needle up my arm.

Back to dreamland...

I'm numb to the cold by the time Sora knocks on my door, shifting on one foot as I lean into his chest. It takes too much energy to open my eyes so all I do is listen as the sharp sensations in the pit of my chest starts to disappear along with the rest of the feeling in my body.

I'm dying, there's no denying that.

The fact hangs in the air and it only spreads more salt on the wound when my father opens the door. "Who in god's name has the nerve to bother us at a time li-" His voice cuts off sharply and a new kind of cold seeps through me as Sora's heart beats more rampantly against my stomach.

"Mr. Warner?" Sora hesitantly addresses him, tone grim with understanding. "I was going to take her to the hospital, but I figured since you have a car you could get her there faster. Plus, it wouldn't be right keeping this from you, so-"

His voice dissolves in the air as my hearing starts to go bad. All sounds are diluted, though I think I can hear the screaming. It's as quiet as death for a few moments until one sentence makes its way into my head.

"I did it."

I scream loudly, arms moving randomly as my frantic shift into a sitting position sends me out of bed. "No! No, it's not your fault! That's not true!"

It takes a while for me to calm down as someone runs to me, rubbing my back in a soothing manner as if I were a baby. "It's okay, sweetheart. Don't worry, you're finally safe."

I breathe in through my nose and out, staring at the woman in front of me. "M-Mom?"

She nods and there are tears in her eyes as she holds me tightly, pressing my face into her breasts. "It's okay, we're here. Both me and your father are here. We're not going to let anything happen to you," she says before sobbing into my shoulder and then it's me comforting her, rubbing her back as my mind spins on a single axis while confusion hits.

Wasn't I in the hospital? What happened to Sora and Riku? Was it all just a dream? "Mom, wait. You're not making sense. What do you mean I'm safe?"

She holds me back, horror flashing through her face. "You mean, you don't remember?" she asks, voice trembling with trepidation.

"No, I...I was in the hospital right? Sora and Riku...they visited me, right?" I stare at her desperately. Please tell me I'm not insane, I scream in my head. Please tell me it was all real.

My mom smiles at me, but it's a broken smile and I can tell by her eyes that she's going to edit the next statement she makes. "Why..they did visit. However, your father thinks it would be best if you kids had some...space, so to speak."

"Mom." It can't be just that, and she knows it too. She's toying with me.

Everyone knows my father in this small town, it's no secret that he can be unapproachable and as stubborn as a bull. There's more to it, extra words said that might upset me, why else would she hide it?

Because I'm fragile? Weak? Recovering? Well I say bullshit to that!

From my mother's expression it seems I might have accidentally voiced some of my thoughts because her next response is curt and impermeable. "Kairi, I'm sorry. I've tried everything...but his word is final."

With that said she leaves, allowing me time to piece together the strange dreams and memories but only a few sink in for contemplation. I bite into my bottom lip hard enough to draw blood before muttering, "It's not your fault, Sora. It's not your fault..."

I repeat this for hours, creating a mantra that gets stronger and stronger by the second. My throat burns from talking for so long, but I keep saying it, repeating it because it's the truth and I won't accept any other statement or tale.

The words mix and filter with the swarming snippets of conversation from the past before my neck flares, fresh pain from a long forgotten mark setting fire to my veins. I scream and kick and punch at nothing until I bump my head against the bed rest, forcing my body back into its routine of rest before the numbness sets in followed by exhaustion.

Not your fault...

Happy holidays and have a great new year celebration!

Hopefully I'll get over this cold before than, eh?

Thank you for reading and don't forget to make some New Year resolutions. Have a good rest of the day.