Author's note: Mild language, implied reference to rape

Ages: Kai - 17, Eli -16, 'Jem - 12

'Jem had scurried off to gather flowers to embarrass the boys with; it'd been all she'd talked about when the field had come into view through the trees. She was going to make them crowns or some nonsense. As if he'd wear one, Kai'd said. Eli had begun making smartass comments, and he'd been tempted to kick him in the shin in retaliation, but 'Jem had interrupted the brewing fight by promising to be quick.

She'd been gone all of ten minutes before something just felt wrong to both the teenagers. Kai was already moving toward the field when 'Jem called his name, terror in her voice. Eli was right behind him, and they'd emerged from the woods to see 'Jem in the middle of the flowers...surrounded by Shadows. That was enough of a shock, but the fact that none of them were moving toward her was a bigger one. Kai had a sinking feeling it had a lot to do with the man standing a few feet from the frightened twelve-year-old.

Black hair falling in his eyes, he smiled at the boys and gestured toward himself.

"You should come closer so we don't have to shout."

Kai's eyes narrowed, but he closed the distance slowly, all too aware of the restless Shadows, and the fact the Darkness this man was giving off felt...strange. As if he knew it. When he and Eli had gotten within a stone's throw, the man held up a hand for them to stop.

"That's good enough." He looked Kai over appraisingly before shaking his head. "I thought something felt familiar. You look like your mother...even down to the shade of your hair."

Kai had been about to ask what the hell this guy thought he was doing, but that comment stopped him cold. What?

"My mot- what the hell are you talking about?"

"Maya never bothered to tell you about me? Typical. She always was stubborn. Put up a hell of a fight, too."

Kai's stomach lurched. If not for his childhood habit of eavesdropping, he wouldn't have had a clue what this creep was talking about. Unfortunately, he knew exactly what he meant. Heart's Shadow appeared in a flash of dark light, Kai's grip so tight his fingers began to go numb.

"You bastard."

The man smirked at him, shrugging. His eyes, the same shade of amethyst as Kai's, flicked to the Keyblade before the smirk widened.

"I'd say that was you, actually. I'm Sedge. If I'd known your mother was pregnant, I'd have stuck around for a while. Good to see power runs in my bloodline."

Somehow managing to resist throwing the Keyblade at his smug face, Kai chanced a look at 'Jem. She stood frozen, blue eyes wide as she stared at Sedge. There were too many Heartless, too close to her. He had to do something.

"Eli."

The brunette's attention snapped to his friend in an instant.

"Kai?"

"I want you to get to 'Jem."

Eli's sharp intake of breath told Kai just how impossible he thought that was. Kai continued before he could protest.

"Don't argue. As soon as you have the opportunity, take it. Understood?"

"...Yeah."

Sedge was watching them both with a mocking smile. It was giving Kai the creeps, and that took some doing.

"There's no need to sacrifice your friend on a hopeless rescue mission. I'll let the both of them leave here, unharmed, if you'll just talk to me. We've got a lot to catch up on, you and I. I want to set the record straight; I'm sure whatever your mother said about me was entirely untrue."

He paused, seemed to consider something, then continued. "Well, whatever she told everyone else, of course. Didn't deem you important enough to share with, did she?"

The urge to hurt this guy was welling up again. Kai did a quick count of the Heartless. Fifteen. Okay. He took the rage and fear boiling under the surface and did something he'd never thought he could manage, though he'd considered trying it once or twice.

"Kill him."

The attention of nearly a dozen Shadows shifted to him instantly; seconds later they were lunging at Sedge.

"Holy shit Kai!"

Eli sounded somewhere between terrified and awed, and he had every right to be. Kai just hoped that Eli would take his chance without being prompted, as he didn't think he could spare the attention to tell him.

The expression on Sedge's face was one of absolute disbelief as the Heartless turned on him. Kai grinned as the Shadows remaining under the other's control stepped in to defend him. Too little, too late.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Eli finally make his move, scrambling off to the side and making a beeline for 'Jem. All he had to do was reach her, 'Kai would handle the rest.

"You know," Sedge said conversationally, watching Kai carefully. "We don't have to do this. Like I said earlier, we should talk. I'd like to get to know my firstborn. Kai, is it? Did Maya name you after the sea, I wonder? Although..." And he stepped neatly aside as a Shadow came flying past, "I think the German meaning suits you better. What was it? 'Fight'?"

"Shut up."

Really, he wished he would. Keeping control of these things was harder than he'd anticipated, even as angry as he was. All the damn talking wasn't helping...but that was the point, wasn't it? Kai's gaze flicked to Eli; the younger boy had finally reached 'Jem and had an arm around her. The afternoon sunlight glinted off the bronze compass in his free hand. Good, he'd understood what Kai meant to do.

It seemed that Sedge did too, because Kai felt the Shadows nearest the pair wrenched from him, turning to pounce.

"Like hell," Kai muttered, and a portal of Darkness opened beneath the two, sweeping up to swallow them an instant before the Shadows landed.

Sedge laughed outright as they vanished, smiling broadly. The Heartless paused suddenly...all of them. Kai realized with a sick jolt that his hold on them was lost. Well, shit. At least he still had Heart's Shadow out.

"That was quite an effort you put in. I'm proud of you."

"Go to hell."

The smile faded, eyes going cold. He'd definitely pissed him off, Kai decided. Now the question was how he was going to pay for it.

"You should respect your elders and watch your mouth."

"Going to make me?"

Even as it slipped out, Kai was already changing his stance, bringing the Keyblade up. Just let the bastard try something else...

But to his surprise, all Sedge did was nod to himself. Another portal opened nearby and the Heartless began to disappear into it like obedient pets. Kai watched in silence, not relaxing until his father followed them and the portal closed.

Shit.

Shit shit shit.

His father. His father.

His father, and Heartless that listened to them both, and his mom-

Did he know that she was missing? Kai didn't think so; he just hadn't gotten that vibe off him, and surely Sedge would have taunted him with it. So she was safe, wherever she was...safe from him, at least. He hoped, anyway.

What he wanted more than anything in that moment was to sit, right there in the flowers and try to get this straight in his head; failing that, he wanted to bury it. But he had to catch up with 'Jem and Eli, make sure they were okay. They'd be worried about him, too.

Sighing, Kai felt for the Light from Eli's compass and opened a portal, stepping into it.