AN: We're back with the main trio on Destiny Islands lol! :D Time for emotional heavy family stuff. Cause we didn't get shit in canon lol, post Kh2 or KH3, and I looove all those fanfics that go into how they readjusted to normal life and told their parents and stuff (usually they do, in most fics I've read lol). xD And I love it! So here's mine. :D We're gonna be staying here for a little while, like we did Radiant Garden. Then we might swap to somewhere else. Maybe do some complicated hopping back and forth lol.

Kairi woke up again at home, in her familiar bedroom...and she couldn't really believe it.

She felt the warmth of the sun, she saw her favorite books on the shelves...her arts and crafts station in the corner...

And then she rolled over and bumped into something small and warm.

She froze, staring into a peaceful face identical to her own, with black hair.

A girl wearing a pair of her old sleep shirts and comfy shorts (things that didn't quite fit Kairi so nicely anymore, she'd discovered upon her return yesterday evening). But they fit her perfectly.

Oh, right...

It was all coming back to her now, through the fog of sleepiness.

It hadn't all been some long, long, exhausting, insane dream.

Nope: it was all real.

And she was really back. The islands were back.

The worlds were restored. All of them, everywhere.

Peace itself was restored.

With no signs of any Heartless at all - not even a trace of ambient darkness - Kairi had to assume that that wonderful light of the worlds being restored had also purged every world of the Heartless. Erasing any darkness.

Except the darkness in the Hearts of people, of course...

But it wasn't like that could be helped (or was anything of real concern).

Unless you got the odd Riku or Xehanort type...

But ignoring those awful outliers - things were back to normal!

Everything was right again, and good again, and now they could just...

Get back to living their lives.

The way they were meant to be lived.

And Kairi would do it with her sister at her side.

With all her new friends, too - assuming it really wasn't all a crazy dream, and she could actually see them again someday...

Master Aqua and everyone else would probably want to take a few days, or weeks, to relax and celebrate their victory themselves. They probably wouldn't be dropping in for a visit any time soon.

But that wasn't anything to get all worried about! It just meant things were great again! For everyone!

Things were back to the way they should be - and more. And better.

Because if anything or anyone wanted to threaten the islands again someday...Kairi and her friends were all more than prepared to handle it now. Next time anything terrible wanted to come and try to ruin everything...they'd find out they had made a huge mistake, and they'd come to sorely regret it for the rest of their lives - however long that lasted, after Kairi was through with them!

She wasn't a weak, helpless little girl anymore.

None of them were.

She silently got out of bed, managing to avoid disturbing Xion, and crept across her room. She opened the door a crack, peeking out into the upstairs hallway.

She could hear the sounds from downstairs.

So, dad was up already.

Or, he'd never gone to sleep at all last night...

Kairi wouldn't have blamed him for that - even if it would have made her worry a little.

She recalled the events of the night before, when she'd first, finally come back home again...

When they all had - her, Sora, and Riku (and Xion, too, of course)...

Kairi and Xion, Sora, and Riku split up once they reached the shores of the main island again.

The old wooden pier, those familiar houses with their lights shining at night, lampposts flickering with bugs around them...

The winding pathways between those homes.

Kairi could have navigated them in her sleep.

Kairi and Sora both looked at Riku, just before they parted...

"You going to be okay?" Sora asked him. "I could go with you, if you wanted-"

"No," Riku said quickly. He shook his head, then gave a forced grin. "I've got this. Anyways, it's...probably...something I need to do on my own. I have to...face this. Myself."

"Well..." Kairi spoke up tentatively, eyeing him. "Good luck," she finally said.

Surprise flickered on Riku's face. Then, he nodded to her. "Y-yeah. Thanks, Kairi..."

"Go on," Kairi told Sora, smiling at him. "Go home. Don't keep your mom waiting any longer."

"R-right...Got it." Sora gave Riku one last look before turning around and racing off into the night, down the path ahead.

Riku strode up to the rickety old fence, gliding his hand along it as he began to walk down the beach - going right.

Kairi sighed, watching him. Then she took Xion's hand and went left, leading her along the roads. Around houses - across a little bridge over the flowing river that came all the way here to the ocean from the distant, inland mountains...

After a few minutes of walking, they finally arrived.

The large, familiar two-storied home loomed over Kairi.

She smiled, pushing her hair back and adjusting her hat, taking a step forward.

"KAIRI?" Dad's voice. He was there, coming out the front door - running to her, like she hadn't seen him do since she was little and she'd fallen out of that tree and-

And then he was hugging her like he hadn't in a long, long time, too. Or maybe Kairi had just forgotten how wonderful those hugs always were, after being gone for so long now...

She clung to him, she cried silent tears, and she smiled.

This was real...

They were home.

Kairi blinked through blurry vision as dad let her go. As he drew back from her, looking at her under the exterior house lights. His eyes took in her hat, then went down over her outfit. Then, they focused on her face alone. Confusion, shock, fear and worry - all of it...ran across his face then.

"Kairi, honey, what's- going on? You look- what happened to you?" He stopped, finally seeming to have noticed Xion. Xion, who was standing back, apart, with her hands at her chest. "A-and I swear I'm seeing double...?"

Kairi sighed. It was time, then. She pulled a serious face, swept her hat off her head and put her hands behind her back. She looked him in the eye. "Okay, daddy, I have an extremely good explanation for all of this - but it's also a really, really long story. But if you can sit down and listen, it will all make sense. Hopefully..."

He looked again to Xion. He nodded. "Alright...let's all get inside, then. I'm eager to hear it, honey..."

Kairi snatched Xion's hand, and the two girls followed dad inside.

Into the house looking...exactly like her memories.

She sat down on the couch with Xion. Loving the way it felt, the way it smelled. All those familiar little details that even a memory room couldn't have ever imitated, she realized now...

Dad sat in his favorite armchair, and he just...looked at the two of them. He blinked a few times, rubbed at his eyes. Shook his head a little.

"Okay..." Kairi said quietly, sitting up straight and brushing at her hair. "Daddy, what's the last thing you remember? The night of the storm, right...?"

"You mean last night?"

Kairi stared.

"Okay, well that answers that..." Kairi murmured, nodding. "Okay: daddy, you know when I was really little, and how I used to tell stories about somewhere else. About...the place I remembered before the islands?"

"I do. You always used to talk about a grand castle, and this city of water," dad replied, with a small chuckle. "Though, you stopped talking about it all within months...and after you'd just started talking again!"

"I know. I didn't want to sound crazy - I didn't want other kids thinking I was weird," Kairi agreed. "But then I met Sora and Riku, and those two were weirdos in their own rights, so..."

"You've talked about it to them, then?"

"Yes. But that's not- sorry, sidetracked here. Um..." Kairi sighed. "Look, that place I'm from...it was another world, okay? It's called Radiant Garden. And it's real. I found it, I've been there, and it's not a dream or a little girl's imagination."

He gazed at her for a long time. Scrutinizing her. Thinking. Then, he nodded. "I believe you. But how could even other worlds explain...you being older, and- her?" Another look at Xion, a helpless sort of gesture.

"Because - this is going to be hard to hear - it's been about about six months since the night of the storm. It wasn't last night: it was about half a year ago, by now."

"No...Kairi, I remember last night. And the clocks and the calendar even say-"

"They're wrong," Kairi said. "It's all the same as that night...because since that night, this whole world of ours...it's been asleep. In- stasis. Frozen how it was, for all these months now. Since it...fell to darkness."

"Fell to darkness?"

"The storm. It wasn't a storm. It was the Heartless. Monsters born from the darkness of Hearts. They invaded the islands, and destroyed them...along with just about everyone on it. But me, and Sora, and Riku, we survived it, and we wound up in...in other worlds. Not my homeworld. A place called Traverse Town. And from there...for the past six months now...we've been traveling to all kinds of strange and amazing places, and...fighting that darkness. And the people who use it for evil. And...also other people who are just evil but don't exactly use dark powers. We're equal opportunity bad guy slayers."

He stared at her, clearly having a hard time taking in her words. He looked, again, to Xion. Xion ducked her head, wringing her hands.

"It's okay if you don't believe me yet," Kairi said quietly. "I understand, daddy. It's going to take a while. Even with the proof I'm planning to show you."

"For now...how about you just explain this- this? Please?" Another look at Xion...

"Well...Xion is...she was an artificially made person, by an evil scientist who...wanted to test me. She was made to fight me. But I convinced her to stop, and...we became sisters. I actually thought she was some long lost biological sister, for a while there, but- but even after we found out how she was made, it didn't change the fact that I thought of her as my sister by then! That I still do!" Kairi said passionately, holding dad's gaze.

Dad stared at her for a long time. Again. Then, he stared at Xion. Finally, he nodded. He swallowed. "Alright...and is- is that all?"

"Well, there is another girl who looks like me, named Namine. She's...her existence is a little more complicated," Kairi giggled. Then blushed. "The basic gist of it, though, is that at one point I lost my Heart, which went into Sora to stay safe, but then it got removed - along with Sora's Heart at the same time - which caused...Namine and a boy named Roxas to both be...um...created from...us. Me and Sora. So...Namine's kind of like our daughter."

Dad looked ready to faint now. Kairi would have found it funny in any other situation. "Okay. Okay, so last night wasn't last night...it's been half a year...you've been on adventures across other worlds...and you have a sister and a d-daughter now...?"

"Yeah - that about sums it all up."

"Right...all right... I'm going to need to sleep on it, honey. And if it's still here in the morning...we'll talk about it. I'd like to hear all the...details."

"Deal." Kairi smiled. She jumped to her feet, grabbing Xion and yanking her up with her. "Come on, sis! I finally get to show you my room! Treat it like it's yours; anything of mine in there is yours to use! All of my old clothes should still be there, too, so go nuts!"

Xion smiled with pure nervousness, nodding quickly. She let Kairi drag her from the room, all the way upstairs (while making it a point to not look at dad).

Kairi wasn't too worried about that; Xion would warm up to him fast - and he'd do the same for her. He'd show her she didn't have to be so afraid around him...just like he'd shown Kairi, when she'd been a lost, traumatized amnesiac of a five year old who'd washed up on the beach of an unfamiliar world.

It was just going to take a bit of time. Like it had for Kairi herself, back then.

Riku walked shakily down the dirt streets, following all the landmarks of his memories of a life that now seemed an eternity ago...

This hardly even seemed real.

But it was. He was here, back again, after...everything he'd done...

And his home he didn't deserve to call home anymore...and the parents who didn't deserve a son like him...

He passed the barking dog of the Kimikos on the left, turned right and walked along the rickety old fencing, trailing his hand on it.

He came to the gap, and turned right again.

He breathed, and walked slowly up the path to his home.

He could hear the noises inside - voices, laughter, and the smell of his dad's cooking, and...

Riku stopped at the door, reaching up a hand to touch his palm to it. Smooth, cool. Real...

Here.

It was sort of funny, wasn't it? For a guy who'd wanted nothing more than to get away from this place, his whole life now...now all he wanted was to stay here. Maybe because he'd been to those worlds, found everything he was looking for and more - and now he knew he could go back out there and leave these islands whenever he wanted. And the islands...they'd still be here for him, waiting. Always would be.

He drew in another breath, let it go, and reached for the handle. He opened the door slowly. It creaked - loudly. Louder than he remembered it ever doing. But what he did remember was that that was always how he messed up, sneaking back in from late nights with Sora and Kairi.

"Riku? Are you home finally? You know what we think of you staying overnight on that island!" his mom's voice called out. "Especially with how bad that storm was getting last night! We thought you had better judgement than that!"

Her voice...

Even disapproving, even scolding, it was her and...

She had so much more reason than she knew now to be disappointed with him.

"U-uh, m-mom, d-dad, I uh...we need to talk, please - living room," Riku managed to say, striding down the hall on shaking legs until he entered the living room. Everything was arranged the same as he last knew, making it easy enough to get around without tripping...

The warmth, the glow of light in his eyes, behind the blindfold...

He made his way to the couch and fell down into it, hugging himself.

Then he let his arms go.

"What do you need to-" Mom's voice cut off. Her footsteps stopped. So close now... "RIKU? What in the world...?"

"What? What's he-" Dad went quiet too. "R-Riku...?"

Riku nodded, his long hair rustling. "Uh, like I said: we really need to talk - please."

"Why do you look- OLDER?" mom gasped. Figured she'd be the one to notice that...

"Because I am," Riku sighed. "There's no easy way to say any of this, so...I'm about half a year older than you last knew me. And I-"

"And what is with the blindfold?" Mom interjected. "Did you and Sora have the brilliant idea to escalate to blind sparring matches?"

Riku laughed. That was something they'd do, wasn't it? Stupid... "No, mom. That's- I'm wearing it because I can't see anymore. I was injured weeks ago, and I lost my sight. Here..." He raised his head and pushed his hair back, exposing his face to the light.

Two gasps.

"Oh my- Riku!" Dad was suddenly there, beside him, grabbing his head and turning his face this way and that. And then mom was on his other side, reaching for his blindfold and removing it carefully but quickly.

"Riku, what is going on?" Mom quavered, but in her sharp, demanding voice still.

Riku pulled free of them and let his head fall. He sucked in air, gripping his knees tight. He didn't deserve this. Didn't deserve them. And they didn't deserve a son like him. "It's a long story..." he said, raspy.

"Well you're not leaving this couch until you've told us every last bit of it!" Mom said firmly.

"Yeah...okay. Just...I need you to try to just...listen."

"We're listening, son," dad spoke quietly, grabbing at his arm.

Riku choked, screwing up his damaged eyes.

He couldn't do this, he couldn't - he should just refuse to even say a-

NO. No, that was the old him, that was- and they'd find out anyways. Kairi would tell them, or Sora would. Or their parents would talk to his. Probably Kairi would tell, just to spite him...

No. Come on. That wasn't him either. And that wasn't her. She wouldn't...

Still, Riku was left with only one clear option here.

"Riku?" mom said gently, and her hand snatched up one of his, squeezing it tight.

"I- I'm going to tell you guys e-everything," Riku gasped out, raising his head again. "But- I w-want you to know that I am SO, SO SORRY AND ASHAMED OF EVERYTHING I'VE DONE. Of how I was, of WHO I was. Not that that's an excuse, or a pass; any punishments or- or anything anyone wants to do to me, I'll take it, all right? Because I deserve all of it and more..."

"Riku, what are you saying?" Dad said, worry and fear now in his voice in full.

"The night of the storm...it wasn't last night. It was six months ago. That's why I look older. It's been half a year. Like I said. And...I've been away. On other worlds. Because this one...our world...it fell into darkness. Everything and everyone in it- went into a sort of sleeping state. Or- or maybe non-existence. I'm not too sure. But it stayed like that for all this time, until Kairi...brought it back, a few hours ago now."

"That's a nice story, but-" Mom started.

Riku raised a hand, pulling miniscule darkness from his Heart, and conjured a dark shard of crystal.

He gave it to dad, who reached past him to give it to mom.

And then Riku held his hand palm up, and created a shimmer of dark blue flames briefly before extinguishing it, making them both yell in shock.

"I've been traveling to other worlds," Riku spoke, as if he hadn't stopped. "With Kairi and Sora, recently. But before that it was with...Terra. And before that...I was on my own. I...because I'm the one who made our world fall to darkness. I destroyed it, and I destroyed- I killed everyone on it. I killed Kairi's dad, and Sora's mom, and I killed the both of you, too. Kairi's the one who brought all of it...all of you...back to life. After I killed you."

Sora ran all the way home - then slowed as he neared the front door.

It felt just like any other night - any other time, when he'd be rushing home late after losing track of the time...

Except...it wasn't.

It had been a long time, and he didn't want mom to worry...

But she was probably going to. That was just how she was, ever since dad...

And the night of the storm, he'd gone running off to the island!

She'd probably been more worried than she'd ever been before - at least, about him!

Sora felt pretty guilty about that, looking back on it now.

But...he also didn't think he'd have ever done anything different.

Him and Riku, and Kairi, that night...

The night their whole lives had changed. Everything they knew.

Their fates...

"U-um - mom? I'm...I'm home!" he called out.

"Sora?! Where were you?! I was all over this island looking for you last night! That terrible storm - I thought you'd been-!"

Huh? Last night...?

So mom didn't know?

Oh...that had to be because the island had fallen into darkness, right? But then, for mom and everyone else...was it just like no time had even passed for them? Was that how this worked...?

Well, Sora was at least able to be glad his mom had only had to be worried about him for one night, instead of for every night over the past few months!

He didn't even want to think about what kind of state she'd be in if she'd been here missing him this whole time, for real. Or worse - longer. Like, say, a year or more!

Kairi sighed as she came back out of her memories of last night's return. Then she stepped out of her room and went downstairs.

Dad looked up at her appearance - and then he just took in her appearance for a long moment. So many emotions crossed his face, then...but the strongest of them was the concern, and sympathy.

"Yeah, it wasn't a dream," Kairi said, flashing a small grin as she went to sit down with him. "Sorry."

"You've been traveling...fighting...for months?" he spoke quietly.

"I have."

Dad just kept staring at her. At her battle scars.

"Why?" he finally asked, in a pained voice. "Why...put yourself through so much, things I can't even imagine..."

Oh, daddy...is that really the only thing you're worried about? Not that I don't love you for that, but...

"Well, partially because I was born as something called a Princess of Heart - and, no, it does not mean I'm an actual, royal princess or anything like that!" Kairi began to explain.

Dad gave a weak smile at that. At her expression. "I wasn't thinking it meant anything like that."

"Right. Well, what it does mean...is that I'm one of seven girls across thousands - millions of worlds out there - who was born with a Heart of pure light. It basically means that I have powerful magical powers connected to the natural element or- cosmic force called 'Light.' My Pure Heart, along with the other six, is also responsible for keeping this entire...universe alive. Every world out there - including this one - they're only still here, healthy and shining so bright, because of me. If the seven of us were to...disappear...the worlds would fall into darkness. All of them. Just like the islands did - just like our home. Everything would just be...lost."

Kairi sighed, brushing her hair back. "So, you see? I'm like...one of the seven fundamental forces of the universe keeping it all going. And I have a responsibility to protect these worlds and their people. And I have been. I did. By becoming a Keyblade wielder. Those are like a...universal police force, I guess you could think of it as. We go around the worlds, investigating, solving problems, fighting evil - keeping the peace. So it was the perfect combination, for me. I could serve my duties as a Princess of Heart by serving as a Keyblade wielder."

Dad was silent, watching her. Paying attention to her, and nothing else. Truly listening. Like he always did. After a long time, he nodded. "All right. I understand...most of that, I suppose. You felt like you had a duty, a responsibility, and you put everything you had into it. Just like you always have, with everything you do. But...couldn't you have left it to someone else? You're a child, Kairi...And if you are one of seven people keeping...so much alive, just by being...wouldn't you have done the worlds better by not putting yourself in harm's way? That seems like risking a lot. Too much," he concluded.

Kairi stared at her dad. She blushed. Hard. "I- well- I didn't care," she mumbled on quickly. "I guess there was a point we reached where I could have - but before that, I was the only active Keyblade wielder around. I was literally the only person who could save the worlds, for a while there. But, ultimately, I had to see it through. I had to put everything right again. I had to keep fighting, for our home, for you - in more ways than one. And because it was just the right thing to do, and I couldn't do anything less. Not when I knew I had the power to make a difference."

"I understand- no, I don't think I can say I understand that," dad started. "I don't know what situation you were in, I don't know what you went through, I don't know where your mind was at. But I do understand what you're saying now, and I am proud of you for that. And I'm in awe of how strong, and mature you are. How much more you are now, compared with the you of- the girl I last knew."

"The girl of six months ago."

"Yes..."

"I'm not that girl anymore - but I am still me," Kairi replied firmly. "I just did some growing up when you weren't looking."

"You always seem to be doing that..." dad joked, smiling at her. "Clearly I'm never going to be able to keep up with you."

"Oh, never," Kairi agreed, laughing.

"If I can ask, honey..."

"Ask me anything."

"How did you...those scars? Your hair? How did that...? What happened?"

"That one was a little more recent," Kairi explained, pushing her legs together and grabbing her knees. "We were trying to protect this world out there, and I ended up getting distracted while we were fighting this really dangerous- monster. Teeth and claws. It was like this big...tiger. Anyways, I lost focus, and it caught me off my guard and made me pay for it. It was hard, for a few days, but...I got to change up my outfit afterward, so that was cool! I didn't have the stockings before," she finished, gesturing down at her legs. "I'm in love with them. Oh, and you saw my hat, too, last night. That was part of the change-up, too."

Dad looked torn between crying and laughing. "You're right. You aren't the girl I remember last. But you're also still you. I'm happy to hear you didn't lose your fashion sense. You've always been one of the most stylish girls on the island."

"Thank you," Kairi said, grinning briefly. "I try. Though, I'll have some tough competition once Namine starts coming around. She inherited my fashion sense, no question. She rocks the world wherever she goes, with her outfit. And I think the same goes for Xion, too - she's just too shy to let it loose on the world. But one day..."

"Xion - right - the one upstairs," dad nodded. He looked away, taking a breath.

Right. We should do this sooner rather than later...

"I want her to stay with us, dad," Kairi said, after taking a breath. "I want her to, she wants to, and it's what she needs and it's what she deserves - just like I did. She needs a real home, and a family, and a chance at a life. And I can't think of any better one than ours. Besides, she is my sister. I've already adopted her," she added, grinning.

Dad was quiet for a long time again. Kairi thought the worst, panic and fear churning over in her Heart. But then- "Of course. So our island, so our home, is open to anyone," he said finally. "And if she's lost, and has no one and no place to go, then I'm more than happy to give her a place to call home. And I'd be even happier to add another member to our family. If you're absolutely sure-"

"Daddy, I suggested it!" Kairi exclaimed.

"I know you did, honey, but have you really thought it through?" he said calmly. "Having a sister means...changes. Adjustments. It means sharing more than just a room, or some old clothes. It's sharing a life."

"I've had months to think it through," Kairi said calmly, right back, meeting his gaze. "I know what it means to join a family, daddy. More than anyone. I know. And I know it's not going to necessarily be...rainbows and sunshine all the time. It'll be hard, it won't be all too simple, sometimes. And it's going to take time for everyone to get used to it. But...I also know that it's more than worth it. Even now, I could never tell you...what it means to me, in my Heart - the things I feel - all that love and care that you've given me... The days I've been sick half to death in my bed, or when I came home crying, or when I fell out of that tree and broke my ankle, or...when that girl from school passed away, and how you helped me through that. A million little things, across a million different days! And now I want us...to give all of that to Xion. I want her to know it...like I know. To feel in her Heart...the way I still feel, after all these years. Because of you."

"W-well - okay." Dad looked at her, looking on verge of tears. "I couldn't say no to that, could I?"

Kairi felt it herself, and she leaned in to hug him.

"So last night..." he said softly, pulling away from her after a minute. "You said...the place you were from was another world? Not another island? So you...you found it? You..."

"I did." Kairi frowned, glancing away. "But it's not in too great of shape. I learned, I- remembered- how I ended up on the islands."

"You don't have to tell me anything you don't want to."

"But I do," Kairi said firmly, lifting her head. "I want to. I want you to know, too, daddy. About where I come from. About...why I came here. I want to share that with you."

"Alright. I'm listening."

"Well, you're right to think it's not exactly something happy - it's not," Kairi said quietly. "It's..." She stopped. She sucked in a breath and angrily swiped at her tears. "Sorry. I- I don't think that I can after all."

"That's alright."

What was wrong with her? How many times had she talked about this with Master Aqua, with Sora, or- with Master Terra himself?! So why now? Why was she...? Why was this...suddenly so hard? She'd done it before, numerous times!

Kairi wasn't sure. But she had to figure it out. She knew she was stronger than this. Better than this. She knew she was!

She couldn't let this stand!

She couldn't let it hold her back.

But, for now though...

"I'm- going to go wake up Xion," Kairi said, jumping to her feet. "She tends to oversleep if you don't actually wake her up. She needs to get through the morning routine - learn the lay of the land. And we don't want to be late for school-"

"Kairi, wait! Honey, you- you've just told me that you came home from...from six months of- of dangerous situations, of world traveling, of- fighting monsters- you're not going to school!" dad exclaimed, incredulous. "You're going to take a few weeks off, you're going to stay home - Xion's going to stay home. Neither of you are ready for school. We need...you need...what you needed when you first came into my life. Like you said yourself, honey. Don't you think throwing her into school would just overwhelm her? We should let her relax, give her time to really get settled into things here first."

Kairi stopped. She blushed hard, nodding. "Right...sorry - you're right! School's too much for her. Not yet."

"And for you, Kairi."

"I'm fine, dad. I'm just glad to be home finally. Things are back to normal now, so...I need to act normal."

"Honey, nothing about any of this...is normal. And after even just - what you've told me - you deserve a break, don't you think? No stress, no exams, no homework, no...having to try and explain to all of your friends about your- injuries...or why you look older, or why we suddenly have a- an identical twin of you around...Kairi, honey, how were you going to explain any of this to anyone? Did you think it through...honestly?"

Kairi blushed harder than ever, squirming under dad's gaze. "O-okay, so I didn't exactly...plan everything, but I-"

"Let's just relax, Kairi. Let's just not worry-"

"No! You're right! How am I going to explain this to anyone else? If it was obvious to you, it'll be obvious to everyone. I can't just pass it off. None of us can. Not any of it." Kairi sighed. "Even if we tried, it would be too many questions. Weirdness and rumors and...it wouldn't hold. I think - we just need to tell everyone the truth."

"Tell everyone...? Kairi, that's not-"

"No, it's okay, daddy! It's for the best. It's - it's okay. You can set up a meeting over at town hall and we can...Sora and I, and Riku too - Xion - we'll...explain everything."

"Kairi, I admire your determination and your desire to tell the truth - but that's..."

"What?"

"Have you thought that through, too? It wouldn't just affect your life - it would affect your friends. And Xion. You'd open yourself up to being...hounded, no doubt. About so many things. For so many reasons. Not all of them good or nice. And you can never take it back."

"I don't see how we can get away with keeping it all a secret," Kairi responded evenly. "It's better to just get it out there right away - get it all out into the open."

"We don't know that yet. We could try. We could just... Just think on it. Just stay home for a few days - just...you don't have to go making huge, hasty decisions right after you just came home again."

Kairi sighed. She nodded. "Okay. Right. Not just yet, then. But I'm going to want to tell Selphie, at least. I don't keep secrets from her...and I couldn't keep this one if I tried. But I know she'll keep it for me, until we're ready."

"Okay. Selphie is fine. But...just her, for now."

"Just her," Kairi agreed. She hesitated, gazing at her dad's troubled expression. She turned away and fled up the stairs without another word.

"I know you can be a little thoughtless, but this? Why, Sora!"

Even after last night, after a whole night's sleep, mom was still going on about it.

Sora cringed under her sharp gaze, sinking in his chair at the kitchen table. Then he straightened up, trying to meet her eyes. "I had to, mom - for Kairi!" he said passionately.

"For Kairi...? Oh, I thought that girl had a mature head on her shoulders - but apparently not, if she got my son roped into some world-spanning, life-threatening-!"

"WHAT?!" Sora almost upended his chair, teetering wildly before getting back under control. "Mom, come on, you can't possibly go blaming Kairi for all of this!" he shouted in disbelief. "She was just as lost and- and doing her best as I was! We were both just...doing what we felt was right! To help people, mom! To save whole worlds! Yeah, sometimes it was pretty dangerous, and we had some real close calls, but we were doing what we could! We were doing the right thing! And we were doing it for you, for the islands! At first, anyways. Later, we actually kept fighting to bring you back! That's the whole reason we're here now: because we won! We succeeded! And now everything's good now! So - please - just calm down a little?"

Mom took some deep breaths, jumping up from the table and turning away.

"I know it sounds pretty bad, I know it's scary, I know...but I was just doing what you would have wanted me to do," Sora whispered. "Follow my Heart, do what's right - no matter what. No matter how hard it might get. It's what you would have wanted me to do...and- and it's what d-dad would have wanted me to do, too. And- and if anything like that happens again...I'll do it again. I would do it again, if I had to do it all over; I couldn't not. No matter how long you ground me for afterwards!"

"I'm as proud of you as I am furious with you..." Mom's choked voice came, shaking her head of messy, spiked brown hair.

"Hehe, t-thanks, mom..." Sora said, flushing.

"You're lucky I don't think I could punish you after hearing even half the things you've gone through already out there..."

"Thanks...again...mom..."

"But I'm still going to be keeping you close for a long time, and we are going to be having some long, long discussions together, you and I! Make no mistake about that!"

"Awww, mom, come on! We've already gone over pretty much everything! I told you it all last night!"

"You couldn't possibly have told me everything," mom refuted.

Sora flushed, looking down and away quickly. "W-well- okay, there might've been a few things I forgot - a lot happened!"

"Sora...what am I going to do with you?"

"U-um, well, not punish me - remember?" Sora grinned cheerfully.

"You really have no idea how lucky you are," mom reiterated, spinning away and striding from the room.

Sora frowned after her, but...

She'd be okay.

It was just going to take time.

He knew it was all a big shock.

But he knew she was as strong as he was - and he knew she'd get past it.

Because he knew where he'd gotten it from in the first place.

AN: Don't ask how Kairi knew about the parts she wasn't there for lol! xD We are and always have been...third person omniscient. :D :D :D Tis narrative convenience!