Author's Notes: Thank you to everyone who followed, favorited, and reviewed this story! We have finally reached the end. This took a while to post since I was writing all three endings at the same time to make sure they all coincided together. Anyway, I hope that you'll enjoy the last chapter!

The Other Side of the Fence: (Aqua, Vanitas, Terra, and Ventus side of the story)

~Epilogue~

16 Years Later…

He could hear the same tune play over and over again. Eventually, he became used to the classical music and even managed to block it out at times, but it still got under his skin. He didn't know how she could keep playing as long as she did, but it truly impressed him at how dedicated she was to her practice. Finally, he let out a sigh as he closed his eyes. He was done staring at the computer in front of him. It was already late into the night and it was time for both of them to be done. The black, spiked haired man rose out of his chair, in his home office, and headed out toward the living room. "Hey…! Mini Me. Call it a day."

Across the room, a young girl with long, shoulder length, black hair, and big blue eyes, dressed in a school uniform, turned her head back toward him. "Just a few more minutes. I've almost got it right."

Vanitas stepped into the kitchen and opened the fridge door. "You've been playing that thing for hours. Give it a rest. Come eat."

She placed her violin at her side as she let out a pleading stare. "But daddy..."

A dark look came to his eyes as he looked serious. "Amaya…" he let out a stern tone. He placed a glass on the counter. "No whining." She knew he was serious when he called her by her name than the tone of his voice. Amaya breathed out and placed the violin back in her case. Afterwards, she headed into the kitchen and sat on a high stool at the counter. "Now… how do you like your milk?"

The ten-year-old let out a grin as he poured. "Cold."

Vanitas slid the glass toward her and leaned against the counter. "Why do you keep playing that thing?"

Amaya smiled as she looked up at him. "Grandma says that I should learn a skill so I can get into a good school."

Vanitas sighed out loud and popped open his can of beer. He should have known that this was the work of his mother-in-law. "You're just like your mother…"

Amaya grinned. "Really…? Because she always says that I'm like you."

"Hmm…" Then, he let out a smirk. "Well…you are mine. Listen… You don't have to do everything your grandma tells you to. That woman is always trying to control someone in her old age." He pointed toward her. "Don't tell her I said that. Got it?"

The blue-eyed girl nodded. "I won't!"

He gave her a stern look. "Don't do anything you don't want."

She shook her head as she smiled. "I don't mind. Grandma says that I need to be a proper young lady. If I am, then I can get married to someone good."

Vanitas placed his hand to his face as he cringed. At this point, he wished he monitored what Aqua's mother said more often. He shook his head. "What is that woman teaching you…?" Afterwards, he lifted his head to her. "You're a kid! Go outside and play. Do whatever you want. You don't have to listen to what she says. Think about that stuff later." Feeling that he made his point, he changed the subject. "Anyway… I guess I have to feed you. What do you want to eat?"

A nervous look came to her face. "Can we…have ice cream…?"

"Hmm…" The innocent look on her face was persuasive. After giving it another thought, he opened the freezer and then glanced back at her. "If you eat for real, you can have ice cream first. I don't need you getting sick. Then I'm the one who gets yelled at."

The smile on her face increased. "I will! I promise!"

He gave her a serious look. "Don't tell your mom."

Right away, she nodded and went around the kitchen island to where he was. He placed the carton on the counter along with bowls and spoons and both sat on stools beside each other. Amaya looked over, slightly disappointed. "She's going to be late again, isn't she?"

Vanitas placed the spoon in his mouth. "Yeah. It's just you and me tonight kid. Is that a problem?"

Amaya swung her legs as she stared down at her bowl. "No, but I do wish she was here so she could tuck me in."

Vanitas arched his eyebrow. "What? You don't like when I do it?"

Uneasy, she smiled. "I like when you do too… it's just…you don't… read stories like mommy does. You don't like to."

His eyes drifted toward the side. She made a point. "I guess…"

Amaya swung her legs as she became curious. "So…? Is that how you and mommy got together? Because she did everything grandma told her to?"

Vanitas burst out into laughter as he closed his eyes. Whenever he thought about it, it was ironic. "I'm the furthest thing that woman wanted! She hates my guts! She probably still does."

A surprised look came on her face. "But why daddy?"

A faint, regretful smirk came on his face as he thought back. "I wasn't exactly a good guy... I did a lot of bad things when I was younger."

Amaya became a little worried as she wondered what he meant. "Like…what…?"

His eyes drifted toward the side. "I worked for a very bad man. I was trying to help out your other grandma, but…I ended up losing sight of why I was doing that stuff in the first place. If it wasn't for your mom, I wouldn't be here with you right now."

Amaya's eyes opened, surprised. "Oh…! Mommy came in and saved you! Was she like a superhero?"

Vanitas chuckled. He wondered what a certain, blue-haired woman would think if she heard this. "If you tell her that, it would just go to her head."

A look of curiosity and slight confusion came on her face. "What does that mean?"

"Don't worry about it. Point is don't make the same mistakes I made-." He rubbed the top of her head, which made her grin. "-and don't grow up too fast. You come to me if you have any problems and I'll handle them. All right?"

Amaya nodded in agreement. "Yes daddy."

As he watched her eat, a gentle smile crept on his face. She turned out to be a sweet well-behaved kid. In the past, it was hard to imagine having a child, but now, he couldn't see how things would be without her. Eventually, he slid the bowl away from her, which surprised her. "All right. Enough ice cream. You get to pick what to eat for dinner."

Amaya sighed as got off of her chair. "Fine…"

Her answer almost made him laugh. She reminded him of himself with the way she talked sometimes. Vanitas leaned back in his chair as he looked curious. She pulled out a pan from the cabinet. "What are you doing?"

She grabbed bread, butter, and cheese and placed them on the stove. "Making dinner like you said."

Inside, he was surprised that she volunteered. "What are you making?"

"Grilled cheese," she answered.

Vanitas stood up and went beside her. He let out a proud smirk. "Sounds good." As she cooked, he helped her until they were done.

After dinner, Vanitas plopped down on the couch, tired. His eyes lowered to a close. It reallyhad been a long day. After a few minutes, he fell asleep. When Amaya walked over, she was surprised to see that he was asleep. "Daddy…?" She could hear him breathing softly. He didn't move at all. Amaya went into the hallway and grabbed a blanket from the closet. She went back to the couch and placed the blanket over him. She was about to head to her room, but she stopped in place. Her eyes went back toward him. For a little time, she debated until she decided what she wanted to do next. She slipped underneath the blanket and curled up beside him. Lightly, she moved against him, which caused him to make room. Tired, she closed her eyes as she leaned her head against his shoulder. Soon, the two were both asleep.

A few hours later, Vanitas woke up. Surprised, he felt a weight against his arm. When he looked down, he saw Amaya asleep beside him. Soon, his surprise went away. There were times before when he caught her asleep beside him. Even now, he didn't understand why, but she had always seemed so peaceful beside him. "Hey! Mini Me." Lightly he shook her, but she didn't want to wake up. "Wake up."

"I don't want to…" Amaya groaned. Then, an idea came to mind. Vanitas bumped her off of the couch and caused her to fall onto the floor. Afterwards, she sat up as she frowned toward him. "Daddy…!"

Vanitas smirked. "I had to find some way to get you up. You should be sleeping in your own bed anyway." Amaya crossed her arms in front of her as she pouted. He couldn't help but laugh at her expression. Her pout reminded him of her mother's. "Come on little brat. Time to go to bed." He got up and helped her off of the ground. Still noticing the pout on her face, he smirked toward her. "Hey! I gave you ice cream for dinner. You don't get to argue."

"Hmm…" she groaned.

His smirk widened. "I'm sure you'll get me back next time."

Eventually, her pout faded into a devious smirk. "Yup! And you won't see it coming!"

Vanitas stood up beside her. "I'll hold you to that." Amaya walked away and went to her room to get ready for bed. Sometime after, he walked into her room to check on her. She jumped on her bed and pulled the covers over her legs. "Good night."

Gently, she smiled toward him. "Good night daddy."

Vanitas arched his eyebrow. "I thought you were over this. Why don't you sleep in your own bed instead of on the couch with me?"

Uneasy, her eyes traveled down. "It's nothing."

He could tell that there was something on her mind. "What is it…?"

"Hmm…" There was a debate going on in her mind. To her, it sounded silly to say it out loud.

"Amaya…" he sounded impatient.

Her hand fiddled against her leg. "It…gets really quiet around here…"

"Are you scared?" Amaya answered him with a nod. He wondered why. "Nothing bad is gonna happen. You know I'll make sure of that."

Amaya lied down as she pulled the covers over her. "I'm know, but…still…" she moaned.

"What?" he asked curious. Vanitas leaned his hand against the bed as he hovered over her.

She pulled up her covers part way down her face. "When I'm at home, there's no one else to talk to around here…"

Vanitas looked confused and curious. "So…? In a month, you'll get to see your cousins for the summer. Then, you can play with them. Aren't you excited about that?"

"Yeah! Of course!" Then, the nervous look returned to her face. "Well…do you think there will be…someone else besides me around…?"

He became confused. "Huh?"

Her eyes glanced between the covers and him. "My friends at school…they have brothers and sisters…"

He arched his eyebrow. "So? You're asking me if you can have a brother or sister?"

"Kind of…" she spoke, quietly.

Curious, he sat up straight. "Why? So, you can have someone to boss around?"

Amaya sat up, anxious. "Well you have Uncle Ven, Roxas, and Sora! Didn't you have fun with them?"

Vanitas sighed. Playfully, he gave her a push with his hand and made her fall back on the bed. She let out a grin. "Go to sleep Mini Me." He got up and headed toward the doorway. Before he left, he stopped and scratched the back of his head, uncomfortable. He glanced toward her. "I guess…we'll see about it…"

His words brought an excited smile to her face. As she turned on her side, she curled up under her covers. "Good night!" Vanitas shook his head as he closed his eyes. What had he gotten himself into…? He cut off the light and closed the door partly. Afterwards, he plopped back on the couch in front of the television. He let out a sigh as he started to relax.

Half an hour later, he heard the sound of the door unlock. Soon, a blue-haired woman stepped through with her briefcase in hand. "Sorry I'm late! I tried to get back as soon as I could!"

He spread his arms across the top of the couch as he looked back. "It's fine."

Aqua looked disappointed. "Awe…! Amaya is probably asleep by now…" She stepped in the doorway of her room and saw Amaya asleep in her bed. She sighed and then headed to their bedroom. Tired, she sat on the edge of the bed. Vanitas stepped in and leaned against the doorway with his arms crossed. "Did you feed Amaya?"

"Yeah," he answered.

"Did you make sure she brushed her teeth before she went to sleep?"

"Yeah."

"Did you make sure she did her homework?"

As he walked toward her, he rolled his eyes. "Yes…! I think I know how to take care of her by now."

Aqua shook her head. She knew he would take care of things. "Sorry Vanitas… I've been asking questions all day. How was work?"

He shrugged. "Work. You?"

"It's been so busy. I wish I was here more often, but I'm glad you can work from home. I feel much better that you're here to watch over Amaya."

"You know what she asked me today?"

She became curious. "What?"

He sat on the edge of the bed beside her. "When is she getting a brother or sister?"

Her eyes traveled toward the side as she looked uneasy. "Oh…! She's been kind of asking me the same thing..." It made her a little nervous to ask. "What do you think…?"

He gave her a serious look. "It's up to you, isn't it? You wanted to focus on work."

Her eyes traveled down. "I know…" Then, she looked over toward him. "Still, I want to know what you think."

He smirked as he leaned toward her neck. She could feel his warm breath against her skin. "Well…the trying part is fun," he whispered seductively. Then, he lifted up from her. "I would be down for that, but another brat running around…" He leaned back on his hands. "I guess Amaya wasn't too bad, but just wait till she gets older…"

Aqua sighed. They both felt a sense of concern. "Yeah… She's going to be a teenager sooner than we think."

Vanitas rolled his eyes toward the side. "Talking to her is going to be fun..."

She placed her hands on her hips. "You're talking to her too."

"I'll be more…threatening to any boy that comes near her." Aqua let a giggle slip out. Her eyes traveled toward the side. Jokes aside, he wanted to know what she really thought. "Do you want another kid?"

"Hmm…" As she reminisced, her eyes traveled upwards. "Do you remember when Amaya was born?"

He arched his eyebrow, curious as to where she was going with this. "Yeah. You almost broke my hand."

Silently, she laughed as she relaxed. "She was so cute and small in my arms." Then, she looked over at him. "But I was worried at first. It didn't seem like you wanted to get too attached to her." Vanitas's eyes lowered toward the floor as he thought about how he felt back then. He had to admit that he was a little on edge. Her lips curved into a smile. "You thought you would drop her or that she wouldn't like you, but it wasn't that long before you found out that wasn't the case at all. She thinks the world of you." Her eyes turned forward. "She was unexpected, but we took care of her either way." Aqua leaned her head against his shoulder. "She was determined to come into this world."

He still remembered that day well. After he thought about it, he spoke, "Fine... Let see what happens, but no promises to Amaya, all right?"

Aqua nodded toward him. Then, she stood up. "It's been a long day. I'm going to take a shower. What did you end up making Amaya for dinner?"

"She made us grilled cheese."

She frowned toward him. "Vanitas…that's not a proper dinner!"

"Then start cooking for us again." Aqua rolled her eyes as she sighed and stepped into the bathroom. Vanitas heard the sound of water running. An idea came to his mind soon after...

As water ran down her body, Aqua's eyes lowered to a close. At that moment, all of her stress seemed to just melt away. Every muscle in her body began to relax. Suddenly, she felt hands lightly pressed against her shoulders. Her eyes lowered to a close as she felt the tips of his fingers dig into her skin. A sigh left her lips. His hands traveled further down her back and massaged her muscles along the way. A smile crossed her lips as she kept her eyes closed. "That's nice of you." His hand slid from her back and wrapped around her stomach. He pressed in close against her hips. In her mind, she could already tell what was on his. His head leaned against her shoulder and placed a kiss against her wet skin. She leaned her head back against his. "Kind of late for you to be taking a shower."

"I thought I'd join you," he whispered in her ear. His hands rubbed against her stomach and pressed her more against him. He moved the strands of her blue hair aside and placed his lips against the crook of her neck.

The sensation had sent a shiver down her spine. She turned toward him as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "At least we'll stay clean in here."

"I was thinking that we should move somewhere else." Hungrily, his lips met with hers once more. Vanitas grabbed onto her legs and holstered her up. Her legs wrapped around his waist. He buried his face into the crook of her neck and kissed her skin again. Aqua breathed out with her eyes closed. She had become completely taken by him...

XXX

He cut off the water in the shower and carried her out into the bedroom. She lied across the soft bed as he came over her. His hand pressed against the back of her wet, blue hair as they kissed fiercely. Her arms wrapped around his neck as she embraced him. A sigh left from her as he placed kisses on her chest and lower toward her stomach. When she felt him kiss her inner thigh, a smile escaped her lips. It felt ticklish to the touch. His warm body slid across hers, coming face to face with her. His hand caressed her breast as he kissed her neck. "We're…getting…the bed wet…" she whispered between breaths.

"Who cares? There something I'm trying to get wetter." He grabbed the back of her legs and bent them at his waist. He pressed inside of her. She closed her eyes as she cried out. As he moved back and forth, she grabbed on tight to his muscular arms. The feeling became overwhelming and filled with pleasure. He could feel her insides tightened around him. A line of cries left her lips before she felt her end. Following after her, he felt his end as well.

After she relaxed, her knees were pressed together against his chest. Curious, she looked up at him. "What are you doing?"

He crossed his arms on top of her legs and pressed his chin against the top of his arms. "You never say what you wanted."

Surprised that he asked, her eyes traveled around as she thought. "Oh…! Um…?"

Vanitas leaned forward. A little nervous, she whispered her answer. Interested, he leaned back up. "Really? How come?"

She shrugged as she smiled a little. "Yeah. Why not? Maybe they'll actually be like me this time."

He pushed her knees closer toward her chest. "Not if I have any control over it." Then, he arched his eyebrow as a thought came to mind. "Wait… What's the point of trying now? I thought you were taking something so you couldn't have another kid."

Nervously, she glanced between the room and him. She pointed the tips of her index fingers together on and off. "Well… I kind of… stopped a while ago since Amaya kept asking."

"And you weren't going to tell me…? I didn't think you would stoop so low," he joked.

Aqua grinned. "I didn't think you would mind this time." She pulled on his arm and made him lie beside her. "The least you could do is keep me company."

Giving into her, he closed his eyes. "Fine…" Afterwards, he lied down on the bed beside her.

Aqua looked over as she smiled a little nervous. "So…? The beach trip is coming up next month. Are you excited?"

Vanitas placed his hands behind his head. "I don't know…" he muttered.

Aqua became concerned. "Why not…?" His eyes drifted toward the side. She tilted her head to look more at his face. "Amaya is excited…" Maybe that would make him a little happy about going back home, but his expression didn't change. She thought about why he had his reservations. "I remember a few years ago, when Amaya mentioned the man on the beach." She turned on her side toward him. "It must've been hard…coming face to face with your father again, after so much time."

"It was nothing," he replied nonchalantly. It still concerned her that he didn't talk much about it. Aqua leaned her head against his chest and closed her eyes. It didn't take her long to fall asleep. As Vanitas stared up at the ceiling, her words from earlier still rung in his head. He remembered back to a few years ago when they first went back to their hometown…

"Oh…!" As a young Amaya stepped further into the ocean, she leaned forward and picked a shell out of the water.

"Don't step out any further or you'll get drag away by the ocean!" Vanitas warned. He kept his hands in his pockets as he watched her.

Amaya turned back as she held up the shell, excited. "Daddy look!"

He stepped closer and bent his knees down beside her. "You like it?"

Amaya nodded. "Hmm-Hmm…"

"Then it's yours." A happy smile couldn't help but come to her lips. He took the shell from her and placed it in his pocket. She turned toward the ocean. "It's pretty out here…" Curious, she looked back at him. "Do you like it?"

"Hm." Vanitas stood up straight. He took a moment before he spoke, "It's just where I used to live."

She felt more relaxed just to gaze out over the scene. "I would stare out at the ocean every day if we were here."

A light breeze blew over them. Even as he watched the place he called home, he still felt indifferent toward it. "Even if you did…nothing ever changes… It'll still be just the same boring place."

Amaya didn't understand why he didn't like his old home. "So… you don't like it?"

His eyes lowered toward the sand. After he thought about it, he couldn't condemn the small island completely. It was the place where he met the woman who changed his life. He placed his hand on top of her head. "I guess… a little…"

Amaya smiled toward him. Maybe he didn't see the island as a dull place after all. Then, she looked over surprised and confused as she noticed something out of the corner of her eye. "Daddy…?"

Vanitas followed the direction of her eyes and looked at the other end of the beach. There was a man dressed in a dirty brown jacket and torn clothes underneath. He has a messy grey bread and dirt on his skin. Vanitas squinted his eyes. Why did the man look so familiar…? Suddenly, he felt a hand clutch his. Below him, he noticed the worried look on her face as she hid behind his leg. Ahead, he noticed the man stare toward him. Vanitas turned his attention to the young girl. "Stop worrying. No one's going to hurt you while I'm here. Let's just go." He held onto her hand and started to walk away.

"Va…nitas?" Vanitas's eyes widened in surprised. How did the stranger know his name? At the same time, somehow, he recognized that voice too. On edge, Vanitas turned toward the man. The man smiled. "I thought I recognized those eyes. There's hardly anyone else with them."

Vanitas took another moment to remember who the man was. Then, the answer struck him like lightning. Was it possible? "You…?"

The man smiled a little. "It really has been a while."

Vanitas's lips parted, confused and stunned. After all this time, he saw the one person he never thought he would see again. Amaya looked at him curious. "Daddy? Who is that man?"

The man smiled. "I see… You already have a child of your own. How long has it been?"

Vanitas pressed down on his teeth. His expression started to fill with resentment and unease. How could the stranger treat this like a causal conversation after what he did? "Hey! Vanitas!" Nearby, Sora, Roxas, and Ventus walked over the short sand hill. Sora looked at him confused. "There are you! Aqua was looking for you." Then, he spotted the man that stood across the beach. "Who's that guy?" Along with his confusion, Roxas and Ventus became confused as well. Vanitas felt uneasy. The last thing he wanted was for them to see him again.

The man looked at each one of them. Eventually, a smile crept on his face. "I see…All of you have really grown up. Sora…Ventus…and Roxas."

As soon as they heard their names, they felt on edge. They didn't recognize the stranger. Ventus looked over at Vanitas. "Seriously Vanitas…who is this guy?"

Roxas thought more about the man until he came to a realization. His eyes widened. "It can't be…"

Vanitas looked back serious. It seemed Roxas figured it out. "You guys weren't that young, but he's easy to forget." He stared forward with a slight glare in his eyes. "It seems he finally came home after all this time… Right? Dad…?"

Vanitas snapped out of his thoughts. After they had laid down for a while, he didn't realize how lost in the past he was. He looked toward his side and nudged Aqua awake. "Hey…"

"Hm." Tired, she woke up. She sat up as she rubbed her eye and grabbed onto the edge of the bed. "I still need to take a shower…"

Vanitas sat up. "I'll join you." He followed her into the bathroom. Inside of the tub, Aqua leaned against his chest with her eyes closed asleep. Between work earlier and spending time with him tonight, her body was worn out. As Vanitas stared up, he couldn't help but still think about that day. Eventually, it led to other memories of his life on the island…

Amaya rushed to the edge of the boat as she looked excited. She placed her feet on the edge of the bottom rail and her hands held onto the top rail. The next month had passed by quickly and they were already on their way to the islands. There was a big grin on her face as the ocean breeze lifted her raven hair. Vanitas sat nearby as he watched her. He wondered how this trip would turn out. Lately, he had been thinking about the past a lot. Now was his chance to do something about it. Then, he felt a hand on his shoulder, which snapped him out of his thoughts. Aqua sat beside him. He gave her a curious look. "Where have you been?"

Nervously, she smiled. "I got a little…sea sick on the side of boat."

With his eyes closed, he breathed out. He guessed it couldn't be helped. His hand rubbed her back to comfort her. "You should be used to the ocean by now."

"Well…my stomach has been all over the place." She turned her attention to Amaya at the front of the boat. "At least someone else is excited." Then, she noticed the expression on his face. It was the same expression he had all month. "It wasn't that bad living here, you know?"

His eyes traveled toward the side. "I know."

She gave him a concerned look. "Then what is it?"

Without thinking, he spoke. "…I was…thinking about the past…"

"Why?" She didn't understand it. She searched his eyes, but couldn't find an answer. She leaned her head against his shoulder. "Not everything was bad. Come to terms with the past. Then you can forget the bad and remember the good."

Deep down, he knew she was right. Aqua stood up. His eyes lifted up to her. "Sure you should be getting up after getting sick?"

She smiled to assure him. "I'll be fine." She walked over and stood beside Amaya who pointed up toward the sky.

After some time, they made it to the islands. Aqua smiled as she held onto Amaya's hand. "First things first, let's go visit grandma and grandpa."

Amaya grinned. "Okay!" Vanitas walked behind them as he rolled his eyes. He didn't mind seeing Aqua's father, but her mother on the other hand…

"Aqua! Amaya!" A cheerful greeting left from her mother's lips. First, she hugged Aqua and then moved onto Amaya.

Her father patted Vanitas's shoulder. "Vanitas! It's been a while! How have you been?! How was the trip?!"

"It was fine," he sounded nonchalant.

Aqua's mother pinched Amaya's cheeks. "You're growing so much! How are your classes?! Are you still practicing the violin?"

"Just fine…grandma…" She could already feel the pain set in from her pinching too hard.

Aqua glanced between Vanitas and her mother. She noticed that she didn't give him a warm greeting. "Mother…"

Inside, she sighed to her. Then, she let out a forced smile as she turned toward Vanitas. She had to keep up appearances for her daughter and granddaughter. "Hello Vanitas…" A frown went across his lips. Even he could tell how insincere she was. That was one of her worse welcomes toward him yet. She turned her attention back to the girls. "I'm so glad to see you!"

Silently, Vanitas sighed. It seemed their feud would never end. He stepped toward Aqua. "I'll be next door if you need me."

She looked a little surprised, but a small part of her understood why. She really wished they would get along. "We'll be over there soon." After he left, Aqua frowned toward her mother. "You could've been a little nicer saying hello."

Her mother mirrored her frown. "I was..." Then, she changed the subject, which made her smile again. "So? You said that you had something to tell us?"

Aqua placed her hands on Amaya's shoulder and smiled toward her. Amaya looked up at her curious. "You might want to stay for this too little one."

Vanitas went one house over and knocked on the door. A moment later, a woman with salt and pepper hair tied in a bun answered the door. A surprised look came on his mother's face, but then, it was replaced with a smile. "You made it!"

"Hey..." he greeted her, uneasy.

She stepped aside to let him in. "Where are Aqua and Amaya?" she asked interested.

Vanitas stepped out of his shoes and left them by the door. "They'll be over soon."

She looked at him curious. "Are they next door visiting the in-laws?"

"Yeah…" he answered.

His mother sat down on the couch and placed her hands on her lap. "I take it she's still a handful?"

He sat down beside her. Silently, he was amused by her joke. It was clear to everyone how Aqua's mother felt about him. "Just as welcoming as ever…"

She gave an apologetic smile. "At least you don't have to see each other every day. You'll just have to get along this way."

When Vanitas looked down, he noticed the bruise on her wrist. "What happened to your arm?"

Nervously, his mother placed her other hand over the bruise to cover it. "It's nothing."

He sighed. "Let's not go through this…"

She didn't want him to worry about her. "I was cleaning and while I was doing so I…fell on the stairs and accidentally bruised my arm."

Vanitas looked around the room. "You don't really need anything this big anymore since me and Ventus ain't living here anymore. Why don't we just sell the place and get you something smaller?"

She knew he had a point. "It would make things easier…" His mother sighed in defeat. "I guess you're right…" Then, she smiled a little. "Your brother should be coming home soon."

"Yeah…" he answered.

She noticed that he seemed slightly distracted. "Is there something on your mind?"

A sincere look came into his eyes. "Was I that much trouble back then?"

She was surprised that he asked something like that. "What brought that up?"

By the nervous tone in her voice, he already knew her answer. "I'll take that as a yes."

She sighed. She couldn't hide it. "At times, you were a bit of…a handful."

"I'm sorry," he replied sincerely.

His mother blinked surprised. This seemed very unlike him. "Did something happen?"

"I was just thinking about the last time I came here." He turned his attention to her. "Did anyone tell you that he appeared again?"

At first, she wasn't sure who he was talking about. "Him?"

The last thing he wanted to do is call him by a fatherly name, so he came up with the best name he could at the moment. "The deadbeat…"

Her eyes traveled along the floor. "Oh… Well…I haven't seen your father since you two were really young. He never really crossed my mind much after that. How did he look?"

It was the same image he couldn't get out of his head. "Rough."

A small part of her did feel a little sorry for him. "I see…"

Beside her, Vanitas felt the opposite. "I can't say that I feel sorry for him."

His mother looked at him concerned before she turned her head back forward. "I know… Things hadn't always been the easiest and we haven't always gotten along, but…" Then, she smiled a little toward him. "…I'm proud of what you have become." Inside, he was surprised, though he didn't show it on the out. "I'll admit… I was worried about you for a while, but Aqua became such a positive influence on you and both of you have raised such a beautiful daughter." Then, she rose from the couch. She placed her hand on top of his and smiled. Afterwards, she stood up and headed toward the kitchen. "I'll go make us some tea. I can't wait to see my granddaughter again."

Vanitas watched as she disappeared into the kitchen. Then, his eyes drifted toward the door. Ahead of him, he saw his seven-year-old self standing in front of it. He remembered the day his father left, the words 'see you around kid' he said to him, and him leaving afterwards. He walked over toward the door. It seemed that Aqua and Amaya were still at his in-laws. Then, he glanced toward the couch again. It brought back a lot of memories as well. He could still remember the night he sat with Aqua when they got back together. His eyes followed along toward the stairs as he watched his younger self take her hand and walk up them. He walked up and looked around as he headed toward his room. In the center of the floor, he remembered when he tried to break up with her for her sake, but she wouldn't let him go. Then, he looked over toward the bed where they had their first time. Whether they were good or bad memories, it started to make him miss the place he called home. When he traveled back downstairs, he saw Aqua and his mother embrace as Amaya grinned behind Aqua. Everyone seemed very happy for some reason. "What's going on?"

The two parted as they smiled toward him. His mother rubbed the water from her eye. "Sorry…It's nothing."

He looked curious between them. He wanted to ask, but he decided to let it go. Aqua smiled toward him. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah." He looked over toward his mother. "We'll talk about the house later."

She nodded. "Yes. It was good to see you again…son." Her words amazed him. Things really had changed over the years. He wondered if things had gone differently, would she still called him that?

Later, the three of them headed toward the beach where they were supposed to meet the others. "Amaya!" Amaya lifted her head surprised.

Ahead, a young girl with scarlet red hair and big blue eyes waved as her other hand was wrapped into that of another's. Amaya grinned, happy to see her. "Hana!" She ran ahead and met her.

The scarlet haired woman beside her smiled gently. "You guys made it."

Amaya went over and wrapped her small arms around the woman's round stomach as much as she could. "Hi Aunt Kairi."

Aqua grinned. "You look well."

Vanitas arched his eyebrow. "You've sure got bigger." Right away, Aqua frowned as she nudged Vanitas in the side with her elbow.

Kairi gave him a dull stare as she placed her hand on her stomach. "And you'll never change…"

Aqua looked around curious. "Where are the others?"

"For now, it's just us," Kairi answered.

Vanitas looked around. "Where is that air head brother of mine? Isn't he already here?"

"Yeah. He ran to pick up some things before everyone else got here." Kairi placed her hand on top of Hana's head, which she grinned. "At least one of my little ones was nice enough to stay with me." She closed her eyes as she sighed in defeat. "I guess daddy is more exciting than I am…"

Hana grabbed onto her hand as she grinned to assure her. "That's not true mommy." In response, Kairi smiled.

Aqua smiled as well. "I guess we'll wait here until they get back."

"It might be a while. I wanted to wait here for you guys first. After that, I was going to take Hana to get some ice cream," Kairi replied.

Vanitas arched his eyebrow. "Maybe that's why she stuck with you."

Kairi frowned and stepped in front of him. She held out a note. "I actually suggested that after they left. In the meantime, can you get this?" Vanitas took it from her hand and scanned over it. "I would get it myself, but I'm supposed to take it easy and it would be out of the way and take a lot longer for Sora to get."

"Fine fine…" He stepped closer to her. "You ever think about putting a cap on it?"

Kairi blinked confused. "Huh?"

Vanitas pointed toward her stomach. "I would get that husband of yours neutered before you end up with ten more kids."

Kairi frowned toward him. "Just go…"

Vanitas waved his hand, dismissing her piercing stare. "Maybe don't make it so easy for him to get access. You're allowed to say no every once in a while." Her lips parted stunned as red came to her cheeks. She crossed her arms against her chest as she looked toward the side and pouted. Aqua sighed. Why did he have to pick on Kairi like that…? Vanitas glanced at her and shrugged. "What? It's not a trip without getting under Red's skin."

After he left, Aqua smiled, apologetic. "Sorry about that… You know him…"

Kairi looked upset. "More than I want to..."

Aqua looked down at the raven-haired girl. "Amaya and I will go with you to get that ice cream."

"That sounds nice," Kairi replied, still a little upset.

Hana tugged on her arm, curious. "What did Uncle Vani mean by that?"

Kairi twitched, embarrassed. She didn't realize that she heard that conversation they had between them. Amaya tilted her head interested. "What did daddy say?"

Hana pulled Kairi along. "Uncle Vani said something about how mommy shouldn't let daddy have easy access and…" She placed her finger against her chin. "And that daddy should be…ne…ne…neutered?"

Amaya looked back toward Aqua. "But mommy, I thought that meant-."

Nervous, Aqua waved her hands quickly. "Your father meant nothing by that! It was just a little joke! Let's go get ice cream!" Amaya and Hana walked ahead as Aqua walked beside Kairi. She let out an apologetic smile. "I'll make him apologize later for this."

Kairi leaned in close with a stern stare. "I'm not letting him ruin her innocence over this…" she said between them.

Later, the two sat outside of the ice cream shop. Aqua grinned toward Kairi as she placed her hand against Kairi's stomach. "It feels like you're due any day now."

"I still have another two months to go." She sighed. "I'm just ready for them to come out."

"What are you hoping for?" Aqua asked interested.

To Kairi, it didn't matter much what they had, but she remembered what Hana suggested. "Maybe a boy to even it out."

Aqua smiled as a thought came to mind. Nearby, Amaya and Hana ran back with ice cream as they giggled. Suddenly, Amaya bumped into someone heading into the ice cream shop. When she lifted her eyes, she became surprised. Suddenly, Aqua heard her call. "Mommy!"

Aqua looked over curious. She got up and headed toward her. "What is it Amaya?" Then, her eyes widened surprised.

"It's funny running into you here," a male voice said.

Soon, she was greeted by a familiar, warm smile. "Hey Terra! You made it."

The two moved in and embraced. "Thanks for inviting me. I hope it isn't intruding."

After they parted, Aqua smiled at him with assurance. "It's not intruding at all. We consider you family too, so I'm glad you could join us. I know Ven will be glad when he finally gets here."

Terra looked down toward the raven-haired girl. "Amaya! You've grown so much since I last saw you."

Amaya grinned. "Amaya…!" At the table, Hana waved as she sat next to her mother.

Aqua smiled gently toward Amaya. "Go eat before your ice cream melts." Amaya nodded and ran off. Aqua turned her attention to Terra, which he smiled. "She really has grown up. The last time I seen her in person was years ago."

"Did you get the picture I sent you of her?" she asked curious.

He nodded. "Yes. That's why I recognized it was her. She looks like you."

Aqua laughed a little. "But when she's pouty or upset, she looks like her father." Then, two boys ran out passed them. Aqua looked at them surprised. "Are they…?"

Gently, Terra smiled. "Yeah! My two boys."

Aqua watched them surprised. "Wow…I haven't seen them in so long either."

The two boys stopped in front of them. "Why don't you guys say hi to Amaya." The boys nodded and ran over toward the table.

Aqua let out a gentle smile as well. "They really have grown up so fast…"

"Yeah…" Then, Terra turned his attention to her. "You seem…different."

Aqua became curious. "What do you mean?"

He couldn't figure it out. "I don't know. You just look different, like a glow or something."

Aqua became a little nervous. She didn't think it would hurt to tell him. They were close friends after all. "I haven't told a lot of people yet, but…" Her eyes met his. "maybe I seem different because…I'm pregnant."

A surprised reaction came on his face. "What?"

She placed her hand against her stomach as she looked down and smiled gently. "Yeah…it surprised me too. It's what we wanted."

Terra relaxed a little. "Congratulations. You seem happy."

Aqua nodded. "Thank you. I am."

A thought he always wondered about came to mind. "Hey Aqua?"

She looked curious. "Hm?"

A little nervous to ask, he still questioned if she had the same thought. "Do you ever wonder…how things would've been different if we chose the same path?"

As she took a second to think, her eyes traveled down. "Well…I'm sure we all have thoughts like that, but…" She looked over toward Amaya and smiled gently. "…I wouldn't change a thing. I have something very precious in my life and there was only one person who gave me that precious gift. I wouldn't trade that for anything."

Terra could see her sincerity and hear it in her voice. "You really do seem happy."

She smiled toward him. "Yeah," she replied without hesitation.

Terra waved slightly. "I'll see you later at the beach then."

Aqua nodded. "All right. See you then."

After he left, Kairi watched as Aqua walked over. "That seemed serious."

Aqua sat down beside her as she still went over the conversation in her head. "Terra asked me a strange question."

Kairi shook her head a little. "It's not a strange question."

"Hm?" Aqua became curious as to why she said that.

"Maybe he wonders what life could've been like if you two ended up together instead." Aqua pondered if Kairi was right. Afterwards, Kairi gave a suspicious stare. "So? When you were you going to tell me?"

Aqua smiled nervously. "As soon as I sat down with you."

Kairi let out a sigh. "You're very brave taking another chance."

Aqua blinked surprised. "Huh?"

Kairi looked over toward the girls. "Amaya turned out to be a sweet child, which I'm sure she gets from you." Then, she turned her attention to Aqua. "What if this one turns out to be the spawn of evil like a certain someone?"

Aqua grinned. "He's not that bad."

"I guess he was excited to hear the news?"

Aqua let out a nervous look. "I haven't told him yet…"

Kairi was surprised to hear that. "You haven't told him?"

"I wanted to surprise him earlier, but he seemed so deep in thought lately ever since he came back. I'm starting to get worried." Aqua smiled to assure Kairi that things were fine. "So far, I've only told our parents. I plan on telling him soon."

Kairi grinned curious. "The same question to you too then. What would you want to have?"

Aqua placed her hand on her stomach as she looked down with a smile. "I already know that it will be a boy."

Kairi looked surprised. She had seemed so sure. "How can you tell so soon?"

"I just know because Vanitas made sure of it." Kairi shook her head, amused. She wasn't sure what made her believe, but she would take Aqua's word for it.

In town, Vanitas walked down the street as he carried a bag in his hand. As he looked around, he noticed that a few of the buildings had changed, but for the most part, things had seemed the same. His mind began to dwell on the past again. Instead of going back to the beach, he decided to take a detour. A few minutes later, he traveled down the alleyway that led toward the warehouse he used to go. It surprised him to hear things so quiet around. It was different. Eventually, he stepped back into the old warehouse. The place seemed untouched since he last saw it years ago. There was still a couch on the side where he would lie some nights. On the other side was the desk where his former boss sat. He walked toward the desk. Then, he noticed something down below. He moved his foot and saw a spot of blood. By now, it could've been anyone's, but he still thought it was possibly his own. While he had forgotten most of the pain, the memory of what happened still didn't fade. He counted himself lucky that he wasn't taken away like the others were. He turned and walked away until he heard a voice, "Ah! So you've come back…" Even though he knew it was his imagination, he indulged and turned back. He could still remember the smirk of the man who controlled him long ago. "I knew you would come back eventually. No matter what, I'll always know what you are."

Vanitas frowned. "I've won old man. I didn't get taken down with you." He turned more toward the desk. "I kept thinking I was nothing more than this and even if that was true, I didn't see what else was right in front of me." He lifted his eyes. "I didn't have to live down in the darkness like you did." His eyes drifted toward the side as he reflected on what he had now. The two closest people in his life had stuck by his side. He had a family that cared for him. Something he couldn't see in front of him before. "I'm not that same boy that I was years ago. I have others that care, that didn't want me to go down that path." He glared toward the image of Xehanort. "You were wrong. I was nothing like you. Never was." Afterwards, he turned and walked away. "In the end, I'm still here while you…" He didn't look back. "…you're nothing but a distant memory." At that moment, a burden was lifted from him. Now that he had finally confronted his past, he could put it all behind him.

"About time you showed up!" Sora grinned toward him.

Vanitas handed him the bag. "Yeah… yeah… I got what you wanted."

Sora took the bag from his hand. "Thanks."

When Vanitas looked around, he could see that everyone was there already. He didn't realize that he had been gone that long. "Hey!" He turned around to see Ventus with his small son. He had blonde hair and blue eyes just like his father. "It's been a while."

Vanitas placed his hands in his pockets. "Yeah."

Ventus looked down toward the three-year-old. "You remember your uncle Vani right…?" The small boy nodded as he put his fingers to his lips.

Behind Vanitas, he could hear Sora snicker. While it didn't bother him as much anymore, it was more that Sora held it over his head. Vanitas bent down toward the small boy and rubbed the top of his head. The boy let out a grin. Sora and Ventus gave a quick smile toward each other. Vanitas really had turned into a kinder big brother. Ventus looked down toward him. "Go play with the others."

The young boy nodded and took off. Sora and Ventus watched as they smiled as Vanitas looked calm. "Food's almost ready. Do you guys mind helping?"

Ventus turned to him. "Sure!" Vanitas watched as the two interacted. This was the family that he knew now and it wasn't a bad thing.

Later, Vanitas sat down on the beach chair as he breathed out. Aqua smiled toward him. "You can't be tired already."

He put his hands behind his head. "Not really…" He stared out toward the ocean. On the edge of the beach, he saw the kids playing. It really was a relaxing sight. One, he wasn't sure if he would enjoy in the past before. Then, he became curious toward Aqua. "How come you're not out there?"

The smile increased on her face. "Because I wanted to sit here with you."

Inside, it made him happy to hear that, but he remained casual. "Suit yourself… You're not gonna change out of that outfit?"

Instead of swimwear, she stuck to wearing the same white, sleeveless shirt and beige khakis she had on since they came to the island."I don't really plan on swimming or anything."

Vanitas arched his eyebrow toward her. "Then what's the point of going to the beach?"

Aqua looked down as she placed her hand on her stomach and smiled. "I'm fine just watching." Something seemed off about her that he couldn't figure out. "Hey Vanitas…?"

He snapped at his thoughts. "Yeah?"

A little nervous, she smiled. "Wanna sit with me?"

Vanitas got up and sat in the large beach chair beside her. It was tight squeeze, but once she turned on her side, it became more comfortable. In her mind, she debated ways to tell him what was on her mind, but she decided to try a different approach. She grabbed his hand and placed it on her stomach. It felt hard and slightly round to the touch. He became curious and unsure as to why she pulled him over. "Hm?"

"Just another reason I wore a bigger shirt."

It wasn't long before he figured out what she wanted to tell him. His eyes lifted up stunned. "Already?!"

Her lips were curved into a cheerful smile. "Hmm-hmm…" She placed her hand on top of his. "I'm almost two months along."

Confusion became written on his face. "Wait a minute…! We just agree on this a month ago."

Her eyes traveled up and toward the side. "Well…" Then her eyes met with his. "…You can't help when it happens." Vanitas sighed. They were already further along on their second child. "I know it's earlier than when we actually started trying, but do you think your technique will work? I mean, when we tried for Amaya, I did say I wanted a girl."

"Well… It's hard to say. I didn't try for a boy or a girl at the time, so there's no telling, but since you wanted a boy, then that's what you'll get." Their eyes met and then they laughed. "You still believe that I have the power to choose what you're going to have?"

Aqua cuddled up beside him and leaned her head on his shoulder. "All I know is the first time I asked for a girl and you made me bet that you could give me a girl. Not only did I end up with a girl, but on diaper duty, by myself, for a month. It's worse when they're first born, so I'm not taking that chance again."

A faint smile curled at his lips. He watched as the other kids played. There was more girls on the beach and only a few boys. "I don't know… The odds might be against us considering what everyone else ended up with." Then, Vanitas looked over curious and surprised. Down near the beach, he noticed Ventus and Terra meet face to face. There were grins on their faces as they spoke. "Terra's here?"

Aqua leaned up on her elbow. "I invited him to come, so that he could see Ventus and Amaya. I didn't want him to feel left out. After all, we lived on the island and went to the same school together. If it's strange-."

"You don't have to go into a long explanation about it. I was just asking." When he looked at Terra, he no longer saw him as a rival. There no doubt in his mind that the bond between Aqua and him could be broken. Not after this long. When he left his thoughts, he noticed Aqua staring at him. "What?" He frowned. "I get it. He's a friend of yours. I'm not upset if that's what you're thinking."

As Aqua watched him, she thought about the question Terra asked her earlier. Her answer was still the same. She smiled to assure him. "It's not that. I was just thinking about how I wouldn't change a thing."

Vanitas arched his eyebrow. "Hm?" When she didn't explain why she said it, he wrapped his arm around her neck and pulled her in closer. "Don't be weird…"

As Aqua closed her eyes, she grinned. Then, she lifted her head to him. "So…? Are you happy?"

He arched his eyebrow. "Happy about what?"

"About the new baby."

He closed his eyes as he relaxed in his chair. "If you were responsible enough to take care of it on your own, sure." Aqua pushed her hands against his sides as she pouted. He leaned her head more toward his neck as he leaned his head against hers. "Yeah. If you're happy…I'm happy," he replied sincerely. She wrapped her arm around his stomach as she relaxed. He stared out at the ocean once more. Eventually, another thought came to mind. "Hey…Aqua?"

"Hm?" she replied tired.

"Thank you."

Aqua let out a yawn as she started to get comfortable against him. "For what…?"

He took some time to think. There were other things he wanted say, but he thought it was better to summon it up. He watched as the calm water rolled up on the shore. Feet away, Amaya stopped and waved toward him as she grinned. It only lasted a moment before she took off running again. "For showing me… there was light outside of that dark world I was trapped in. I didn't think my life would get this far, but now… I was finally able to let my past go. It took longer than I thought, but now, I see this place wasn't so bad." When he looked down, he noticed that she still didn't move. He assumed that she had fell asleep. Apart of him was fine that she didn't hear the rest.

Suddenly, he felt movement beside him. Before he could look over, he felt a pair of lips against his cheek. "So? Is that why you've been so distant since we got here?"

"That was pretty sneaky of you."

"I just know that you let out your feelings better this way." He smirked a little toward her. She knew him better than he thought. "You seemed that way ever since we talked a few years ago."

"You mean the 'whole running into my dad' thing?"

She looked at him curious. "Is that what you needed to face?"

He looked serious. "I faced that the first time I saw him. I wasn't angry anymore because I knew you were right a long time ago. I was nothing like him." He turned his head back to her. "I went back to the old warehouse, the place you used to follow me." He could see her concern. "It was other things. Feeling manipulated and trapped. I thought I would fall again, but I never had. I was nothing like that man either. Never was." He lifted his head. "I guess I still had some anger toward what happened, but when I went there, I was able to let it go." He looked back at her. "You probably think that was stupid."

She shook her head. "No. I knew you held it in for a long time, but I wasn't sure how to help."

Vanitas let out a half-smile, half-smirk as he closed his eyes. "Point is you were right."

She smiled. "You should be saying that more often."

He sighed in defeat. Then,he leaned back in his chair and she followed along as she leaned against him again. As time passed, she curled up beside him and fell asleep. The air felt cool as they lied under the shade of the umbrella. He listened to the sound of her soft breathing, the soft waves of the ocean, and the sound of laughter in the distance. He felt at peace. He took another look at the woman who lied beside him. Lightly, the tips of his fingers brushed her bangs aside from her face. She really did have a beautiful glow about her. He could still see her light, even now. He leaned his head against hers as he closed his eyes. Minutes later, Amaya ran up to their chair. Before she spoke, she stopped as she looked a little surprised. Below her, she saw the two asleep. It couldn't be help. She decided to leave them alone to rest. As Vanitas was asleep, he rubbed his cheek against the top of her hair. "Every once in a while, you would ask if I was happy when you weren't sure if I was. The truth is… I'm always happy... whenever I'm with you…"

Well that's the end of this story! It was fun to write! I wanted to experiment and see if I could write an Aqua x Vanitas story. I liked how it turned out to the point where I started to lowkey ship them myself :) It's kind of inspired me to work on another story.

Side Notes: 'Amaya' in Japanese mean 'Night Rain'. Something I wanted to represent in both Aqua & Vanitas since Aqua's name means 'water' and night has to do with darkness for Vanitas.

'Hana' in Japanese means 'Flower'. Picked in mind for Kairi's BBS appearance where she hands Aqua flowers and for her Keyblade Destiny's Embrace.

If you would like to read more, I've been working on a side story that I plan to release next year called "Life: It's Only Just Begun" It takes place between their last years of college up to the epilogue. If interested, look out for it! Thanks for reading!