Nightlight

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Kairi sighed; sitting up in her bed. She shivered; she didn't remember Hollow Bastion being this cold. Pushing her bedcovers aside, Kairi's feet touched the wooden floorboards, sending shivers up her spine. Holding the hem of her light pink nightgown up, she tiptoed over to the candleholder on her nightstand, lighting it up with her light magic. The tip of the candle came alight, and shielding the small glow from her sleeping companions, she quickly crossed the room, opening the bedroom door.

Alone… she had been alone for the past two years on the Destiny Islands…

Waiting… waiting for Sora to come back to her.

Granted, this wasn't the Destiny Islands, and this wasn't the "happy reunion" she had imagined many times over in her head. Yet again, she had fallen into the clutches of darkness; and was being held in Hollow Bastion until Sora came to rescue her. Of course, it wasn't as easy as it sounded. He had to do battle with Saix of the Organization. Boy; that guy wasn't easy to beat, he had his entire basis covered and it had nearly wiped Sora out. She grinned, Sora did fight with such vigour to same her, and he did keep his promise.

He did come back to her.

He had managed to save her, bringing her back to Merlin's house where Leon and the others had created a base of sorts as they tried to rebuild the destroyed town.

"It's just not the same without you beside me." Kairi breathed, closing the door to her makeshift bedroom closed.

Kairi slowly padded her way down the corridor, looking at all the closed, wooden, bedroom doors. Her eyes flickered to each closed door, staring at them all for a few moments. Which one was Sora's?

"It figures," Kairi said lightly, shaking her head at the predicament she had gotten herself into. "The one time I wasn't paying attention to Yuffie's chatter… and now, I can't find you."

Kairi slapped her free hand to her forehead. Maybe the Organization was right and she was useless. She laughed, holding the candle holder out in front of her, trying to penetrate the thick darkness. "First, I lose my heart and you have to give up your heart to bring me back. Two years pass and I get captured by the Organization. Then you have to come and rescue me again," Kairi sighed, looking dejectedly around her, the stairs to Merlin's Study creeping closer. "How pathetic am I?"

Kairi cast a glance behind her, if it wasn't so late she would have turned around and poked Yuffie to ask her what room Sora was in. She knew that she would have to endure taunting about liking Sora, but she would have taken it, as it would lead her to Sora. However, it was at least three am, a little early for a wake up call. Yuffie would probably hit her with her ninja stars; even when asleep she had good reflexes. She shook her head, she had to continue on. She had to see Sora before he went back out to the battle field.

"Hhm?" Kairi's head shot up, as she felt the chill of the wind sweep around her, rustling her nightgown slightly. "Who would leave the doors open at a time like this?"

Shielding the candle from the wind, Kairi quickly made her way down the corridor, her feet hurriedly slapping against the floorboards under foot. Stopping at the bay doors leading to the small patio, Kairi's hand dropped from the candle's light, the light flickering out within seconds. She didn't seem to notice the candle flickering out; she had eyes only for the male sitting on the patio's ledge.

It was him.

Sensing someone approach; he shifted on the ledge, his brown hair illuminating in the moonlight. A grin broke across his features as he saw Kairi standing in the bay windows, watching him. "Hey there, Kairi," he said, dropping down from the ledge and making his way over to her. "What are you doing up this late?"

Kairi grinned, slowly walking over to him, placing the candle holder on the ledge. Leaning on the ledge, Kairi looked out at the currently, peaceful Hollow Bastion scenery. She smiled as she felt Sora come up behind her, resting his hands on the ledge on either side of her. She leaned up against his chest, sighing contently.

"I couldn't sleep… I had a bad dream. What about you, though?"

Sora grinned, flashing his trademark grin. "There's just been so much going on lately, I just can't shut my brain off," Kairi turned around in the small area, locking her eyes with his, her head titled slightly. Sora grinned, she looked very cute when she did that, then looked at her seriously. "You had a bad dream? What was it about?"

Kairi bit her bottom lip. She didn't want to burden Sora with her sleeping problems, but she knew that if she didn't tell him, he would worry more about her. "I was lost. Lost in the darkness… I could hear you, but I couldn't find you. I searched and searched, and then I woke up. I was all alone in the dark. It was all so real."

Sora grinned, bringing up a hand and running it through her hair. "You're never alone Kairi. I'm right here, in your heart."

Kairi smiled weakly up at him. Before she could stop herself, she had shot her arms out, wrapping them around Sora's waist, burying her head in his shirt. "I'm afraid of the dark, Sora. Ever since two years ago; I don't like it. I feel so helpless in it, especially at night."

Sora grinned, wrapping his arms around her as he rested his chin against the top of her head. "Do you want me to stay with you for the night?"

Kairi nodded against his shirt's fabric. "Promise you won't leave me, Sora?"

Sora shook his head, staring off at the endless sky hanging above them. "I won't, I'm always with you. You know that, right? Now, where are we going?"

Kairi grinned, stepping back from him and intertwining her hands with his. "I know, and you know I'm always with you. I'd say we could go back to my room, but I'm sharing with Yuffie at the moment…"

Sora nodded, knowingly. "She'll never leave us alone, will she?" Kairi shook her head, no. Sora grinned, leading Kairi through the bay doors, closing them behind him. "We can use my room, only Donald and Goofy are there, they won't say."

Kairi nodded sleepy, leaning up against him. "That sounds good. I think I might actually get a good night's sleep now."

Sora, looking down at the red head leaning against him, got an idea in his mind. Smirking slightly, he brought a hand up to her hair, entangling the strands within his fingers. "Say Kairi; are the type of sleeper who clings onto sources of warmth?"

Kairi laughed, pulling away from Sora, grabbing his hand that was entangled in her hair. With a wink over her shoulder, as she opened the door Sora and her had stopped in front of, she had only one thing to say.

"You'll have too find out, won't you?"

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