Set mostly in the Land of Departure.

I've been working on this for months.
And I was aiming for a OneShot, but I decided to extend it.
There were too many emotions going on for me to keep the word count in check.

The second chapter is almost complete.

I also intended to finish in May (in time for Mother's Day) but I'm sure I'll finish much earlier.
After all, the idea is simple. And the story has been fleshed out.

I'd like to take this chance to thank my newest readers and reviewers.
I still receive your emails; I truly appreciate them. Thank you.
And, of course, a very heartfelt thanks to my oldest fans for sticking with me still.
For those who have been waiting for something new, here you go.

I put all kinds of love - friendship, familial, unconditional - in here in the hopes that I'll melt your hearts.
Enjoy!

[DISCLAIMER] I do not own Kingdom Hearts. [DISCLAIMER]

UNCONDITIONAL

As certain as the coming dawn.

Between keeping the Heartless under control, watching the balance between Light and Darkness, and generally maintaining order in hundreds of worlds… It was difficult to imagine where she would find time to think of him. But she did. Every waking moment. And in sleep as well.

Often, Aqua dreamt of him. It was vague and hollow because she didn't know how he looked now. It has been a decade since she saw him last; a fragile little thing in her arms. And that last day she had with him was the most difficult.

She had just rocked him to sleep, his head resting over heart, calmed by its beat and the soft hum of her lullaby. Even now, six months after he was born, Aqua just could not believe this child was hers. This amazing, perfect little boy was hers. She lay him down carefully in his crib and spun the mobile she'd made for him.

"I love you," she whispered, pressing a kiss to her fingers and touching it to his cheek.

Then the peace of the moment was broken by a sharp, single knock on her door. She turned around to find the Master watching her.

"Master Eraqus," she said, respectful but wary. Ever since she'd told her Master that she was expecting, he hadn't been the same with her. They hadn't been on good terms.

"We need to speak, Aqua. About your son. About his future."

Hesitantly, Aqua gave her little boy one last loving glance before she followed her Master out of the room. Right beside the closed door, he started. "His father… You and I know what he was like. And neither of us can know which nature your son will be inclined towards; yours, or his."

Aqua remained silent but her jaw tightened. If Eraqus noticed, he ignored it.

"Let's consider what he will become when he grows up. The possibility of him becoming a Keyblade Wielder is… it's…"

"Certain," Aqua finished for him.

"Yes, almost. Quite so," Eraqus agreed. "With both his parents being two incredible wielders, I don't see how he can be anything but. Even now I can tell he has a strong heart. He's intelligent and responsive. It will only be a matter of time before a Key comes into his possession. And therein lies our problem."

Aqua tried her best to keep her emotions in check.

"I would like to give him the benefit of the doubt. But, even so, I think it would be best if we remove any factor or influence that may be negative."

"What do you mean…?"

"He needs to grow up in an objective environment. And we need to make efforts to ensure he follows the right path. We must stamp out whatever darkness he may have within him and turn him towards the light. If you intend to keep him and raise him here, that is a condition that I require you meet."

"Master, with all due respect! He is a child, not a… an animal that must be controlled! He is a human being who needs to make his own decisions about who he will be." Aqua frowned. "He should have the right to choose his own path."

"Aqua, you brought this upon him. Of all the men you could choose to father your son - !"

Her Keyblade was in her hand before she could even think to summon it. "Enough!"

"Aqua…" he said, his eyes looking briefly at the weapon in her hand.

"No! I will not stand here and listen to this!"

"You will listen!" Master Eraqus shouted back. "You're blinded by your love for that child, can you not see? As you raise him, if he starts showing hints of darkness, will you notice? Or worse! Will you notice and ignore it? That is what love does, Aqua. Unconditional love, like what you have for your boy… Like what I had for Terra. It will blind you!"

That brought her up short. Rainfell was suddenly so heavy in her hand. She dismissed it. Why had she summoned it in the first place? Was she so blinded already that she had unconsciously considered hurting her Master? "Master Eraqus… I…"

"Accept the truth, Aqua. Please. I am doing this for you."

"But… What should I do?"

"I should have stayed. I should have…" she kept telling herself, breaking her own heart repeatedly. But the choice had been made and there was no taking it back. She had left her son under her Master's watchful eye, to train under Terra. Without her, they could show him the right path and keep him there. Control him, if he needed to be controlled.

Without her.
Those two words hurt her so much that sometimes she forgot to breathe.

"I'm… done..."

Terra turned around to find the boy panting, hands on his knees. In his fist were small, triangular flags. They were used to mark the checkpoints of the hiking trail and obstacle course that Terra had set his pupil to at dawn – eleven hours ago. The boy flung these out onto the grass and Terra paused a moment to count them. Twelve white ones. And three red ones, which marked the more difficult tasks. All fifteen of them accounted for.

It was more than he expected of a boy of ten – almost eleven – years.

"Done," the apprentice repeated. He straightened up and let out a big breath. Then he grinned at his Master, his sapphire eyes shining.

He looks like his father, Aqua. But whenever I look at him, I see only you. He has your eyes, down to the light that shines in them.

"Good. Tired, Caelum?"

"Not even a bit!" the boy feigned an affronted look. Then he summoned his Keyblade – a sleek, sharp one in shades of blue. "Want a go? I've still got game!"

Terra had to laugh. He approached his student and placed a hand on his head. "Enough training today. You need to be well rested for tomorrow."

The young wielder frowned. "But I'm not tired. Come on, Master, please?"

Terra looked at his apprentice and sighed. "All right, we'll spar. But if you lose…"

"I know, I know," Caelum answered impatiently. "I'll scrub the floors of the Great Hall. Got it. Let's go!"

Long after Caelum was put to bed, Terra was still awake. He was at the Forecourt with Master Eraqus, watching the night sky.

"He's gifted," the old Master said to the younger.

Terra nodded. "Like his mother."

"He has more of his father's talents in him than his mother's. I've seen him train and spar with you. He's speed and lightning and a sudden breeze."

"He's adept with magic. Not as adept as her, but… I see her in him."

Eraqus looked at his apprentice – now a Master with a pupil of his own – and sighed. "You see what you want to see, Terra."

"No, I see what's there. Master, he's nothing like his father."

"That remains to be seen."

"You can't still say that, not after all these years. Master, with all due respect, you have to trust them. Caelum needs her. And Aqua deserves to - !"

He was cut short as a portal opened overhead. From the swirling light and shadow soared a Glider. It circled once then headed downward and landed a few yards in front of them. Terra grinned; Ventus was getting better at his landings.

"Terra! Master Eraqus!" the youngest apprentice greeted.

"Welcome back, Ventus," the Master returned.

Terra clapped his friend on the back once the armor had reverted back to its compact form. "How's it going, Ven?"

"Great!" came the answer as Ven pulled out rolls of paper. He handed a few to the Master. "The scrolls you asked for," he said. "And her reports."

He turned to Terra and handed him a single envelope, saying nothing.

"How is she?" Terra asked, taking it carefully, as if it might break.

"She's okay, I guess. Tired all the time." He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "And, uh… She lost a bit of weight. And her hair is a little bit longer, if you want to know that sort of thing."

They walked back to the castle together and the Master left them to head to his rooms.

"What's Caelum been up to?"

Terra couldn't keep the smile off his face. "He finished the entire course today."

"The whole course?"

"Yeah."

"Woah, he's getting good."

Terra nodded. Then, as his smile faded, he added, "Aqua would have been so proud…"

Ven looked away. "Yeah, she would have been."

"Does she ask about him?"

"Always." Ven's hand went up to rub his nape again. "I don't know what to tell her anymore."

"That's okay. I do. I'll write up a letter for her tomorrow."

"You know, Terra… You really have to admire her for this. If I were in her place, I don't think I'd be able to stay away."
Terra smiled sadly. "Yeah, well… She was always the best at being obedient."

Ven's smile was awkward. "Yeah, she was."

Thank You

~Alacquiene~