Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts!

Motherhood

Genre: Romance/Humor

Pairings: Roxas/Kairi

Rating: T

Summary: (AU) After his wife left him Roxas swore off women, but now his daughter Namine wants a mother and she has her eyes set on her red-haired pre-school teacher.

Chapter One: Struggling

"Daddy!" A small blonde girl chirped as she saw the figure of her father coming up the steps to their home. Her crayons and paper long forgotten, she hurried down the stairs to meet the older man.

Roxas grinned when he saw his precious daughter running towards him. He laughed and held out his arms and embraced the girl as she jumped into his arms, nearly loosing his balance in the process. Holding her tight, he began his way up to their home, "How was school today, sweetheart?"

"I drew a picture of you daddy!" She avoided the question as usual, signaling she had another tough day at school. Struggling out of his grasp and hurried into the home, beating her father who was chasing after her, trying to tickle her back. "Eee!! No—Daddy!" She squealed and laughed as she dodged his assault. With a grin, she scurried over to the piles of papers that she had left behind when her father.

After she moved all the different drawings she found that one she was looking for, smiling she looked at the sketch once over before hurrying back to her father's awaiting arms. "Look! Look!"

He picked up the drawing and his daughter and eyed the construction paper with the drawing. It was basically a flesh-colored blob with spiky yellow hair and blue eyes, next to it was a smaller flesh-colored blob with long blonde hair and blue colored eyes.

"It's another master-piece, love." He cooed out as he adjusted his grip on the girl to make it comfortable for both of them. "You want to place it on the fridge?"

Namine beamed, she knew that only the important things are placed on the fridge. "Yay!! Tha fridge daddy! Put it on tha fridge!" She practically sang out as she began to bounce in his arms, Roxas laughed as he walked into the kitchen to place up the picture and make a snack for the five-year-old and himself. Upon getting to the large white appliance, Namine squealed in anticipation and excitement. Many of her other drawings had been placed up to where the world could see. "By Uncle Axel!" She pleaded in which he complied placing the picture of the two of them next to the other flesh blob with wild red-hair and green-eyes.

"What would you like, honey?" He asked as he opened up the appliance.

"PB&J!!"

The young man grinned and ruffled up the girl's blonde hair, "You want milk?" She nodded her head rapidly before she scurried over to her booster-seat using a stool to carefully pick herself up and place herself on the chair.

Roxas watched on adoringly. He loved his baby-girl more than life itself and was amazed at how mature and self-capable she was she was quite different from other children. This led her to being picked on and teased—and while she was very smart she was also very shy and the teasing does nothing to help her self-confidence.

He was growing more and more concern each day.

Maybe some of her emotional-problems and her social-anxiety had to do with her mother just dropping out from her life. Hell, Namine doesn't even know her mother—very well at least. The divorce gave Roxas sole custody over the child, but the mother was able to see her on certain occasions.

She has only visited three times in Namine's life.

Roxas was very upset and worried that because of his ex-wife's actions his precious daughter will grow-up feeling unloved. He knows he can provide her with plenty of love and attention, but every child needs a mother's love, they need both parent's love true but it was the mother that usually held a different relationship with the child. After-all the woman carried the infant inside her for months, went threw pain and sickness to give birth, and sometimes even faced death—no there was something about a mother that a child craves and needs.

But, his blue eyes narrowed and went cold and hard with hate, from his stand-point women are nothing but whores who suck away your life and money to get what they want and when all you have is gone they leave for someone else.

Just ask Larxene, his ex-wife.

The moment he found out she was pregnant, he couldn't have been happier, after all they were high-school sweethearts and this just pushed them into holy matrimony. But she was anything but pleased. At first he just pushed it off as hormones and being pregnant, but after awhile her true colors began to show.

She was shallow, cold, spoiled, self-centered, and wanted nothing to do with motherhood or being a wife.

Three months after their daughter was born she announced she had been sleeping with another man for quite some time and that she was leaving with him.

After than he swore off women, Larxene pretty much left him broke and if it wasn't for his best friend Axel, him and Namine could've been on the streets.

But now, after almost five years since his wife left him, Roxas has rose to the top co-owning a very wealthy business called Kingdom Hearts. In fact the only time he did see his wife was when she was scrounging for more money and when she heard that he was making loads of it. She was quite upset when he sent her away with a cold glare and a few choice words that he would never say in front of his daughter.

In fact, many would call him cold and cruel—he was only kind to his daughter and a few close friends. Other than that he appeared to be heartless, always putting others down, in fact he almost seems a bit like his ex-wife.

Spreading the crunchy-peanut butter of the bread and placing it on top of the bread with the jelly, he handed the snack to his daughter who proceeded to tell more about her time with Axel that was until she remembered something about school.

"Note." She stated, remembering that she had an important note to give to her father from the principle. Leaving her sandwich with only a few bites she hurried to her back-pack, bringing out a slightly crumpled folded piece of paper.

"A note?" Roxas asked as he took a bite from the girl's sandwich.

"No, daddy!" She laughed as she took back her food handing him the paper and continued with her eating.

With a laugh he teased out, "Selfish little thing."

"No!!" Namine pouted but still refused to share her food.

With a roll of his eyes he opened the note and began reading only to become instantly concerned.

Dear Mr. Roxas Akira

Your daughter, Namine, has been struggling with her classmates and teacher and will now be moved to a different class. Ms. Kairi Papou will be your daughter's new teacher in hopes that she will help open Namine up. Ms. Papou has a degree in children psychology and will be able to help Namine take baby-steps into being less shy and to help tutor her in social behavior.

Ms. Papou and I will be more than willing to have a meeting with you for any questions or concerns you might have.

Sincerely, Principle Merlin.

He knew his daughter was having problems, but so much she had to be moved? He held little concern for the teacher, as long as she taught and did not harm his child in any manor he couldn't care less about her, but the fact that Namine was struggling so much with making friends made his heart hurt.

"You're being moved to a different class?"

She nodded, obviously not fully understanding what was going on, "Tomarra I go to Ms. Papa-u! She's smart." Roxas guessed she heard the principle talking about her college degrees.

"Well, tell me if you feel uncomfortable in her class and I will have them move you out." 'And I will personally castrate them for placing you in an uncomfortable situation.'

She grinned, her face and teeth covered with jelly and peanut-butter, "Kay!"

His eyes softened, "Hurry and finish that up and then we can go wake Uncle Axel—I know he fell asleep in the guest bedroom." He then used a wet paper towel to wipe the mess off her face. "Why don't you go in and jump on his stomach? That should make him very happy."

"Yay!" And with that the little blonde girl ran off.

A sinister smirk spread over Roxas's face, 'Three…Two…One.'

"AUGH!!! ROXAS YOU JERK!! I THINK MY INSIDES JUST EXPLODED!!"

"Got ya." He stated aloud and went to where his friend was; knowing he would find a slightly wounded and very startled Axel with Namine on his stomach giggling. Upon entering he took note that he was correct.

"Uncle Axel—Uncle Axel! Let's play Mario Party®!" Namine pleaded, her big eyes watering. "Please!"

The red-head sighed tiredly but complied, "Fine, but I'm Mario." She grinned and wrapped his neck in a hug.

"Sweetheart, you go start the game while I talk to Axel." Roxas stated as he threw a look to his friend who understood that it was something important.

"Kay, but don't tell him any secret moves of mine!" The blonde scolded before she ran off to the living-room with the two males watching after her.

"Ok, what's up?" The tall male asked as she picked himself up from the bed, stretching.

The other male simply tossed the paper, "Namine is having more trouble than we first thought." He then crossed his arms over his well-defined chest. "They're moving her to another class—this one taught by some professional children psychologist."

Axel snorted, "A shrink, how touching of them to send Namine to a shrink."

The snide and sarcastic remark made Roxas raise an eyebrow, his lip twitching in a smirk, "And what pray tell, has got you so worked up about psychologist?"

"Bastards think they know everything. I tell you something, bro—those shrinks are serious ass-holes. They know they know everything and will brainwash you into their way of thinking."

"You're such a baby." Roxas mocked as he left the guestroom to play a game with his daughter followed closely by the red-head, who was whining at being insulted and ignored.

--

Namine's grip on her father's hand tightened as she looked at her feet, one of the teachers—Ms. Gainsborough—talked with her father. She didn't want to move to another class where different and new kids would make fun of her. Namine bit her lip to stop herself from crying.

"I will want to speak with her teacher in the near future, but I have an appointment I cannot miss." Her daddy's voice was cold and sharp, something he used when he wasn't talking to herself, Uncles Axel, Hayner, Pence, or Aunt Olette.

The teacher seemed unfazed by his tone and looked down at the girl with a tender smile, "Are you ready to go meet your new friends?"

'No. I want to stay with daddy.' She thought but gave a stiff nod and hugged her father, in which he returned, before she followed the pretty woman out of the office.

"You'll love Ms. Papou, sweetie. This is her first year teaching but all the children just love her, I know you will to."

Namine felt tears sting her eyes, 'No I won't.'

--

"Now don't eat the paste—Rikku! I said don't eat the paste!" Kairi stated to the small blonde child who was licking the white substance off her paper. Hurrying over she picked up the five-year old and placed her on the sink tearing off a piece of a paper-towel and wetted it. The red-haired woman then placed the damped cloth over Rikku's mouth. "Ew." Kairi teased as she continued to clean the girl's face.

"It was nummy!"

"You're not suppose to eat paste honey." Kairi stated with a grin. Once the girl was all cleaned up she placed her back down and watched as she ran over to where her two closest friends' were waiting for her.

"It has only been twenty minutes and already they're eating the art supplies." She thought aloud with a shake of her head and a laugh. "Alright everyone! Sit down, I have an announcement!" The children began to settle somewhat, always loving to hear their teacher talk. "We're getting a new friend—now she might be a little shy, after-all she is coming to a new class-room so I want all of you to promise me you will be very nice to her."

"Ok!" The all cheered.

"Wonderful!" There was a knock on the door. Hurrying over, she opened the door only to come face to face with Aeris, another teacher in the school. The brunette gave the younger woman a gentle smile before she nudge the small blonde that was beside her looking at her feet.

"Namine, this is Ms. Papou, your new teacher." Namine didn't look up.

With a gentle smile of her own, Kairi squatted down the child's level. "Hello there sweetie—My name is Kairi Papou, but instead of calling me Ms. Papou everyone calls me Kairi—can you do that?"

The girl made no indication that she heard her. Completely undaunted, though at little sad at how the girl must feel, Kairi gently grasped her pale hand and brought her inside the room, throwing a quick thank-you to Aeris.

"Everyone!" She cried out, though she really didn't have too since the children's attention was already set on her and the new blonde. "Everyone, this is Namine Akira, I want all of you to be nice to her. Understand?"

"Yes'em!"

Yuna raised her hand, "Why is she look' in down? Does she have eyes? Can she talk?"

Kairi shook her head in amusement at the girl's questions. "She does have eyes, but she just doesn't want to talk at the moment. And besides—you all are so yucky I bet she doesn't want to look at you." The kids giggled, trying to appear offended by the insult. "Namine, you will sit by—let's see. Oh Selphie! There is a seat open right next to her, see the girl in the yellow dress?"

Taking only a small glance up to see where she was to be seated, Namine nodded before she slowly made her way over to the chair.

Grinning from ear to ear, Selphie waited impatiently for the girl to arrive. When she did the brunette let her have it, "You have blonde hair! Tidus has blonde hair! Yuna loves Tidus; I know--I saw her write a note in a heart for him!! How old are you? Where are you from? When's your birthday? You're going to love Ms. Kairi! Do you like paste? Rikku does, I never tried it! What's your favorite cookie?"

"Selphie—that's enough talking. We're now doing a bit of math. Now what is one plus one?"

The class answered, "Two!"

"One plus two?"

"Three!" They called out happily.

Kairi stopped momentarily to see that Namine had made no acknowledgment that she needed to answer. "Namine, do you know what is one plus four?" The girl stiffened at being the center of everyone's attention and instantly began to shake.

"Ms. Kairi! I think she's sick!" The brunette clad in yellow called out worriedly.

"It's ok, Selphie. Namine, if you don't want to answer you don't have too." Kairi gave the girl another gentle smile; she then walked over to the small child who had begun to tremble. "You just take it easy and take your time adjusting." She stroked the blonde hair in a comforting motion before she picked herself up and went back to the front of the room.

"So, if Mr. Cow has two apples and Mr. Sheep has three apples how many do they have together?"

All the children quieted down instantly trying to calculate the math problem in their head.

"F-five ap-apples." A soft voice sputtered out instantly earning everyone's attention.

"That is correct Namine!" Kairi cheered. "Very, very good!"

"Way's to go's!" Selphie cheered as well. "I'm not very good at math and adding—I wish I was as smart as you!" Namine made no acknowledgment that she was being praised or complimented.

Kairi frowned, 'I'm going to have a bit of difficulty with this one.'

--

"Dude—chill. Namine will be fine, she's a tough girl!" Axel coaxed, trying to ease his best friend's, and his own, worries. "Besides if anything happens to her you and me can go down there and kick their asses!"

Roxas growled under his breath, "Kicking their asses wouldn't even cover it, I placed her in what's suppose to be one of the best pre-school's around and she is always coming home near tears! I swear I'm going to one day make them pay. Maybe if I hadn't escaped from Organ--"

"Whoa—whoa—whoa there Roxas." The red-head interrupted. "I would love to see those who hurt your little angel pay, but come on don't even think about that road! You and me dropped those bastards because of all the killing they—we—did. We vowed not to talk about it."

The blonde inhaled, calming his fury. "Yeah-yeah, sorry—but still sometimes it comes back to me, the bloodlust." He then looked down at his hands. "And when I think about anyone hurting Namine I just get so--." He stopped unable to find the right words, but he didn't have to continue, Axel understood.

"It's hard to let the past go. But come on, let's get back to business!"

"Right—right." Roxas reluctantly agreed, trying to drag his mind from his precious daughter.

--

Author: My first KH story!! I hope you all liked it! I will try to update soon-ish. I don't know what type of business Kingdom Hearts is at the moment, but hopefully by next chapter I will have a good idea. And everything will be answered later!! Right now, please review!