A/N: Thanks a bunch for the reviews guys! They really made me smile!

Here's the next chapter, enjoy & review!

—»x«—

"Naminé…? Oh my God, you're bleeding," Sora's eyes fixate on your cheek and he brushes the wound gingerly with his fingertips. It hurts horribly but you bite back the hiss that wants to slip from your lips (idiot, look at what you've done; you've stained—corrupted—his pretty, tan fingertips with your ugly, dirty blood!)

"I'm sorry, so sorry…I'm sorry, Sora," you're murmuring his name like a mantra. He must be some sort of god, because every time you look into those (divine) eyes, the pain (the burning)—it stops.

Suddenly, his hands are around your waist and he's pulling you inside the pretty Victorian home. "C'mon, we've gotta get you cleaned up." Inside, the house is warm and homely, perfect and clean—(nothing like the hellhole you live in.)

He takes you into a bathroom (the walls are warm and tan like his skin that you want to touch) and he helps you up onto the counter. You don't see what he pulls out from under the cabinet (because you're too busy staring at how nicely his long, shining lashes fall open his hallowed cheek as he lowers his eyes.)

But suddenly, those blue eyes are boring into yours—they look so much prettier up close, because now you can see the flecks of gold and silver and brown, drowning so hopelessly in the blue (and you're drowning in them, too, dear.)

He softly says, "This might hurt, Naminé," and he grabs your hand, your fingers weave together.

The medicated cotton pad he dabs on your cut does hurt, just a little (but it doesn't matter, because he's the one who's hurting you.)

"All right, I'm done…It'll take a while to heal, but at least now we know it shouldn't get infected—" he pauses and eyes you searchingly (your heart is in your throat, dear; be careful not to choke.)

"Naminé…you haven't stopped shaking since you came," his ghosts his hands over your bare arms and something in your stomach flutters (I'm sure you're wondering what that was—you've never felt it before.)

"Please, tell me what happened," he pleads (how could you say no to those glorious eyes?)

You barely hesitate, because this is Sora and he's your only hope. "Mother-d—my mom, she did this to me…"

Sora's shocked, "Your own mom? But why? Did you get into a fight?"

"N-no, Sora…she just…she hates me."

"I don't understand, Naminé. I can't understand why anyone would hate you…"

You hug your arms around yourself, but you can't stop the trembling. "She's crazy, Sora. She's been crazy ever since…" (Now you've done it, dear…how will you tell him you killed your own brother?)

"Ever since what—"

"—I can't, Sora!"

"—Naminé…"

"—I can't tell you!" you jump off the counter and shove your way past him. You can't let him know, even if you have to go back to the witch's lair, you can't let him know. You'll take another night of beatings—so long as Sora doesn't know, so long as he'll still love you.

"—Naminé, wait—" before you reach the door, pretty Sora grabs your shoulder—and it hurts (it hurts like hell because Sora doesn't know that mother-dear made bruises there.)

"I can't tell you, Sora," you explain pleadingly, and the tears are springing to your heavenly eyes again.

"If I tell you, you'll surely hate me…please, let me go." (Yes, he should let you go. You'll gladly pay your retributions to the witch with more bruises and blood, so long as you'll see his face again.)

Sora's grinning, and you have no idea why. "Naminé," your name rolls off his tongue, and shivers bolt down your back.

"I could never, ever hate you," his warm fingers tuck a flaxen lock of hair behind your ear. "Even if I wanted to, I couldn't hate you, Naminé. It's simply impossible, believe me," he pledges.

You stare at him breathlessly. "…But Sora—"

"You don't have to tell me now, Naminé. You can tell me later when you're ready, or you don't have to tell me at all. It doesn't matter to me…I just can't let you go back—if she's done this to you, I'm sure she's done it before…" Sora's blue eyes darken with anger. "I'm sorry, Naminé…But I can't let you leave. I don't want to see you hurt anymore."

"Sora…" you can't hold in the sobs anymore, so you let them out. You cry and cry and cry (you haven't cried like this since you murdered him, dear)—and Sora, he holds you (he holds you while you come undone, kissing your hair and whispering sweet nothings in your ear.)

—»x«—

You're swimming in Sora's shirt and shorts, but you don't mind. You're sitting in his room and he's stroking your hair as you sit and silence, because you're still too shaken to speak.

You feel like you're stuck in a dream, as if you'll wake up any moment to find yourself back in mother-dear's lair and to find Sora a nonexistent figment of your imagination. If this is a dream of sorts, you'd rather die than awake.

But he's alive and you can hear him breathing and his heart beating—and he's humming a song that you can't name—so mustn't he be real?

Your heart threatens to trip free from your chest when you hear a car pulling up outside. "S-Sora?" you murmur anxiously.

"It's okay, Naminé. It's just my mom, she's back from work."

"…I-I should leave—"

"—No…" Sora breathes passionately, and he's caressing your cheek and he's so close your breaths are mingling. You've never felt so dizzy; your whole world's spinning.

"I told you already, you're not leaving. Just…just stay here, I'll talk to her. She'll understand…wait here while I work things out, okay?"

You nod hesitantly. Sora flashes a lopsided grin, and when he leaves and his touch is gone, you feel so numb and cold.

You can barely hear him talking outside (you can only hear hushed murmurs because your heart is beating so damn loudly.)

But suddenly you hear them come inside the house—and Sora, he's laughing. And you hear a woman's voice—her voice sounds like music.

"Naminé, c'mere."

Your legs feel like lead but you manage to get up and leave Sora's room. He meets you halfway, at the bottom of the staircase, and when you reach the end he takes your hand in his (and it would've been something like a fairytale, dear, except you'll never be a princess—murderers can't be royalty.)

Your pretty beryl eyes are glued to the floor when Sora leads you into the living room—and you can feel his mother's presence there.

"Mom, this is Naminé…"

A pause that seems like eternity follows…and you gradually gather the courage to lay eyes on your angel's mother.

Her eyes a big—the same hue of blue as his—and so very warm and friendly. She has the same cinnamon color locks. Oh, she looks just like Sora, she's so very beautiful.

And her smile—it lights up the room. "…Sora's told me so much about you, I'm so glad to finally meet you, Naminé…"

Once you finally reclaim your voice, you say, "…I-it's nice to meet you too."

She beams again and continues, "Sora's told me about your unfortunate situation at home, and I'd be glad to take you in." Sora squeezes your hand as she steps forward and pulls you into a warm, motherly hug.

"Everything's going to be okay, honey. I promise," when she lets you go, she scrutinizes you briefly and smiles. "I can see why Sora couldn't stop talking about you. You're gorgeous."

You're blushing, and you glance over at Sora to see he's blushing too.

"Oh," his mother suddenly squeals, glancing at her watch. "I've gotta start dinner," and without further ado, she scurries into the kitchen, throwing you an apologetic smile over her shoulder.

You suddenly feel a warm, strong hand at the small of you back, and Sora is smiling at you.

"See? I told you everything would work out…"

He's close to you again—and for some reason you can't stop staring, something is beginning to click, the gears in your mind begin shifting.

"Naminé…?"

It's the depth of his blue eyes, the brilliant white of his teeth. It's his smile, his lips his nose, his jaw structure—

Before you know it, you're touching him and he gasps beneath your fingertips…his cheeks, his chin, the seam of his lips—and by the gods, this can't be…

Now you know, now you know why you love him. Now you know why you're so hopelessly attracted to him, why he seems to be the center of your world (could the gods sentence you with a crueler curse?)

"Naminé? What's wrong? Tell me…what's the matter?" he's shaking you as your pupils begin to dilate.

"Roxas…?"

And suddenly it's paler skin and bluer eyes and shorter blond hair and a deeper, darker voice speaking to you.

"Naminé…? Naminé!"

"Please, I'm sorry—I didn't mean to. It was an accident, I swear!" you're screaming now and the flames are beginning to blossom again.

Sora-Roxas' voice is growing fainter, and your eyes lids are suddenly so heavy (give in.) Suddenly, you're slumbering, drowning in darkness—

…and not even Sora's clear, blue eyes can save you.

—»x«—

So yay, Sora saved Naminé! :D

Have any comments/questions about the chapter? Review, review, review! I'll be updating again very soon! :D