DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING!

Riku's Return

Emiko sighed as she and her eldest daughter Risa put the final touches on their fish dinner. Out of the corner of her eye she saw her husband Kosuke direct her youngest sons, Satoshi and Daisuke, to go wash up before he began to set up the table.

She loved her silver haired green eyed husband very much, but she couldn't help and wish it was a younger silver haired boy doing that...She wished it was her second oldest.

She wished it was Riku.

Alas over a year ago during a storm he and his best friend (who she just remembered for some reason...) went missing. The storm wasn't even a big one so she can't understand what happened. It was even more confusing since Kairi was still here and those two never went anywhere without her.

Kairi never came to visit, but there were some days where she would just stand in front of their house longingly. Kairi was usually such a happy girl that it broke her heart to see her depressed face...She wished to go out there and comfort her, but she was afraid it would destroy whatever willpower the girl had to keep her going.

Emiko quickly shook her head and wiped her eyes...It would not do for Risa to see her cry again. As her eldest child, Risa had always felt responsible for her siblings, so Riku's disappearance was like a punch to the face.

"Mom, the cake!" Risa cried out as she smelled something burning and Emiko jumped. Faster than she thought, she turned around and pulled her chocolate cake from the oven.

"Just in time." Emiko sighed in relief. "Good call Risa."

Risa blushed at the praise, but frowned thoughtfully at her mother. "What's bothering you mom?"

"Nothing." Risa noticed her mother look at the open seat at the table.

Riku's seat.

Risa sighed as she thought longingly to her two years younger brother...She remembered how the two of them used to bicker. Riku was always so stoic and collected that she used to rile him up just to make sure he was still capable of feeling. She loved her five year old brothers very much, but the twins always had each other so she didn't need to worry so much.

Plus as their eighteen year old sister she was already icky.

About seven months ago she had decided to go ask Kairi what had happened to her brother, but when she saw the lost look in the girl's eyes she never brought it up again.

A part of her was bitter towards Riku as well...Their mother had cried or nearly cried every night since he left, but she was sure Riku didn't care.

He was too cool to care about that.

Riku was always selfish...He did whatever he wanted and really only cared about himself. Only Sora and Kairi were able to bring out a much more selfless version of him and even that was beginning to wane by time Riku and Sora disappeared.

She was sure that Riku didn't care about how his little brothers would get depressed that he wouldn't teach them sword fighting anymore or how their father had to double his workload to make up for Riku's not being there to help fish.

He probably didn't care that several times she cried herself to sleep.

No, she knew he wouldn't because she knew about his raft. He was going to leave them and he didn't even think of saying goodbye. Riku was a selfish and a jerk, but she would do anything to get him back.

However, she was realistic and realized that most likely he was never coming back and neither was Sora...She knew how trapped those two felt on the islands. Riku had long grown bored with everything around him while Sora wanted to find Kairi's original home. They both claimed that she came from a different world, but Risa was logical, she knew that the idea of other worlds was nothing but old sailor stories.

It never stopped those three from trying unfortunately.

"Boys! You better be cleaning up in there!" Emiko yelled from the stairs.

"Don't worry Emi; I've gotten it taken care of!" Kosuke called back before sighing to himself. It used to be Riku who would make sure the boys cleaned up for dinner.

Alas his son was gone and (though he would never tell Emiko this) probably for good. Riku was always a dreamer...He knew Riku dreamed of a life greater than being a fisherman like him. Every night when Riku was little he would ask to hear those stories about other worlds. The one where the boy disappeared forever was his favorite, but he just thought it was childishness. He never considered the idea that he would actually leave a possibility.

He was so deluded.

Although he doubted Riku actually would have left if Kairi never came. She was "proof" that those stories were true...Even though she most likely was just shipwrecked and not from another world. It was because of that reason that he has always felt some resentment to the girl, but he doubted Riku would listen to him to stay away even if he never left.

He let him and Riku train to become soldiers on the main continent despite his wife's protests...He always thought that if they learned what real fighting was they would give it up and stay on the islands. He was right of course, but then the idea of going to other worlds was rekindled in them and they started at it again. Unfortunately, this time they never stopped.

Now here he was doing the workload that he wished his son was helping him with; he didn't have the money to really pay anyone on the island to help either. It was exhausting, but he felt the need to cover Riku's work at home as well. He was the one who told him the stories after all, and thus it was his fault they lost one of their children.

"All clean dad!" The twins said in stereo.

"Dinner time!" Emiko called up and the boys rushed down with Kosuke following behind them.

"Smells wonderful," Kosuke told her smiling slightly and giving her a kiss on the cheek. The family sat down to eat with a sigh as they tried to not focus on the empty chair with the plate of food that was going to be thrown out later.

"So, how was school Ri—" Emiko was cut off when there was a knock at the door.

"Always at dinner..." Risa muttered before she said, "I'll get it!"

She quickly hurried to the door wondering if it was the mayor again asking if they've gotten any news about Kairi. When she opened the door she was dumbfounded to see a sixteen year old silver haired, green eyed boy standing there nervously.

It was Riku.

Riku.

He was back.

Unbelievable.

"H-Hey," Riku said nervously with his hand up and a nervous smile.

Risa couldn't believe it! She pinched herself...Nope she wasn't dreaming. That's when she burst into tears and ran up to him.

Riku prepared himself for the hug he was sure he'd get...Only to fall backwards when Risa suddenly slapped him. "YOU...YOU JERK!" Risa screamed hysterically. "GONE FOR MORE THAN A YEAR! NO NOTE! NO MESSAGE! WE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW IF YOU WERE ALIVE! AND, YOU HAVE THE NERVE TO COME BACK AND WITH JUST A 'HEY'?"

"Um...Hey there?" Riku added and Risa shot a withering look at him.

"I...I ought to strangle you, you stupid idiot!" Risa cried as she hugged the very life out of him.

"Who are you yelling at Risa?" Emiko asked wiping her apron only to freeze when she saw her hysterical daughter hugging her long lost son.

"Um...Hi mom..." Riku muttered uncomfortably as he tried to sooth his older sister.

"R-Riku...?" Emiko stuttered and she touched her son's hand. "You're...You're real...!"

"Yeah, I'm back." Emiko's eyes rolled in the back of her head and she passed out in a dead faint. "Mom!"

"What is going on in here?" Kosuke asked as he came into the hall with his two sons following behind him and just like his wife he was shocked at the sight before him. The twins weren't as shocked as they shrieked "big brother" and sped off to join in the hug fest. Kosuke on the other hand, went to his wife's side and worked to help her wake up.

"Oh Kosuke...I had the most wonderful dream..." Emiko sighed looking at her husband sadly. "I dreamt that Riku came back..."

"It's not a dream Emi," Kosuke explained gently and looked to his eldest son. Emiko followed his gaze and gasped when she saw Riku. She had been so sure it was dream...But, what does she do now? It was like her mind was trying to get her to do fifty things at once and her body had frozen from overload.

"Can...Can you take me to him, Ko?" Emiko asked. "I don't think I can stand..."

Kosuke answer was picking her up bridal style and walking slowly to his children.

All of his children.

Meanwhile Emiko was studying her Riku and she was amazed at what she saw. The first was his hair...He was getting a haircut if it was the last thing she did. Next came with how tall he was...He was as tall as Kosuke now and his body was in even better shape. It was his eyes that were the most amazing.

Riku's eyes used to be cool and distant; it was like he was watching something in the distance. They were also childish and full of little understanding of how he looked to others. This Riku held eyes that were warm and here, they held knowledge well beyond his years, but there was darkness there to and pain. Something happened to him and it wasn't good.

She couldn't help but cry too and she wasn't surprised to find that Kosuke was also crying. In fact the only one who wasn't crying was Riku himself as he muttered out apologies and tried to sooth his brothers. It wasn't long before the family of six found themselves in a large group hug and Emiko was pleased to see that Riku wasn't shying away like he used too.

"I missed you mom," Riku whispered. "I...I missed everyone."

"Riku..."

"Yeah d—" Riku was cut off as his father punched him in the face.

"Kosuke!" Emiko yelled horrified.

"You ever pull something like that again and you'll get something much worse than a black eye!" Kosuke growled before pulling his son into a strong hug. "I missed you too."

It took another five minutes before everyone finally calmed down and the twins actually fell asleep clinging to their brother as if he would disappear again. "So...Can I stay?" Riku asked nervously.

"Of course you can!" Risa scoffed.

"Then can I have something to eat...?" Riku asked softly and as if to prove how hungry he was his stomach growled.

"Your plate's on the table," Emiko said happily and Riku nodded.

"I better take care of these two first; is their room still the same one?" Riku asked and Kosuke nodded. With a smile, Riku headed upstairs and into the first room on the left...His heart nearly broke when he saw the drawn picture of himself hanging up in the middle of the room with "HERO" written under it.

He wasn't the hero his brothers believed him to be and it hurt. 'I swear that from now I will be,' Riku silently promised as put each of his brothers' in their beds, tucked them in and kissed them on the forehead.

With that he snuck back downstairs and headed into the dining room where his mother's delicious food was waiting for him as well as his family. He didn't hesitate as he started to eat before he even took a seat...He couldn't help it! He hadn't had a decent meal since the lunch before the big storm when he opened the door!

"So...Where have you been?" Kosuke asked once Riku slowed his eating down and Riku sighed. He knew this question was coming, but he hated having to lie...It was just a good thing he, Sora and Kairi came up with a cover story.

"The main continent," Riku grunted. "Was stuck there with a barricade and couldn't send any messages."

"Really you couldn't have come back at all?" Emiko asked hurt.

"I...I could have..." Riku admitted and his family looked hurt that he didn't. "But, you see Sora got hurt really bad and was in a coma for a whole year...I couldn't have just left him!"

Once again the kind and selfless Riku rears his head when Sora is involved...She could easily admit she was jealous of her brother's best friend, but it wasn't his fault. "Speaking of Sora...Do you mind explaining why everyone forgot him for a whole year? Which apparently happened when he was in a coma..."

Riku shrugged his shoulders. "No clue; when Kairi told us I thought she was just kidding but then Wakka, Tidus and Selphie said the same thing..." Riku said before he yawned loudly.

Emiko looked at him worriedly and she could tell right away that he looked absolutely exhausted. 'When was the last time he slept peacefully?' She wondered before she said, "Go to bed Riku. You can explain more in the morning."

"Thanks mom," Riku said gratefully as he hugged his family and gave his mother a kiss on the cheek. "Night."

Emiko, Kosuke and Risa could only watch as one of the lost boy's climbed up the stairs to his bedroom, and they couldn't be any happier.