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Thanks to: My awesome reviewers and my beta, WishingDreamer5!

Chapter 5: Looking for the Truth

Once upon a time there was a boy. He was a boy who had suffered much and yet, apparently, he had learned nothing from his many seemingly life-changing experiences. And he was a coward.

I take a deep breath before entering my house. Mom looks up as soon as I enter, and it doesn't take me too long to register the tears streaming down her face. She rushes forward to embrace me, pressing me against her chest. "Oh, Riku, I was so worried! Where have you been?"

I avert my gaze. "Isn't this getting a bit old, Mom?"

She laughs through her tears. "I suppose, but really, honey, it's past twelve! What have you been up to?"

"That's exactly what I'd like to know."

My father is standing in the kitchen doorway, and if looks could kill, I'd be dead already. My mother pulls back, wiping her tears away with a grimy tissue. "Oh, dear, don't be too hard on him—"

"No. Kyra, go to bed. Now."

My mother has never been one to argue with Dad. She nods swiftly and gives me a fleeting smile before climbing up the stairs to their bedroom.

Father crosses his arms. "Sit down."

I obey, but I don't look him in the eyes. I'm well aware of what's coming, but he has never beaten me in an argument so far. He can never really get much out of me half the time, but I'd be lying if I didn't say that he does frighten me on occasion.

"Your mother has been waiting for you since nine, Riku."

I stare at the floral pattern laced into the tablecloth. "I know."

"Then why the hell did you make her wait so long?"

I flinch as his voice rises, but I don't reply. Unlike Mom, my father isn't one to forgive very easily. Ever since I came back, he's been glaring at me from afar and ignoring anything I've tried to say to him. Not that I've said much—although I did apologize. But of course, that isn't enough for him. Frankly, I have no idea what he wants from me.

"I was…busy," I say finally, unable to withstand the palpable silence between us.

Dad laughs humorlessly. "And that's reason enough to make her worry for hours?"

The guilt gnaws at my stomach, but I won't give in. Not to Dad. Not to anyone. "It's not my fault she's been anxious every time I get home late."

His fist comes down on the table so fast it startles me, and I'm forced to look up at him. His eyes are unlike mine or mother's. They're a strange brown and they almost make me feel as if I could fall into them and never find my way out. "And whose fault would that be?"

I don't answer. Does he not know how sorry I am? Then again, it's not as if all of it was my fault. Sure, the whole "not being afraid of darkness" thing kind of sent me spiraling into different worlds, but everything that occurred after that was out of my control. And when Sora almost lost all of his memories… I couldn't have just abandoned him, could I? It had been my mess to begin with, and I wasn't going to let my best friend suffer for it. And I'd succeeded in helping him. Funny; the feeling leaves me oddly euphoric. Maybe… maybe I hadn't been totally worthless after all.

I almost forget I'm sitting in my kitchen until Father grabs me, shaking me back and forth like a rag doll. "I used to love my son. He was hardworking. A little out there, but respectful. What… What happened to you, Riku?"

"Nothing!" My eyes flash to his. "What do you mean, 'What happened'?"

"Don't you dare take that tone with me," he threatens, "I've had enough of you playing dumb. Forget tonight—where have you been for the past two years? It's just…ridiculous!"

"Why can't you trust me?" My voice explodes out of my mouth before I can stop it, and suddenly I'm on my feet. "Why can't you just believe me when I say it was unavoidable? Why do you have to know?"

"Because I don't trust you, Riku!"

Whatever I was about to say dies in my throat, and I stare at my father, too stunned to speak, too stunned to do anything. I was aware that perhaps he still hadn't warmed up to me again, but to admit that he doesn't trust me at all? I suppress the urge to scream in his face, but my fists are shaking.

My father doesn't miss this. "You're going to hit your own father?"

I shake my head. "I'm leaving."

"Where are you going?" he questions, grabbing my arm as I turn to leave. I shake off his grip and march towards the door. I don't look back, even when he speaks up again, louder this time.

"Riku, if you're ready to go through with this—"

"Shut up."

"What did you say?"

"Shut up." She can probably hear us, upstairs, but I'm too troubled too care. "If… if you can't trust me, if you don't…consider me your son, then…you're not my father."

He mutters something incoherent as I leave, slamming the door behind me.

It doesn't take long for me to cool off. Still, I decide not to go back; I don't want to face my father again. This wasn't one of our first arguments. Nonetheless, it bothers me because we haven't fought in ages. And my father values his pride more than me; something I realized a long time ago. He won't let me live this one down unless I perform a miracle.

The dispute did, however, distract me from prior events. Tara hadn't said much more after her last, challenging statement. Both of us had just fallen silent, aware of each other's presence. But at the same time, I was dreading the moment she would speak again. Her last question had confused me in more ways than one. Suddenly I'd begun to question my own motives for trying to find out more about her—and I found none. I'd known it before, but having that disturbing fact thrown in my face again was not something that delighted me.

And then there had been the dream. Somehow, the last event hadn't been a memory like the others. Usually, my dreams tend to follow a pattern, and I'd thought I was finally beginning to understand what they meant. I was foolishly wrong. That last dream reminded me that there really is no way of interpreting a dream, especially one so gruesome.

I stop at the brink of the water, staring out over the waves at Destiny Islands. It's the only place I've seen her, despite several attempts to find her around town. I checked everywhere she could possibly be living to no avail. It's like no one else knows of her existence. At first I was just a bit shaken up—I was overthinking it again, that's all. But after hours of searching every phone directory, every nook and cranny of the Mainland, I came to the conclusion that I was being insane.

Why am I so desperate to find her? For the first time ever, I don't know the truth, and it's driving me crazy. The boy from before comes to mind; perhaps if I find him, I can find her. But the thought doesn't sound very appealing, especially because every time I think of him I automatically clench my hands into fists and I can't think straight. I close my eyes, letting the fresh breeze weave through my hair.

"Riku?"

My eyes fly open, and I nearly fall over in shock at the girl standing in front of me.

"Kairi?"

She giggles, covering her mouth as she does so. It's one of the many things about her that I admire.

"What are you doing here?" I ask, realizing what a mess I must look like.

Kairi smiles at me. "I could be asking you the same thing." She winks.

My heart jumps to my throat and I struggle to recover. This is the first time I've been alone with Kairi ever since we came back.

I smirk. "I asked first."

She tilts her head to the side, still smiling. "Fair enough. I…couldn't sleep."

I raise an eyebrow. "How come?"

She shakes her head gently. "It's your turn."

I scratch the back of my head sheepishly. "I…had a fight with my Dad."

"Really?" She looks concerned.

I shrug. "It's totally fine. Nothing new."

"Really?" Her eyes widen, her expression ridden with what I identify as guilt. She's feeling guilty? "I had no idea…" she goes on ruefully, "I'm just always so busy that I—"

"Kairi, it's fine," I cut in, "You don't need to bother yourself…over me."

This causes her alarm. "What do you mean? Why shouldn't I—"

"Because it hurts! Alright?"

Kairi gasps at my outburst, obviously shocked.

I need to amend this. I've said too much already. "I… I'm sorry, Kairi, I'm not doing too good and… I just need some time alone."

"Yeah… Okay," she wipes her eyes, and I realize she'd been crying over me. Guilt gnaws at my conscience once again, but at the same time, I feel strangely elated.

"I… I should go," I say, before I make things any worse. Kairi nods, offering a smile, but I fail to return it.

I wake up early the next day, even though I'm tired and my body is screaming at me to go back to bed. I had enough of my father last night, and I'm not looking forward to another confrontation—which is exactly what's coming, I'm sure.

My breakfast consists of a piece of bread and a glass of cold lemonade. Seconds later I'm out the door, pushing my boat out to the sea before my Mom can wake up and possibly stop me from going.

I'm the first one on the island, understandably. Sora and Kairi are usually here near sunset, although Tidus and Wakka are often playing Blitzball here in the mornings. They're not here right now, thankfully, and I immediately make my way to the back of the island. I've been visiting the back of the island so much more than the paopu tree that it's getting ridiculous.

Of course, Tara isn't there. I walk down to where I first saw her, near the water. There are no boats from where I can see, so I suppose that guy isn't here either. I wonder why he would bring his boat here anyway rather than to the front of the island. Why does he go through the trouble of rowing to the back of the island? Unless he just doesn't want to be seen—which makes me even more suspicious. I sit down in the sand, leaning against the tree despite the bark that's digging into my back.

I think of the first time we ever left the island. Sora and I got separated, and I was immediately pulled into the darkness. I was a fool, getting easily lured in by the temptation of things I don't even remember anymore. I was such an idiot for thinking I didn't have enough…that I didn't have enough to be thankful for, to be…happy about.

I don't notice her until she sits down beside me, nearly giving me a heart attack. I yell out and fall over, prompting a small chuckle out of Tara.

"So you know how to laugh, do you?" I tease, as soon as I regain my composure.

She doesn't answer, but the smile fades from her face and she frowns at me.

"What?" I ask, incredulously.

She shakes her head and leans back, closing her eyes. Her brown hair falls over her shoulders in perfect curls as always, her cheeks flushed for an unknown reason.

"Tara."

Her eyes snap open, and she looks at me, irritated. "Yes?"

I roll my eyes. "Everything I do seems to annoy or…sadden you. Why is that?"

Her light green eyes widen marginally before her expression quickly falls back into a pout. "Because you're annoying," she answers matter-of-factly.

I stand up, crossing my arms. "Oh, really?"

She gets to her feet as well, mimicking my pose. "Yes, really."

I consider her for a moment, sizing her up. "Why is it…that I feel like you're hiding something? And not even that, but hiding something…about me?"

I watch her closely when I say this, and sure enough, something flickers across her eyes before she hides it. "Stop being so arrogant, Riku."

I don't know what happens next. One second, she's standing in front of me, eyebrows furrowed, lips parted, and the next moment my arms are wrapped around her, yanking her towards me so fast I nearly topple over myself.

For a moment she gives in, her arms curving around my neck, her breath mixing with mine. She smells of apples and something else I can't put my finger on, something very sweet and familiar. But the moment is over as soon as it began.

"Let go of me!" She screams, shoving me away. I relent, just as startled. "What do you think you're doing?"

I recover quickly, trying to hide the fact that I'm just as shocked as she is, if not more. "I thought I was annoying. How come you're blushing then?"

She turns redder, if that's possible, and whirls around, her light-colored skirt fluttering around her ankles as she marches off. I watch her as she goes, wanting to follow, but at the same time, afraid to. When she disappears from view, I fall back onto the sand, releasing the breath I hadn't realized I was holding.

I replay the recent events in my head, wondering what in the world happened. I didn't think when I reached for her, but suddenly I'd grabbed her and pulled her against me. It was…surreal. But at the same time, it felt right.

I have to get to the truth before it's too late.

Sorry this was so late, guys. I wasn't really happy with this and my beta was away, so I didn't want to post a badly edited piece D: Anyway, a thank you to all the lovely reviews! It's really nice to see many people egging me on, especially since Tara is my first OC.

.tree: "Would you consider making the chapters a little bit longer?"

Ah yeah, sorry about that. From now on, the chapters will definitely be longer! Oh and it's great to see that you're still sticking with me even after I made you wait so long. I hope these chapters make up for it :D

Scented-Marker-Sniffer: "Well, first of all, I am in awe of how you've characterized everyone. They're all spot-on."

Thanks so much! That's one of the best compliments I can get, honestly. I think the most important aspect of a story is the characters, and in FanFiction, if they're not like themselves, what's the point, right? :) Thanks for such a sweet review!

Alright, that's enough for this time. The next update will be faster, I promise. And something else; there's a big revelation coming, so be prepared ;)