Fun fact: Sora's brother's names, from oldest to youngest: Ramsay (which apparently means "wild garlic island"… go figure…), Odie, Odin, (Sora), Samson, and Abbie. Which IS a boy's name.

Note: I may or may not write an alternate ending going where the story was originally planned to go.

There was a little confusion with paper work and contacting his family, but less than a month after the heartless attacked, Sora was free to go. Never to return. No strings attached. Period.

So… what are we doing back here, then? Riku wondered as Sora searched through his old room.

"They took my stuff and I want it back." Sora said, as though he could read his lover's mind.

"Like what?"

"My sanity." They kissed.

"Seriously." Riku said as he pulled away.

"My clothes, my plushies…" Sora explained.

"Um, you still want those?"

"I worked hard on them!" They kissed again.

"Just as long as you don't wear those pants again." Riku remarked with a laugh.

"I won't."

"Sora?" Aeris asked, walking in.

"Hm?"

"Your family's here to pick you up." Sora let out a small, happy squeak.

"Really?" He asked.

"I'll bring them in." As she left Sora clapped his hands together once.

Slowly, his large family began to file in. Sora looked thrilled, though his family (sans younger brother) looked like they could have been happier. Much happier.

"Mom! Dad!" He gasped, running up to them, rambling and chattering. "You… you… had another baby." He stared at the small child in his mother's arms.

"They can't be in the same room for ten minutes without getting pregnant." Sora's oldest brother said with a smirk.

"Ramsay!" Sora's mother said, as his dad told him to shut up. Sora smiled; he remembered this. Ramsay putting his foot in his mouth, his father telling him to shut the eff up…

"What's his name?" Sora asked. "Can I hold him?" His parents exchanged glances.

"Of course." His mother said, at last. "His name's Abbie."

"I love it." Sora replied.

"We're glad." Was Sora's second oldest brother's snarky reply.

How could he have been mean? Riku wondered. How can that entire family be so under whelmed?

"Woah! He's moving!" Sora gasped again as he shifted to get Abbie in a better position.

"I should hope so." Sora's dad said with a small, nervous laugh.

"Oh, everyone, this is Riku." The boy motioned toward the silver haired with a small tilt of his head. "He's been working here for a few months. He's my friend and I really love him."

"Nice to meet you." Sora's mother said flatly.

"You too." Riku said, just as unenthusiastic.

"Did you help Sora get better?" Sora's younger brother asked, eyes wide. Riku and Sora exchanged looks.

"Yeah, I guess." Riku replied, finally.

"You guess." The same, snarky brother repeated.

"Yeah. I guess."

"Well… among everything else, we're here to say we're moving!" Sora's mother said, breaking some of the tension between Sora's brother and Sora's boyfriend.

"Huh?" Sora asked, incredulously.

"Yes! We're moving tomorrow and you're coming!" For the first time, Sora's mother sounded excited and not totally dead.

"Tomorrow?" Sora sounded-and looked- close to tears. "But what about Riku… and…"

"I thought you'd be glad to leave…"

"Kairi… Aeris… Leon…and…"

"Sora," His father said sternly. "Be quiet and don't make a big fuss over this."

"I'm not going." The boy growled.

"What?" All seven of them asked at once. Shaking his head, Sora handed his brother back to his mother and took a step back.

"I'll stay here, in the asylum, forever if I have to. I don't want to be alone again."

"Why would you rather be here instead of with your family?" Sora's mom asked, sounding close to tears herself.

"Everyone here has been more of a family to me than you ever have. You dropped me off here and never looked back. Everyone here are my friends. They love me and take care of me. Even when they didn't have to come to work they'd visit me. You never even sent so much as a postcard."

"Fine." Sora's mother replied. And just like that, she left. "I-it wasn't even that far away!"

"H-honey, wait…!" Sora's dad called, following her. They all, slowly, filed out. Aside from his younger brother.

"Sora," He said. "Please come with us. I feel so alone without you."

"I missed you, Samson..." Sora murmured emotionally.

"I missed you, too!" Samson replied and began to cry.

Riku watched the whole scene uncomfortably.

"Hey, don't cry." Sora said, holding his brother.

"I don't want you to go again. I don't want to leave you."

"I'll still see you! I'll visit and call and write."

"Promise?"

"Of course! Now, you should probably leave before Mom and Dad leave you here, too." Samson laughed.

"Okay. But… one more thing…" He walked up to Riku. "Thanks for helping my big brother. He was always there for me. And you were always there for him."

"No problem." Riku replied, looking over at Sora. "It was my pleasure."

"Bye!" Samson called, leaving.

"Bye." Sora and Riku both called back.

"Are you alright?" Riku asked after a moment.

"I'm fine." Sora said with a sigh. "I think the reason my parents had so many kids was so if they lost one, hey, they'd still have five more." He smiled.

"Uh…" Was all Riku could manage to get out.

Sora laughed. "I'm fine!"

Sora stayed with Riku for a few weeks before working out an arrangement with a boy's home, next to the girl's home Kairi was living at. He did keep his promise to visit, call, and write to Samson. As for the asylum, a man named Cid took over all the departments Ansem had been working. The same departments that, ironically, Ansem had originally taken over for him. Security cameras caught the whole confrontation with Ansem, and locking the keyhole in the asylum. (And, unfortunately, all of Sora and Riku's make out sessions.) They kept it in a safe place; only Sora, Riku, Aeris, Yuffie, Cloud, and Leon/Squall even knew about its existence. However, if they were ever questioned about the strange happenings (for some odd reason) they would have proof.

As for the other occupants of the asylum… luckily, none of the other schizophrenic's visions turned out to be real. (And, much to Riku's dismay, dress boy abandoned the dress.)

Nero recovered from pneumonia and Kai from his broken leg. Riku still hated them and the feeling was mutual. However, he now knew when to keep his mouth shut, getting him into much less trouble. The town itself was able to pick itself back up quickly after the "storm". Riku didn't even get to miss a day of school.

"Seen any good visions lately?" Riku asked Sora on one date. Sora laughed.

"Nothing. I really do think we're safe. If there was a chance that heartless would attack again… I'd know."

"What was that whole thing about anyway? Do you think those visions were from some past life? If they were different than what happened…"

Sora shrugged. "Past life, alternate universe… something like that."

"Yeah." The older boy shook his head. "God, that whole heartless attacking thing was weird." Sora laughed again.

"I love you." Riku was startled. It was the first time that Sora had ever said it to him.

"I love you, too." …And the first time Riku had ever said it back.