A/N: First of all, Wow. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you all for the sudden Onslaught of reviews. Over Seven in one night! I was so excited and my Dad couldn't understand for the life of him why I was grinning so much. So thank you very much. xD I have quite a few twists and turns for you to live through. So I hope you all continue to enjoy this story. ;)

Secondly, there have been a few PMs and reviews about which shipping this will end up as. I will not say fully, but I will say, hopefully both Crack!shippers and Cannon!junkies will be pleased by the end of the story. But if you don't like Crack!shippings, there are going to be some chapters that will most likely make you mad and there will be chapters that make you happy. ::shrug:: I love crack!shippings. I have a special affinity for certain ones (such as Namora and Roxiri). So please, chil-lax. Just sit back and enjoy! Jus' because I love Crack!shipping doesn't mean this is how I'll end it. But it doesn't mean its how I won't finish it either. xD

I usually update pretty quickly and most of this story is already written. Just needs to be edited and arranged. Additionally, over the next few days I'll be going back and "cleaning up" previous chapters. Nothing major, just fixing typos, rearranging certain sentences to make it sound prettier, ect. ect… You don't have to reread because I'm not changing any plot or major descriptions. So that's that. ::happy sigh::

:D Wow. Thanks for letting me ramble. Onto the story! Warning: this chapter was a little longer than I remember it being. xP Again, darn plot bunnies.

This chapter is dedicated to Jade Rhade who inspired my idea for riddle-loving Sora in her wonderful fic Darkness Rising. It's a wonderful story and you all should read it. xD

Chapter Seven: The Other P r o m i s e

"Was there only one world after all, that spent it's time dreaming of others?"
-Philip Pullman, The Subtle Knife

Sora didn't even wait for his eyes to adjust to the darkness. He knew the steps even as he paused, his heart asking him to remember something. He clutched at his chest and let his free hand run down the wall, across some pearly white drawing etched there by child's hand- his hand, Riku's hand, her hand. He looked up, the darkness ahead of him drawing him into it, as his memories floated around heart, attempting to restore themselves. He found it wasn't as painful here, in his Secret Place.

She tugged him along once, eyes bright with excitement. They were both small, tiny children left to play in a world all their own. He could have easily pulled away, but he didn't want to. In fact he stumbled along behind her only out of surprise. She had dragged him off the island so quickly, urgently tugging him along...

"Ka-" he laughed, finally catching his feet, "where are you..." He cut himself off with another laugh.

She turned, laughing as well. Her hair hung in her face, still damp from a morning swim. Her sandals had been left on the beach, but the pebble strewn ground didn't seem to hurt her feet. She wore a simple white day shift over her bathing suit, the purple embroidery matching the same sheen hidden in her blue eyes.

Sora couldn't believe he had ever forgotten her face. His heart ached. He still didn't know-

"I'm drawing everyone on the island- I want to draw you first!" She tugged him along harder with both hands,, half running backward. "Come on, Sora."

He laughed, suddenly finding himself in the present again. He touched the wall, butterfly light, before his feet continued his steps. He knew what was waiting for him at the end. Halfway into the main room he paused again, seeing the silhouetted form standing at the far wall. She had her back to him, staring at something he couldn't see.

"Look, I drew you! Oh! Is that me-"

His heart skipped a beat, tripping over a memory not yet put into place. He put his hand against the wall again, finding some sort of comfort in the solid shape under his fingers. The gravel shifted under his feet and startled her. She turned, slightly afraid. She was older, but his heart knew who she was, even if his mind hadn't remember yet. Her hair was longer, brushing her shoulders, but it was the same cinnamon red hue that he remembered. Sora smiled sadly. How odd was it that he could remember something as simple and insignificant as the color of her hair or the exact shade of her eyes, but he couldn't remember who she was or even her name. Sora smiled at her, even as confusion draped across her face.

"Who are you?" She asked suddenly.

His heart gave a horrible ache as Sora sighed looking down and away. He wished he wasn't so disappointed, but it made sense. If he had forgotten her, she would have forgotten him. He looked back up, a half hearted smile on his lips.

"You don't remember me either?"

She shook her head, almost apologetically. "I'm sorry." she offered for a lack of better reply. She stepped back again, twisting her fingers around each other. Sora cocked his head with a smile. He had seen Naminé do that as well. The girl caught sight of the genuine smile and gave one of her own. She seemed to be observing his face, looking for anything she recognized.

"Do we really know each other?"

"We're connected." Sora nodded, stepping further into the room. "We're connected because our hearts know each other," Sora looked a little sad as he touched the place of his own heart. "Even though we can't... remember."

"Can't remember?" She wet her lips, and hugged her arms around her waist. "I see."

Sora nodded once again, looking a little guilty. "Sorry."

"Why are you sorry?"

"It's my fault." Sora rubbed at the back of his head, staring up at the hole in the ceiling of the cave. He felt the girl's eyes on him and a ashamed blush creeping up into his face. It was worse enough that he couldn't remeber who she was when he knew she was so important to him, but telling her made it twice as bad.

"It's not your fault." Sora snapped his gaze back to her face so fast he swore he put a crick in his neck. She wasn't crying to his relief, but her eyes were just as sad. She had her gaze on his face, neither damning nor forgiving. Just there. Sora smiled back, and she turned her gaze away staring off into nothingness. "I've forgotten a lot of things. It seems one more shouldn't hurt."

"Forgotten other things?" Sora looked confused, shaking his head. "Like what?"

"It doesn't matter. Really." She turned back with a slight nod and smile. Sora noted she didn't look as frightened as before, "Tell me. What's your name?"

Sora paused a moment, mouth formed in half speech. Something stopped him, a memory tugging at his heart, demanding his attention. He let his gaze focus on the wall behind the girl, feeling his heart dragged into the heat of a warm summer's day-

"Sora, just tell me!"

He stared back at the scene- three children playing on the beach, gathered around a dying sand castle. His younger self grinned, shaking his head with a smile, a big cheesy grin that spread across his entire face. "Nope, I'm not allowed. You have to guess! It's a riddle!"

Riku laughed from behind Sora, the look on his face telling the both of them he already knew the answer. Sora grinned at his best friend, giving him a thumbs up. Riku shook his head, the natural "You're such a kid, Sora" already on his tongue when the girl gave a loud huff and slumped her shoulders in a very convincing mock pout.

"You and your riddles! Why can't you just tell me?"

"Because... then it wouldn't be a riddle." he muttered softly, finding himself thrust back into the present once again. The girl shook her head, obviously confused once again,

"I'm sorry?"

Sora looked up, a ghost of that cheesy grin across his face. The girl cocked her head as he shook his head, mirroring his memory's words, "I'm not allowed. You have to guess."

"What?"

His grin fading into a softer, warmer smile, as his head cocked to the side. "It's a riddle."

She shook her head, a laugh coming unbidden to her lips, "You and your riddles..." her voice faded as she registered what she said. Her hand reached up and touched her lips as she looked back up at him. He nodded, as if encouraging her to go on.

"Can you..." she worried her lower lip in thought, "Give me a hint." she finished, sounding stronger than she looked.

Sora's grin returned as he stuck both hands behind his head, "I guess I can give you a hint." he teased. His heart skipped when she laughed and he continued, "It starts with an 'S'..."

"Samuel." She said without thinking. Sora made a face. "Steven?" This time she got him rolling his eyes. She laughed, "Oh, you know I stink at riddles."

"Do I?" Sora looked slightly confused, scratching the side of his head. Silence took over as the two of them stood there face to face, the silence no longer uncomfortable. The girl nodded, a peace in her eyes he hadn't noticed before.

"You do." she told him sincerely. He blushed, but she didn't seem to notice. Instead her eyes focused on the chain coming out of his hand. She motioned to it, a thoughtful glance on her face. "What's that?"

At first Sora was surprised he was still holding it, but for some reason it made sense. He smiled and held out the keychain. Her eyes widened, and a smile came unbidden to her lips. She looked up, shaking her head half in wonder, half in confusion.

"My lucky keychain! But how do you-"

"Something happened. I can't remember what, but I know you gave it to me..."

"I was lost… I was kidnapped." The girl shut her eyes as if trying to remember something that hurt, "No, not kidnapped. Something was stolen-"

("That girl no longer has her heart.")

"Your Heart." Sora interrupted suddenly.

"But you weren't the one. It was-"The girl looked confused, shaking her head as if she was trying to remember something out of reach. "But then why-"

Thunder rolled in the distance, like some warning that time was running out, sands slipping through the hourglass. The girl suddenly looked frightened once more, staring around the room as if something would reach up at take her away. Sora ran forward, as if to catch her. Something stopped him.

("What about Ka-? I thought she was with you!")

"I'm supposed to tell you that I'm coming home, that I'll remember, but-" Sora shook his head, "I can't. Not yet."

"Why not?" She seemd frightened. Something held them apart. He couldn't move his feet. He couldn't quite reach her.

"I have a promise to keep." Sora started slowly, "I promised to keep someone safe."

The girl looked thoughtful for a moment, turning toward the walls, even as everything shook around them. Sora watched her hand slid down, across the scratched drawings there. Sora felt another twinge in his heart, a link of a chain that was slowly reassembling itself. But before it could, she turned back smiling sadly. There was a strange peace in her eyes, even though they both knew they were parting for the time being.

Thunder rolled again. The storm was returning to split them up once more. Despite that, she smiled at him.

"You'll come… back though? Right." She spoke the words as though they were foreign to her. "You'll help me remember?"

"Of course I will."

"Soon?" She took the steps back toward him.

"I'll come back to you... I made that promise too. "Sora held the keychain back out. She put her hand overtop. "As soon as I can."

"I know you will..."

II.

Kairi simply woke.

Her room was still darken by shadows, the random dabs of light dancing about the random clothes and things lying about. Fragments of her dream slowly slipped away, like shadows from candle light. Kairi sat up, rubbing sleep out of her eyes.

What had woken her?

The sun peeked through her open window, the blinds only offering some sort of resistance to the golden light seeping over the horizon, but Kairi has never been a light sleeper and the sun had never woken Kairi up before. In fact it took her foster mother a brass band the wake the red headed teen in the morning.

'How strange.' Kairi thought to herself as she bundled up her blankets around her, and lay back down. No doubt it was almost time for her to start getting ready for school, but she'd wait till her mother came in to wake her up. She yawned, stretching her hand high above her head- 'Just a few more minutes in bed.' she thought sleepily.She stared up at the ceiling for a moment, trying to catch the vague fragments of her dream. She stopped after a moment and tried to close her eyes. Sunlight poured lazily through the creaks of her blinds. She pushed her hair out of her face, thinking somewhere in the back of her tired mind she needed a hair cut. The light wind blew her tree's branches against her window, playing a rhythm on the glass. She gave a light smile. The cooler winds would make the walk home from school more bearable. Though the storms on the island were not her favorite things in the world they did bring- Kairi stopped, eyes snapping wide open.

'Oh no. The Storm.' Kairi cringed. 'The Island.'

Kairi felt shame roll over her in waves upon waves. She laid a hand on her forehead and tried not to cringe in embarrassment. Suddenly her escapade to the island, her crazed fear driven frenzy, no longer seemed part of her strange dream. She let out a shaky breath. She thought these episodes of fear and insane panic were over. She was ok now. He had proved she wasn't insane. He had come home hadn't he? He had proven the precious few memories she had were true. Of course she still had million in one questions he hadn't answered even after almost a year. He was so different, so distant and her memories were still so jumbled-

Okay. So maybe she was going crazy like everyone once whispered.

But he had been there. He had come last night out of no where and protected her from her own mind. Somewhere mixed in all her embarrassment and horror, something squirmed happily. She rubbed her hand across her forehead. He had been so distant, staying so far away for so long, but last night- He had come to protect her. Like he once promised. Kairi smiled sleepily and snuggled into her pillow. Horror could wait. For now these thoughts of protection and safety were enough.

"I can't come back yet."

Kairi gasped, opening her eyes again. Voices. She thought those had stopped too. Since he had returned the voices had stopped hadn't they? Kairi sat back up, staring at her hands, fear pumping adrenaline into her system. She swallowed and closed her eyes once more forcing herself to breathe.

Relax.

"I made that promise too."

The voice rang again, so familiar but at the same time so strange. The face was blurred, broken like glass across her mind's eye, like a face in crowd only half seen. Yet his face wasn't half as annoying to remember as his name. Kairi nearly kicked herself mentally when she couldn't remember.

"S." She said to herself, even though it didn't make sense. "It's starts with an-"

"Not yet."

The voice rung again, slipping further out of her memories. Kairi bit her lip.

"Who ar-"

"Sweetie, you ok?"

Her door cracked open and her foster mother stuck her head in, a half worried look on her face. Kairi quickly wiped off her own worried look and smiled sleepily, swinging her feet out of bed.

"I was just thirsty." She lied fluidly, making her way to her bathroom. "Better start getting ready anyways." She paused at the bathroom door, and turned back, "Mom?"

Her foster mother stuck her head back in, eyes worried. Kairi gave her a quick smile to calm her nerves. "What the first boy's name you can think of that starts with an 'S'?"

Her mother looked slightly confused, but then stepped in placing a finger on her mouth in thought. "How about Steven?" Her mother offered.

"No, tried that one." Kairi leaned her forehead against the door frame. Her mother was perplexed, but Kairi just shook her head. "Thanks anyways."

"Alright sweetie. Selphie and the boys should be here in about an hour." She paused, "Are... you going to be okay for school?"

"Don't worry." Kairi cut her off with a smile and nod, "I'll be ready."

Before she could offer any more, Kairi shut the bathroom door, flicking on the light. She sighed and leaned her back against it. She paused a moment, letting her head hit her chest.

They worried too much. Her parents, her friends… Everyone.

She threw water on her face, trying to wash away the disjointed bits of voice still floating through her mind. She stole a glance at clock as she patted her face dry- Her mother was right. Only an hour before she had to face reality. Face her escapade of the night before. Face him. Kairi sighed and laid her forehead against the glass.

"I'm sorry." She whispered without thinking, but it wasn't her own voice. Startled her hand flew to her throat as she looked in the mirror. She started again, when she caught sight of her reflection. Kairi blinked and rubbed her eyes, and stared again. She suddenly let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. She gave her hair a slight tug only to find it red and as long as it had always been. She looked back in the mirror as if searching for something out of the ordinary. Nothing. It was just a mirror. Kairi sighed. Sometimes she really did think she was insane.

After all, she had never been blonde in her life.

III.

The knock on the door was almost hesitant, soft and barely audible. Kairi sighed, and checked in the hallway mirror one more time. She was adamant to prove that she was fine, not crazy and perfectly able to go to school and just start her normal life once again. She could hear Tidus muttering something unintelligible followed by a dull thud and the boy's whine. Selphie was issuing her brand of punishment and justice again. No doubt the boy spoke without thinking. Kairi smiled and hid a small chuckle behind her fingers.

"Coming." She called making one last check. There were no dark circles under her eyes and her smile didn't seem dull or broken but instead small and sheepish. She knew not to act too cheerful but she didn't feel she needed to hide anything anymore. She may have been embarrassed about the night before and still struggling to put life back together, but she was content. She nodded and turned back toward the door.

"Morning." She chirped lightly, stepping out and closing the door. Selphie hopped off the porch railing, a smile spreading across her face.

"Oh, I hoped you were feeling good enough to come to class today."

Kairi nodded shortly, bringing her bag forward and pushing hair behind one ear, "Hmm, I'm fine." She dipped her head in apology, "Sorry to worry you… again."

Selphie shook her head touching her friend's shoulder, "No, it's alright. I'm just glad you're ok."

"You feelin' ok, Kairi?" Kairi looked down into the yarn to see both Tidus and Wakka looking up at them with warm, and yet still slightly worried, smiles. Tidus and Wakka looked like they had been tossing the ever present blitzball. Wakka held the ball on one hip as Tidus tugged at his blue plaid tie trying to pull the annoying thing straight once agian.

Kairi gave another nod, "Thank you for-"

"Nothin' to worry about." Wakka waved her off with his natural easy going smile, "Yeah, Tidus?" He nudged his younger friend, nearly knocking him off balance.

"Yeah…" Tidus grinned, rubbing at the back of his head.

Kairi smiled warmly, feeling more relieved and relaxed.

"Thank you."

"Didn't we just say no worries?" Wakka spun the ball on his finger, holding Titus back as he suddenly lunged at it. Kairi giggled as Selphie sighed, stomping her way down the steps into the yard.

"Quit playing games you two." She said grabbing at the ball, "Let's go. We're going to be late for school…"

"Selph, we have a whole 'nother hour!" Titus complained back, eyeing the bright blue ball in Selphie's arms.

"And you're a slow walker!"

Through Wakka's warm laughter and Tidus' sputters, Kairi looked past the three, her breath catching as she saw the last of their group, waiting up the path by her mailbox. He had his back to her, school jacket hung on the fence post next to him. Before she knew it, her feet were carrying her past Selphie and the bickering boys and up behind him. He didn't seem to notice, attention caught somewhere out beyond Destiny Island. She swallowed, trying to slow her pounding heart, ready to clear her voice. Would he be angry about last night? Embarrassed at being see with her? Why hadn't he come to the door with the others? Kairi draped one arm across her waist, hanging onto the other arm with a half hearted grip.

Would anything be different?

Suddenly the wind stirred, and he started, turning to find himself face to face with the nervous Princess of Heart. He seemed surprised, frosty blue eyes going wide and then settling down into the normal composed smile. The wind blew at the both of them, playing with the edge of her skirt and his school tie, blowing about her hair about her face and tugging at the boy's spiky ice blond hair. For a moment the boy in her dream flashed in her mind but she pushed it away. It was just a dream and dreams had betrayed her too often before. The blonde boy seemed a little lost under her gaze and shouldered his bag.

"Morning." He said softly, as if speaking too loud might frighten her. "You feeling better?"

Suddenly realizing she was staring, she blushed and looked down momentarily, "Yes, much better..." She swallowed as she barley looked back up,

"Thank you... Roxas."