Reunification

[Jade]

His words pierced into her heart like a thousand needles all at once, each poisonded with the most deadly of venom. She trembled just looking at him, not even able to understand it, It was the same... those words hurt just as bad as when he just disapeared... it was the same pain all over again burning through every vein in her body.

She took a step backwards her eyes had started to tear up " Thats the point... I asked... I tried to comfort you... all you did... all you did was push me away! I loved you... with all my heart... I thought you were the one... I thought you were the man I would grow old and marry... and even die with... but..." she took another step backwards " But your the selfish one! Your the one that only cares about yourself! All you ever did was push me away after your father died!!"


Tenks groaned suddenly lifting her up sitting down on the chair pulling her on top of him his hands gripping tightly on her rear, doing this he was really risking his job... but this girl was just too much to just pass up on. He broke away from the kiss then just stared up at her, looking at her lust filled eyes... they were driving him insane...

[Reno]

"I'm selfish..." He repeated in a whisper, then chuckled. "Heheh... i'm... hahahaHAHAHA" Her turned around suddenly but the look on his face was not amused it was furious. "IF I'M FUCKING SELFISH WHY AM I OUT HERE EVERY NIGHT DANCING LIKE A WHORE?!" He screamed at her.

"What do YOU know Kairi?!" He pointed at her accusingly. "You have no siblings. You... you HAVE your parents." He clenched his hand in a fist, eyes shimmering with rage and hurt. "You don't have to go home every day worrying if there's enough food to feed your family... you don't have to worry that the house bills has to be put off another week, you don't have to worry about your siblings getting taken away by those fucking foster care workers. You don't go home exhausted every day after working one job knowing you have to make dinner and get ready to go to a second job." He turned his head away. "The last fucking thing I had time for was you and your... expectations of me Kairi."


Selphie smirked down at him, grinning. She leaned down, nibbling her teeth along his jaw line, sucking at the sensitive skin on his neck. "You... have a car?" she purred, eyes suggestive.

[Jade]

She grimaced looking at him " ALL I WANTED WAS FOR YOU TO ASK FOR HELP! I WOULD HAVE DONE ANYTHING FOR YOUR!!!" she screamed right back at him " I LOVED YOU!! I STILL LOVE YOU!!!" she turned suddenly then started off towards another exit tears in her eyes


She wasnt going to deal with this! No... she... her Sora was dead... whoever he was... he wasnt her Sora... he was gone... completley gone in everyway! Her Sora wouldnt do this... he wouldnt break her heart like this... not again...!


" Yea... and an apartment..." Tenks said leaning forward kissing her again, this girl really new how to turn a guy on... the only problem was leaving work... god he could get fired!

[Reno]

"You still don't get it." He caleld after her. "And you still... don't listen." he turned away, walking back for the back room. He still had a job to do damn it.


She shut her eyes, kissing back. she tugged on his hair insistently. "then let;s go."

[Jade]

" Go to hell Sora!!" Kairi stormed down the hallway, he was impossible! she slammed the door outside into the alleyway that the 'performers' used to exit from. His words still rang through his mind... her selfish? How... that wasnt even possible, he was the selfish one... it was the same... all he had to do was ask for help! But no he wouldnt... he didnt want it... she would do anything for him and yet he was so blind that he couldnt even see it...

She slowly slid down against the wall in the alley her hands cupping her eyes as she continued to cry, she wanted him... she wanted her Sora back...


Tenks got up suddenly tugging on her arm a smirk on his face " Yes my lady..." he pushed through the curtains and started to drag her through the crowd. This was indeed a good day! His eyes narrowed as the two struggled breaking through the massive crowd of dancing people, it was so difficult to get through, the music blazzing everwhere ringing through your eardrums almost loud enough to make them pop. The flashing lights coloring every color of the rainbow in each and every direction, enough to make a small child break down into a seazure, but this light... it brought that very exotic flare which made people want to dance...

[Reno]

Sora rolled his eyes. He seriously didn;t have time for her immaturity. But still... his figners clenched, fury boiling his blood. "God... DAMN it!" He suddenly turned and chased after her.

Why... he just had one last thing to say to her. Something she just didn't seem to get!

He heard the door of the alleyway opening, and soon it creaked open once more, the wind cold and biting. It was reaching winter once again.

He spotted her easily against the wall and let the door fall shut behind him. He approached her. "God don't cry." He tugged off his coat, throwing it over her shoulders. She wasn;t dressed well for weather like this, which wasn;t a very pratical thing. Whoever came with her must convinced her off of wearing warmer clothes.

He knelt down, looking into her glittering eyes, his own soft and sad and very very tired. He was much older then he should have been at 21 - his prime. He felt more like 40. He spoke to her just like he did to Raine when she whimpered whenever he came home with a bruise. Soft, fatherly, caring... loving. "It's not that simple Kairi. It never was. I couldn't ask you to help me. I never doubted that you love me... or even still do. but that;s the PROBLEM. Asking you for help would be... asking you to throw away your life too... like I had to. I'm never going to college Kai. I gotta rasie Raine all alone. Mom's gone too now." He whispered softly. He straightened, looking down at her. "When I left you all thsoe years ago... all I thought about was you. I wanted you to have a good life... and you'd never get that with me." He turned away from ehr. "I can't give you any of the things you needed. Especally not security. It would just be horrible for you and I never thought you desereved it."

He smiled bitterly, walking back towards the door. "Heh, ever heard the saying... that if you truly love them you know when to let them go?" He glanced back at her. "Now if you'll excuse me... I have to go back to work. Don't stay out in the cold too long or you might freeze." He opened back up the door and walked back inside.

[Jade]

His words sunk through her head, his tone was different than the last... it sounded like the Sora she loved... the warmth of his coat wrapping around her shoulders, she wanted to engulf herself in his warmth. This was the side of him that she had fallen for, every last bit... she breathed just listening to his words as they continued, but they ended much sooner than she wanted. He didnt understand... he...

It was just moments later the door had shut and she stared blankly at his fading form walking away from her, quickly she got up. Without a seconds notice she started to run slamming the door open her arms clenched tightly around his waist " Don't... don't go... don't... Sora don't leave me!" she cried the same way she had when he first disapeared the tears continuing to run down her cheeks like a waterfall.

One thing was for sure, and that was that he didnt understand. There was one thing that he didnt know... one thing that he should have known! School, college, money, none of that even mattered to her! He... Sora, he was what truly mattered... " You are my life damnit! I don't have a life if your not in it!" she cried her grip tightening around him. But this time, she was sure... she would never let go. She was not going to give him the chance to disapear not again, Sora belonged... no the two of them belonged together...!

[Reno]

When Sora got back inside, he hadn't been expecting the door to open again, or the arms to wrap around him. "K-Kairi..." He stuttered as he heard her voice. He was shocked when tears slowly filled his eyes as well, slipping down his cheeks and falling down onto the arms that weren;t eltting him go.

"Let go Kai..." He whispered softly. "... You-you don't know what your asking to get yourself into." He was disgusted how thrilled another paert of him was though. thrilled and relieved for the help, already ready to tear Kairi away from her perfect securitty blanket of home and into the harsh realities of life. Bwecause he wanted her next to him. Wanted to love her and have her and hold her for the rest of eternity in a broken down life with more grief then satisfaction.

He just couldn;t do that to her. It hurt his heart thinking about it.

[Jade]

" Stop pushing me away..." her nails dug into his skin tighter than before gripping around his body " I'm sick of every time you need help... all you do is push me away! You hide in your box... Sora... please... I love you... ive always loved you... I can't take you pushing me away...!" Nothing would make her let go... she didnt care... she didnt care at all! All he saw was the negative sides of things, he needed help, and he never wanted it from anyone, it was just the type of person he was. He gained that kind of pride from his father, to never give up... but even so, it was one of his greatest weaknesses.

She continued to hold him loosening her grip slightly then just stared into his soft blue eyes, they were watering just as much as her own. Streams of tears trickling down his cheeks, like the rain as it slid off a window. " I love you... you belong to me... and I belong t you... remember... we promised each other Sora... did you lie to me? Was everything we promised each other just a lie?"

[Reno]

"No, they weren't lies." He whispered, rasiing his hands to cup hers. the two looked at each other silently for a few moments then sora sighed and gave in. "alright... alright..." He bit his lip. "You can come home and see what my life has turned into to... and... then tell me what you feel from there. How about that?"

She looked like she was about to protest and he just shook his head. "Just... trust me alright. I get off at two... so If you want to wait..."



She did. She had waited. and he was rather surprised when the bar started to clear and there she was just sitting at the bar, waiting for him. He hadn't had to dance again tonight thankfully,

And he had no idea where Tenks was. His cousin had come in today but of coruse he had disappeared before hie shift had ended AGAIN. He was going to get himself fired.

Then again Tenks didn't need this job to live.

"Alright," Sora held his hand out to her, helping her to her feet. "Let's go." He helped her outside and towards his car. He had to count his blessings that he still had it from when he was 16 and she was still working.

The drive home was quiet. Both inside and outside the car. The drive wasn;t too far, but Kairi could easily take notice of the fact that they quickly descending from the middle-aged nation... to the slums of the poor. Houses were broken down, unkempt and window shattered. some late-night bums were strolling the streets and dirty, crafty looking drug-pushers as well.

Buit eventually they came to a rather large apartment complex. Sora parked the car and cut the engine, giving her a look. "Ready?" She gave him a nod and both stepped from the car, locking the doors behind them as Sora lead her up one or two flights of stairs.

When he got to his door he took out his keys and snapped open the lock, pushing the door open, listening to it creak on it;s hignes. He stepped aside, letting her in and shut the door behidn her.

They had walked into the living room. The furniture was familar from their old home, but obviously not all of it was there. "We had to sell a lot of stuff after moving. The couch is my bed... but Adan falls aslepe there waiting for me sometimes." He murmured softly, very aware of the form sprawled out on the couch, snoring away. He chuckled, walking over to where Adan was sleeping, leaning over and ruffling his hair. He tugged the blanekt layign across the top up and over his younger brother's shoulders. He pointed wordlessly towards the room easily seeable. white tiles and dirty counters. the kitchen.

He shrugged, before walking down the hall, hearing Kairi following. "three ones, one bathroom." he said simply. He pushed open the door to one, peeking inside. He stepped aside so Kairi could look in as well. Two beds were there, cramped together because of space issues. One, Adan's, was empty. The other... Kenji was sprawled atop it, fast asleep.

He went across to the other room, opening it as well, but instead of letting Kairi look in he crept inside. Like before, the small room had two ebds close together. One had an extremly young girl laying on it, already in dreamland.

The other bed held a beautiful teenager, sitting up in bed and flipping through a book. When her elder brother walked in she looked up and smile.

"hey." He whispered to Irisi softly. "You have school in the morning you should get some sleep."

Iris nodded. "I know. I just wanetd to make sure you got home."

Sora smiled, walking over kissing her on the forehead, taking the book from her and set it down. "Bed." He shut off her lamp and then lef,t letitng her get settled.

[Jade]

She had waited at the bar, neither of them could leave, and she couldn't find Yuffie anywhere. That girl always seemed to disapear on her, she left her messages on her phone, even text but still no response, it was like her though, she had probrably run into some guy, and once she saw a guy she wanted... she didnt stop till she had ner fingers wrapped around him. It was one of the few traits she hated about her best friend and it really gave her a bad reputation, especially when the two of them were in school...

She sighed sending another text 'where are you? If its a guy just let me know' " She needs to stop doing this... on my birthday too..." she shook her head taking a sip from her water, the bar tender had offered her alcohol a few times but she still stuck to her no drinking policy, her father was quite the alcoholic but ensured that she never touched a drop of alcohol, the one time she actually tried some it tasted so bad! She remembered spitting it out instantly almost wanting to gag and throw up all at once!


Finally three hours later Sora's shift was done, she clung onto his arm leaning against him as the two of them left the club, it was refreshing seeing him in more casual attire, although she didnt mind seeing him how he was... he really had matured and grown up... well alot! He had a body that drove girls wild... and she didnt like the idea of other woman staring at him how they were... calling out to him like some whore... he wasnt...

She gave a stare when she saw it, the very same car that he had back in high school. The very same car his father had surprised him with on his sixteenth birthday. She could remember the smile and how happy Sora was when he receieved it, the funny thing was Raichu hadnt even told Aerith that he was planning to buy it for Sora. It was a complete surprise! Everyone was so overjoyed and laughed as Aerith scolded Raichu for buying her son such an expensive gift, but he just kept that same smile... the same smile that made everyone so happy, the very same one that Sora had... as long as he smiled, it would keep a light in everyone's hearts...

But this car had alot of meaning for the both of them aswell, they shared their first kiss in it, often times they had gone to make out point curled against one another in this very car. He came and picked her up for dances, got chased off by her father in it! It was... special for both of them...

She curled her way inside as he shut the door behind her, the silence between the two of them was awkward. The whole way neither of them even looked at one another, she felt tired exausted even. This whole night was so long... she stared at her phone still waiting for a response from her friend... wondering what happend to her.

The city shortly began to disapear, fading as they moved further down town into the more desolate part of the city, where the homeless, gangs, drug dealers all lived, the lowest of low of society... where crime piled up on a daily basis. Fire could be seen from one of the alleyways, men circled around it trying to take in its warmth, men who had lost their homes. Drug dealers and whores could be seen at the street corners, waiting for their next pay or even their victims... she had never been in this part of the city before... it almost scared her.

Just as she was about to drift off the vehicle came to a slow stop until the engine was turned off all together, she sighed opening the door and stood following him into a large building. Cracks could be seen in the walls, moss growing around it. The place was obviously not very well taken care of... she was starting to picture the life that Sora had been pushed into. She was starting to see why he was maybe scared of letting her be around him... but she pressed on following him closley. She wasnt going to be scared... not for anything... she would fall Sora into the depths of hell... and she meant every bit of that. The two of them had a promise to uphold to each other... one long over due.

She followed him inside after he opened the door the lights were on but they flashed and flickered, as if they were barley hanging onto there very life. " Your siblings were always very close to you." she said looking at him as he covered his brother with a blanket. The place was dirty, one thing hadnt changed... Sora was never good at keeping his room clean, so why would he an aparment? She stared down at Adan, he had grown alot... he looked so much like his brother...

They moved their way through the rest of the rooms until they came to the girls room, Iris was perched on her bed reading away. She still remembered how bright the young girl was, very beautiful just like her mother... and she always loved to read... she stared upwards over her bed were ice skates hanging together, it was Iris' favorite thing in the world to do. She smiled looking at her wondering if she would say anything... but now she knew... the situation Sora was under... but... two people were missing in the family. Where... was Aerith? and where was Ryten...?

She was really starting to wonder, knowing Ryten he had probrably run off, it was just like him to do something just like that. But Aerith, she loved her children, she knew she would never abandon them... had something happend to her? She remembered the pain she had been in after Sora's father had passed, she didnt want to believe it. After all, they didnt even have a body to confirm that he was dead...

[Reno]

Iris did catch sight of the red-head in the doorway. Her eyes widened a fraction, recognizing her instantly. No way... Kairi...?

She had known Kairi pretty well. she had been one of Sora's best friends and later... girlfriend. But then when everything horrible started to happen to their family she had watched the Sora collaspe under the pressure and forced the relationship to snap. He had been... so depressed. He didn't know it but all of them knew that the first week after he had broken it off with Kairi they had all heard him crying for hours and hours in his room... back when he had his own room.

She could still remember the old days back when she and Pann would listen in on riku and Sora;s covnersations, how the brunette had clanestinely told the silverette he planned to marry her once they were out of highschool.

Then the two friends had their little falling out. Dad died. mom got lsot. They lost their house and had to move. And Sora was suddenly signing papers to become everyones legal guardian. It had been real terrifying.

She looked at Kairi quietly, then glanced towards Sora. "Aniki?" brother? she whispered softly, slipping into the japanese their late mother Ayane had taught them before she had passed back when most of them were still in grade school.

Sora was just retucking in Raine, their yougnest sibling who was still in ehr elementary eyars when he ehard the soft voice of his sister. He glanced up then back at Kairi, seeing exactly what she meant. He smiled softly to her, reassuringly. "Asa. Semuri." morning. sleep.

Iris nodded quietly and Sora left the room, closing the door quietly behind him. He looked at Kairi, shrugging a bit then glanced towards the last of the three bedrooms. He saw the questioning glance, knowing Kairi was wodnering where his mother was. He looked at her, before taking her hand in his leading her towards the last of the room. "mom... hadn't handled the stress well." He answered, opening the door slowly, stepping aisde so she could see. Their mothers' room was the most beautiful of them all. Little hand-drawn pictures from Raine decorated the peeling wallpapered walls. Little flowers Iris collected from school were placed in vases around the lying form.

Aerith was on the bed, looking like she was only resting an IV in her arm. Adan had changed it just that night and Sora was glad for that. "She slipped into a coma a few monthes after I left school. We lost a lot of our money on the hospital bills so I had her taken out. She wasn't gettign any better." As he spoke, Sora crossed the room to where a little safe was sitting in the corner of the room, bolted down thanks to Kenji's welding skills. He teisted it open easily, throwing in the tip money he had made for the night into it. it was scarily empty giving the notion that they were lviing paycheck by paycheck.

He shut it then and looked at her, watching her stare down at his mother. he looked awya and towards the window. "Sometimes... I'm really angry at them. At my parents... and Ryten for leaving this all up to me. And then I figured out being angry weasn't putting food on the table."

[Jade]

Everything seemed to happen so fast, it was so hard taking it all in. Seeing Sora's once perfect family into what they had turned into broke her heart, shattered into thousands of pieces. She wanted to cry, she could see what Sora was working for, see exactly what he needed to protect. She stared over at Raine walking over moving her hand through the small childs hair gently, she was beautiful like her mother but she had her fathers and Sora's hair.

The small child looked so beautiful and peaceful sleeping like this, she wondered if she was old enough to really know the situation that their family was on. Raine was probrably the most important thing to Sora right now, she was the youngest and of course needed the most attention. Small children got lost easily in this world... she smiled then leaned down kissing her cheek gently then tucked her back in. Now more than every she wanted to help Sora... she looked up when she had gotten the look for him to leave.

She followed him down the hallway, pictures of the family were hung everywhere, it was typical of japanese families to do so. Pictures of them all through out their many years, them growing up with one another. Baby pictures, pre schoo, elementary and junior high, but she noticed that the pictures started to get scarce towards the high school years. She had caught glance of a picture of hers and Sora's first dance that he had asked her out to, Sora had dressed so hansomley, he rented a tux with the money he had saved up from mowing lawns in the neighborhood. She of course wore a beautiful red dress than shined ellegently, it was something her father had gotten her just for this, it was their first home coming...

So many memories with this family, she loved them just as if they were her own. But the hallway lead into the last room she stared but as they walked inside, this room lit up beautifully, flowers everywhere. Pictures just as he had said drawn all over, most likley from Raine and the rest of the children. She remembered that Aerith grew the best flowers in the neighborhood. No house compared to the beauty that the roses that she grew gave off. Often times other families would drive by the San residents just to get a glance at the hundreds of flowers that encircled their home. It was also one of Sora's quirks, she remembered he would give her flowers each time he picked her up for a date, and she often teased him for plucking them from his very own rose garden!

But thats when she saw her, Sora's mother she looked like an angel in a deep sleep. Even though she probrably had no grasp of what was going on, she knew the love her children had for her... keeping her alive most likley meant everything to Sora and his siblings... " She looks like an angel..." Kairi whispered walking over staring down at Aeriths form. " Sora..." Kairi glanced over at him, she wimpered her heart pounding. " What... about Ryten...? I..." she wondered... if Ryten even cared... or what even happend to him...

[Reno]

Sora scoffed standing up and walking over towards a seat next to his mother's bedside. He slumped into it, looking at the ground. "After we moved her and mom fell into her coma ryten just... ran off. We dunno where he went or if he;s soemwhere safe or happy..."

He shrugged, almost uncaringly. "He sends a check every once and awhile Just... a check. no note, no return address no nothing. He never calls he never comes home... it's like he's only sending the money because he feels obligated to... not because he misses us or loves us or are worried about us." He scoffed.

"If he walked through that door right now I'd probably deck him..." Sora mumbled softly, glancing towards his sleeping mother. "Sorry mom." he murmured. He shouldn;t be saying stuff like this in front of her. It wouldn;t make her wake up any faster.

[Jade]

" Ryten has his way of doing things, we both know that..." Kairi said walking over to him placing her hand on his chest gently. " Hes... always been protecting you, since we were small... remember your first bully? Ryten brought a knife to school knowing he would get into trouble just to scare them off..." she chuckled slightly remembering their child hood.

" I think he feels obligated to protect you guys... maybe... hes still doing it in his own way..." she gave him a reasuring smile, Ryten had always been the quiet type. Jealous even, the only person in the world Ryten really cared about was his siblings... he had always stuck up for sora... she started to giggle slightly " Then... remember when we met? I was singing my ABC's and you started to giggle... the teacher called you stupid and Ryten stood up and called the teacher a bitch right infront of the whole class!" she leaned into him trying to keep her laughter at a low level. So many fond memories of their child hood...