Welcome to the finale.

However it may end, enjoy it thoroughly. It took me a very long time to decide exactly how this series should close.

But first…

I'm sure everyone is wondering…

Where the hell are Lexaeus and Xigbar?

All that and more, answered now.

Walk forward, and face the final closure.

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The silence was unbearable. Even the pain in Fyer's chest was temporarily forgotten. All she could see was the sheer emptiness in Xemnas' eyes. The one she had come to know and love, whose eyes were filled with kindness and affection, was gone. All that remained was this hollow shell, bitter from his own darkness. This was the Xemnas Fyer had hoped was gone forever.

When no one spoke, Xemnas' grasp tightened. Fyer gasped softly, flinching when Xemnas' eyes snapped down to look at her.

"Who are you? Explain yourself. How is it that you have manipulated me so deeply?" Xemnas demanded, much to Fyer's dismay. She couldn't answer him, even if she could speak. If she told him everything, he wouldn't believe her. Everything they had been through, and every memory they shared was gone, just like that. She had lost him.

The sudden realization hit her hard, and tears entered her eyes. Without pause, they escaped and rolled down her face. Xemnas watched her, unfazed. After a moment of waiting for her to answer his question, his expression darkened even further. With a growl, he tensed and threw her to the side. Fyer was completely unprepared for his sudden aggression. She immediately rolled to the side and sat up, eyes wide. Xemnas stood, eyes fierce with contempt.

"Is this a poor attempt at revolt? My lack of recollection to this point is proof enough that I can no longer trust any of you," Xemnas said sternly. Emotions came forth, but ones that Fyer knew were not the same as before. This anger was not as his anger before; it was full of cruelty. Xemnas turned suddenly to Fyer, who was still on the floor only a few paces away. Fyer flinched under his terrifying stare as if she'd been struck. Her tears were silent, invisible to Xemnas. She had a feeling even if she could speak, it would make no difference.

"What did you hope to achieve with this ruse? This will not go unheeded. This creature is one of Vexen's experiments, isn't it?" Xemnas hissed, his gaze cutting straight to her core. It wasn't hard to miss her stark eyes. "Is it this creature that has taken my memories from me?"

"Xemnas, what the hell?" Axel asked, still stunned. Xemnas's eyes seemed to come alive with white hot fire.

"Such insolence," he growled in warning. His attention was constantly shifting, which only served to infuriate him further. "Have you forgotten your place so easily?"

Axel tensed as Xemnas' hands began to glow their familiar pinkish hue. Axel braced himself, ready to take the hit. Instead, Xemnas' eyes shifted back to his left; to Fyer.

"Whatever this is that you have done, or that you have planned, it ends here. This creature you have brought into this…I will remove. Her blood will be on your hands," Xemnas promised, turning suddenly to face Fyer. His body shifted as he moved toward her, his power grew. In a spare second, she would be dead.

If she could have moved, she wouldn't have. What she was seeing was no longer the beautiful life she had been living; this was the nightmare that had been hiding underneath. She had nothing before Xemnas, and now that he was gone, the emptiness had returned like an old friend. It embraced her, freezing her. She could think of nothing but the pain deep in her soul.

Xemnas' eyes narrowed as light came forth from his hand like a dagger of lightning.

In a flash, Axel launched himself forward and shielded Fyer. At the same moment, Saix threw himself into Xemnas' midsection, knocking the pair of them to the floor. Axel took the hit and rolled, coming to a stop on his hands and knees. With a gasp, he leapt to his feet, jacket torn open, but uninjured. The power Xemnas had unleashed toward her was weak against the Organization members, but would surely have been fatal against Fyer. As the pain in her chest grew, the agony in her soul grew further. The man she loved had looked her in her the eyes and tried to kill her.

Saix and Xemnas were on the floor, though not for long. Saix growled softly, his shadow seeming to grow in size as his Berserker state came into full form. He was unsure, even frightened, but he wasn't backing down. This was the old Xemnas he had learned never to defy. However, there was more at stake this time. He had promised Fyer protection from those who intended her harm. And now that Xemnas did too, his promise remained.

Xemnas was on his feet in an instant. The walls around them dimmed, as though a darkness was trying to seep through the walls. Saix and the rest of them were in terrible danger. Xemnas' fierce golden eyes turned and stabbed into Fyer.

"How can you value this creature so highly? She is nothing. A worthless creation by Vexen's hands. She serves only to disrupt my rule. She has severed your loyalties, and so she must be severed," Xemnas growled, hands beginning to glow again. "Once she is eliminated, I will bring you traitorous Nobodies back under my heel…or kill you trying."

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Xigbar stopped suddenly. His shoulders slumped and his head drooped as though he were about to lose consciousness. Demyx saw this and started forward, prepared to catch him.

"What the actual fuck?!" Xigbar roared suddenly, looking down at himself. He spun around and stared at Demyx. The smaller companion stumbled as he stopped in his tracks. He took a cautionary step back.

"What is it?" Demyx exclaimed, glancing around quickly. When he saw Xigbar's face, his alarm found its focal point.

"How the hell did I get here?" Xigbar exclaimed, glaring at Demyx. "How come I can't remember? Did you do this?"

Demyx was stunned for a long moment, roused only when Xigbar started toward him. He held up his hands in defense.

"What are you talking about? Have you lost it?" Demyx cried, not liking the look on Xigbar's face. "Are you playing a trick on me? How can you after what happened-"

"Shut the hell up!" Xigbar cut in, pausing finally in his pursuit. Demyx took a few more steps back before he grew still too. Xigbar shook his head, as though trying to rid himself of something. "Everything's just blank. I feel like I've lost so much time, and I can't even remember it."

Xigbar looked up at Demyx again, eyes full of suspicion. It suddenly dawned on Demyx that Xigbar wasn't fooling around. Had he truly forgotten everything?

"We're here trying to keep Fyer safe," Demyx offered, hoping it roused him out of whatever state he was in. Xigbar's eyes only narrowed.

"Who the hell is Fyer? What kind of fucking joke are you playing this time, Demyx? I'm gonna ream you for this. What did you do to me, you bastard?" Xigbar growled, his one eye full of dark promise.

So it was just that. He had only forgotten about Fyer. This is what Ansem had been striving for; to eliminate her without ever touching her. It was only a matter of time before Demyx forgot too.

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Ansem said nothing as he watched the girl erasing every mention of Fyer's existence. It had been difficult with Xemnas; he had been in her presence, speaking with her, and so her name kept appearing even after the girl had erased every other mention. In the moment of silence when Xemnas had closed his eyes, Fyer had disappeared for a mere second, and that was all the time that had been needed. As Xemnas' page had been turned, Ansem had no need to look at it to know what was happening now. They were a part of each other, in a strange way, and Ansem knew that his shock of being suddenly awake with no recollections would soon enrage him. Fyer would be dead soon, if she was not already.

If she wasn't…Ansem would have just one more loose end to tie shut before the ordeal was over.

Namine stopped suddenly and looked up. Ansem followed her gaze and found it fixed on the door. Before he could take his next breath, it tore open.

Ansem stepped in front of Namine quickly, glancing back.

"Continue, as quickly as you can. They've come to stop you," Ansem encouraged, earning a confused expression from the girl. With little choice, she trained her gaze back to the pages splayed before her. She had no idea who she was erasing, but she had little choice in the matter. As soon as she finished, this man promised to help her to her freedom.

Ansem faced the disturbance and was surprised at the intrusion.

"I knew it," Xaldin growled, eyes narrowed. Lexaeus loomed behind him, silently taking in the situation. Ansem straightened and folded his arms, at ease. Even together, these two did not possess the power to stop him. It was only a small disturbance that could quickly be silenced.

"I'm quite impressed you found your way here," Ansem said softly. In truth, he had no idea how it was possible, unless the walls had stopped moving at his arrival. They had tracked him, and thought they had him cornered. Perhaps it was best they thought he was; it would give him the upper hand when the assault began.

"After we saw past all your little ruses that caught all the others, we knew exactly where to find you. Damn good job distracting everyone, but not good enough. This ends here. You're going down, and we're taking the girl out of here," Xaldin promised, highly agitated already. The girl stopped again and looked up. Ansem looked back sharply.

"They intend to kill you. Do not stop in your endeavor," Ansem lied easily, drawing a look of terror onto her face. It was Lexaeus' turn to grow infuriated.

"You mother fu-"

"You've gotten this far with lies. No more," Lexaeus snapped, and the room around them began to rumble. Ansem glanced back once more to Namine. She was working again, her hand moving erratically across the page.

The pair attacked without warning, Lexaeus reached out his arms to the sides, and the walls began to crack. Xaldin summoned his lances and they followed him, singing dangerously as they pointed toward Ansem. He leapt easily onto the table, shoes thudding against it. With a small growl, the lances heard an unspoken command and launched toward Ansem. The Xemnas counterpart stood still for a long moment, calculating. Then, at the last moment, he became enshrouded by a thick black haze. It zipped shockingly fast in front of Xaldin, harmlessly past his speeding lances. Then, he solidified and made contact with Xaldin.

The lance wielder was thrown to the side, crashing into the chairs and the wall afterwards. The lances stabbed into the stone, humming as the handles vibrated with the impact. Lexaeus shifted his energies and focused it on the table where Ansem stood. Lexaeus slammed his stone-like fist into the top and watched as it shattered like glass. Ansem fell through, catching his balance easily. After only a second, Ansem realized the futile attack was not meant for him. He looked back to see Namine sitting a few feet away from the rubble, eyes wide. Her book was face down on the floor and pages scattered everywhere.

Lexaeus took advantage of the distraction and went to Xaldin, who was sitting awkwardly against the wall, eyes shut. Before he could reach out, Xaldin's eyes snapped open. They traveled to Lexaeus', and he didn't say a word. Lexaeus didn't speak either, stunned. Xaldin had never been one to enjoy having or showing emotions, but Lexaeus had always been able to tell that they were there when Fyer had come along. Like the sudden shattering of a light bulb, his eyes were devoid of the things Xaldin hated the most.

With Ansem's help, Namine had put her book back together and found the page she had been working on before the disturbance. She had been flipping from page to page, erasing every 'Fyer' she saw. She left only one in the very beginning of the page, to keep the page bearers from knowing what she was doing. She had made the mistake with Xemnas, and he had fought her fiercely. But she knew what to do now. As long as the intruders didn't get her, it would not take her long to finish off every page that Fyer's name marked.

Somewhere deep in the silence of her soul, she felt something she wasn't familiar. Something that made her want to stop. Whoever this Fyer was, perhaps she was important in some way. Namine looked up and saw Ansem turn towards the temporarily stunned attackers. What else could she do, though? She didn't know who was going to help her or hurt her; all she had to rely on was what she was seeing now. But, if she was doing the right thing, what was this feeling deep inside?

Xaldin reached out suddenly and grabbed Lexaeus' jacket collar. With a violent motion, he shoved the bigger man back.

"Get the hell out of my face. Where am I?' he demanded, kicking the chair out of the way that had previously been trapping his leg. It took Lexaeus only the blink of an eye to understand. He turned his attention on Ansem, who looked rather pleased with himself. While the earth master calculated his next move, Xaldin stood, about to speak to Lexaeus when he spotted Ansem. His words died in his mouth and he stared in confusion.

Then, out of the silence rang a voice that brought an uneasy frown to Ansem's face.

"Thought you could just brush me aside without a thorn or two getting stuck in that backstabbing hand of yours?" a dark voice asked furiously. In the doorway stood a very agitated Marluxia. Ansem glanced back at the girl again.

"Quickly," he commanded, turning to face his new foe. With luck, he could stall them just long enough. He was too close to let it come crashing down now.

"I knew I couldn't trust you, but I never expected you to cover my eyes and fool me so easily. You really have outdone my expectations," Marluxia snarled, eyes training suddenly on Namine. His aggression relaxed momentarily when he saw her. "And I see you've found what I was searching this Castle for. The tool to finally end Xemnas' rule. Though your meddling has caused me quite a bit of trouble, I still must thank you. But, regardless of if your rule outranks even Xemnas, I'm afraid this little ruse is over. I need you out of my way as well."

Ansem's eyes narrowed at the threat. Marluxia was formidable, but could not take Ansem down. They both knew it. Still, it singed the edge of Ansem's pride to be spoken to in such a manner. This underling of Marluxia's had grown so mad with the desire for power that he was risking everything. To bring about the wrath of his Superior by attempting to defile the one he loved was the first step into the dangerous path he stood now firmly upon. And now, to come to this, with so much at stake, Ansem couldn't help but feel a little threatened. Where power was one thing, determination was another. Marluxia would not be told no. The only end was to take him down for good, or erase his memory before it came to that. He wanted the Organization intact so that this entire incident could be brushed away unnoticed, but he was being cornered.

"Your endeavor is worthless. What can you hope to gain with your power? It is not only I who ruled Xemnas. Your crown will not be upon your head for long if you manage to grasp it. And the girl…she must be eliminated. Even after she is erased, her presence would bring about the same fate as before. She cannot exist anymore," Ansem retorted. The girl sat on the floor behind him, quietly brushing away Fyer letter by letter. Marluxia was still for a long moment before he smiled.

"Without Xemnas to remember her, and feel her pain, what indeed is my endeavor worth?" Marluxia said suddenly, surprising all except for Xaldin, who still was waking from his daze. Ansem straightened.

"After you've sacrificed so much, Fyer is no longer your target?" Ansem asked softly. Had Vanitas' instincts been wrong? Much of Marluxia's dark hostility had been directed toward Fyer. He knew the intention was to bring about agony to Xemnas in an inadvertent way, but Vanitas had still seen desire in Marluxia's eyes. Now he seemed indifferent.

"I needed Fyer for several reasons. However, as the game has changed, I no longer need her for her revealing dreams. You've led me straight to my ultimate goal. As far as the other reasons…as fate shall have it, I await to see if she can even survive this. It's highly doubtful now, with Xemnas unleashed upon her, but there is always a chance," Marluxia explained, and Ansem spotted the faint haze of desire come over his eyes for a second before they cleared. Ansem understood now. He had known of Namine's existence, but it had eluded him. Now that he had found it, he intended to brush Ansem aside and take hold of the most powerful weapon the Organization had known.

"If she somehow survives, it will be by my hand that she meets her end," Ansem reminded, knowing it was the wrong thing to say. However, it was the reaction he was looking for that Marluxia immediately revealed to him. Though Marluxia made it seem as if he could care less if Fyer died, his expression now contradicted it.

"Unfortunately not, because you will meet your end far before you have a chance," Marluxia warned, summoning his scythe a second later. He wasn't going to be stalled any longer. Ansem could defend himself, but with addition of the girl, it would be difficult. He looked over at Xaldin sharply.

"Xaldin, stop them. They've come under the influence of the enemy. Until we can erase it, you must drive them back. Only you are awake now. We have destroyed the hold that was on you, and only you are thinking clearly," he said quickly, noting the suspicious look on Xldin's face. He was no fool, but it was impossible for him to miss the emotions on Marluxia's face. He knew something was wrong, but he wasn't sure which side he was supposed to be on. Lexaeus turned to him, blocking Ansem from view.

"Do not listen to him. He seeks to decieve you. You have forgotten the reason why you're here. You came here under orders from Xemnas, but you did so without argument. Ansem and Marluxia are the enemy, not the rest of the Organization. If you turn on me here, this will continue until none of us can remember, and the only thing that could have saved us will be dead," Lexaeus said suddenly, his rarely heard voice calm despite the situation. Marluxia ignored the pair near the wall and charged for Ansem, who tensed his muscles and gathered his power around him. Xaldin watched the coming confrontation, then looked back at Lexaeus. His last memories were of a mission with this very person. Nothing had been out of the ordinary, but as soon as they had returned, a meeting had been called. Then things just became a haze…until the moment he opened his eyes as he sat awkwardly against the wall, very obviously as a result of an assault.

Something wasn't right. Whether the 'influence' Ansem spoke of was the real danger, or Ansem himself was deceiving him, he didn't know. How could he? He looked into Lexaeus' eyes and saw something there that made up his mind instantly. He lifted his chin, eyes as chilly as Vexen's powers, and his lances lifted out of the rubble.

"You're as poisoned as Marluxia. Those things in your eyes are misplaced. I'll tear them out of you," Xaldin promised with a snarl. He hated emotions; having them, seeing them, and worst of all, being swayed by them. Lexaeus had incited his hostility by a mere glance, and lost his aid.

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In the midst of the chaos, something unexpected happened. As Vexen was about to bring down the razor sharp rain of ice he had gather, his eyelids suddenly drooped. Without warning, he collapsed. The ice shattered into snow and fell harmlessly onto the two comrades. Zexion lowered his defensively placed arms and straightened, staring at Vexen in shock. He was out cold, and they hadn't been able to land a hit in a while. Had he simply fainted from exhaustion? That couldn't be it. Luxord tilted his head, his cards still hovering patiently around them.

"Well I'll be damned. What's wrong with him?" Luxord asked, though he could have cared less. If Vexen never got up again, he wouldn't feel burdened by it. The ice master had never been on his list of likes, and hadn't improved in his eyes as he betrayed the Organization. Zexion said nothing as he watched. After a few moments, Vexen stirred and shook his head as he reawakened. As he lifted his head, a layer of snow fell from his blond hair. Luxord narrowed his eyes. "Still haven't had enough?"

Vexen's blank stare was all it took. Zexion lowered his head and thought quickly, counting back the time.

"Hell. Luxord, it's going in order. It's only been about 10 minutes since Xemnas forgot, and now him. He's Number Four. That means 2 and 3 forgot too. It will be me soon. Damn it all," Zexion hissed. He clasped his hands to his head, closing his eyes tight. He knew it was happening, but he couldn't feel it. What would it be like to forget her? Would she suddenly just vanish out of memory, or would the entire block of time vanish as well?

Luxord looked over wordlessly. They already knew there wasn't anything they could do, but the despair was eating away at Zexion.

"There has to be something we can do," Zexion hissed desperately, shaking his head. Luxord's eyes travelled down to the floor, moving slowly across until he saw the bottom half of the shattered vial sticking out of the snow.

"You don't suppose…Vexen had an extra vial of that antidote? Or do you think he only made one?" Luxord asked softly. Zexion snapped to attention and looked over, shocked he hadn't thought of it either.

"Vexen's a creature of habit. He always made a double," Zexion said, realizing what he was saying. He turned to face his comrade. He faltered. "But even if we get it…how can we get it to her? She'll never be able to make it back into the Castle; especially not the laboratory."

"Stay out of my laboratory," Vexen finally spoke, voice strangely groggy. He was still waking from his daze. His eyes narrowed as he began to take in the scene around him. Luxord returned his gaze to Zexion.

"There's always a way. Go and get it. Move it somewhere where she can get it," Luxord growled, gearing up for another battle in case Vexen turned hostile. Zexion shook his head.

"No. You're Number 10. You have more time left. You go. If I forget halfway through…I can't risk it. Hurry, Luxord. It's the last thing we can do," Zexion decided, his voice thick with emotion. Luxord took a step closer and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry. I'll get it there safe and sound. It's our last salute to Fyer," Luxord promised, turning and opening a portal. He paused as he reached it, and looked back. His eyes were sad too. "See you on the other side, whatever it may be."

Zexion could only offer him a nod, unable to speak. As the portal closed, he faced Vexen, who used the wall to stand. He looked around the room, in an apparent disarray. He knew there had been a battle here, and he had been a part of it.

"Care to explain?" he hissed, on the defensive already. Zexion said nothing, his usually sharp wit dull with distress. He finally found his voice and looked up.

"There's no way to explain what you've forgotten. All you need to know is that things will be back to normal soon," Zexion said softly. Vexen regarded him suspiciously, not letting it go there.

"There is a darkhaze where my memories should be. Who has taken them? You?" Vexen demanded, and Zexion's mind woke up once more. A dark haze? Instead of the memories simply cutting off, it seemed as if the memories were…covered?

Then, was there a way to bring them back?

If there was any hope, Zexion would grasp it and never let go. He refused to, even if he forgot. He would instill it within himself, under the haze, so that it still called to him until he found a way to lift it. He would do it for Fyer.

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Saix was entering into his full Berserker stage. Against Xemnas, he was one of the few who could standa chance in a fight if he pulled all of his power into it. The light from his eyes countered the darkness creeping out upon them, casting terrifying shadows against the walls.

"Axel…go," Saix growled, voice barely recognizable. He looked over very quickly at Fyer, who was in a daze. "I'm sorry…Fyer."

The mention of her name broke her out of her mangled thoughts in time to meet his gaze. Her vision was blurry through her tears, and yet she still could not speak a word. So much could have been said in that second that Saix looked at her, but there only remained silence.

Until Xemnas broke it.

"None of you shall leave this room," Xemnas promised, about to turn to face Fyer again. Saix let go of his last bit of restraint and his mouth opened to reveal his fangs. Before Xemnas could move, Saix lunged, low enough to avoid a swipe from Xemnas' hand. He threw his entire weight against the Superior, managing to drive him back several steps. A second later, Xemnas' hands blazed to life.

Fyer felt hands reach under her arms and lift her to her feet quickly, making the room spin. Fyer reached down and grasped Axel's arms, trying to make him let go. She didn't want to leave. Once she left, there would be no coming back. There would be nothing left, here or in the world beyond this one. She didn't want to lose sight of him, even if he did mean to kill her.

"Fyer, stop fighting me," Axel scolded, remembering that her strength was much more than it used to be. He held on tighter, and her legs moved slightly, trying to support her own weight. It was a good sign, but not particularly in Axel's favor. She was digging her heels in, trying to halt him. Axel held her closer, his lips close to her ear so that Xemnas couldn't hear them. "What are you doing? If you stay here, he'll kill you. That isn't your Xemnas anymore. We have to go, now, before it's too late."

Fyer shook her head violently, refusing to submit. The day she had met Xemnas had pulled her back from the edge. If she was cast out again…there would be nothing to stop her from falling into the darkness this time. He had been there the last time, but he would not come again. She would rather let him end there than face the suffering she was going to have to endure for the rest of eternity. The 'gift' Vexen had bestowed upon her had become the cruelest act. Nothing would be able to kill her except for the Organization members. If Xemnas didn't, she would live on, alone…forever.

Xemnas was focused on Saix, his once trusted right hand man. Now they were locked in fierce combat, their movements fluid and graceful. They knew each others' battle styles, but it was hard to land a hit regardless. Xemnas was powerful without using all his strength, and was holding his own against the fully formed Berserk Saix. But there didn't need to be a victor. There just needed to be a distraction long enough for Axel to escape with Fyer.

Axel gritted his teeth and swept Fyer off of her feet. In her moment of surprise she was still, and he turned and ran for the door. Xemnas' sharp eyes turned and pierced them immediately, and he lifted his hand. Darkness bloomed out of the doorway, blocking their escape. Axel stumbled back, tensed. Saix hissed in a deep breath and lunged again, changing tactics. He wrapped both of his arms around Xemnas, pinning the Superior's arms to his side. With the last of his courage, he brought his fangs down around Xemnas' shoulder, piercing and locking them there.

In that moment of utter shock, the darkness blocking their path vanished. With a deep breath of resolve Axel rushed forward, sparing a last glance back at Saix. Though his eyes were bindingly yellow, Axel saw the fear. His chest constricted at the sight. Xemnas' anger from his old self was terrifying, and now Saix had drawn every ounce of it toward him. In a second when Xemnas recovered, it was unforeseen if Saix would survive. But he would not back down. He had made his choice, and it was too late to turn back.

Axel successfully made it out of the room and continued on through the next, still able to feel the shadow of Xemnas' presence. Though he ran on, the shadow seemed to explode suddenly, engulfing everything. Axel skidded to a stop, gaping. The walls, floor and ceiling were pitch black. There was no place Axel could see that was untouched by Xemnas' rage. Fyer saw it all, though through a veil of pain. Though her despair was great, the agony in her chest was growing more powerful. She had at first thought it was from the emotional shock, but something else was wrong.

The red haired fire master spun in circles, trying to come up with something frantically. While Xemnas' power was spread across these walls, the way out was sealed. He had to keep going until he was clear. He had to get her out and away from Xemnas as quickly as possible, or they were both dead. Axel pushed on, shoving through each door hurriedly, only to be greeted by further darkness. It seemed there was no end to it.

There was a strange noise far behind them, and the darkness faded as quickly as it had come, revealing the white walls of the Castle. Axel spun around in shock, trying to decipher the odd noise he had heard. Was it magic; and if it was, who had cast it?

Axel realized his folly and focused his attention on the one most important thing at that moment. At his command, a dark corridor formed, to the first place Axel could think of. Fyer would be safe here, and the old Xemnas wouldn't be able to find her there. As he leapt into, Fyer closed her eyes tight, unable to watch it close behind them. It was done. The Xemnas that had fallen in love with her at first sight would never come back. That hatred in his eyes when he had tried to kill her would be all that he ever felt toward her now. It was too much to bear.

Axel ran through the darkness, holding Fyer close to him despite the fact that she wore the protective cloak of the Organization. He glanced down at his passenger and saw her mouth trembling in silent noises, her expression strained as if she were in terrible pain. The sight of it stabbed a dagger through Axel's chest, as if he had a heart that was sympathizing with her. He could never understand the level of suffering she was experiencing, but just seeing it was horrible enough.

"Fyer," Axel said weakly, not sure any words could be comforting now. Only Xemnas had forgotten thus far, but if the culprit had the power to do that, what was stopping him from erasing her from the rest of them? Axel's eyes widened at the revelation, suddenly terrified. If everyone was going to forget, she would be completely alone; in the condition she was in, he wasn't sure if she could survive.

At last, a wavering light appeared in front of them, signaling the end of the corridor. In moments, Fyer would be out of Xemnas' reach, and completely safe from harm. Though even then, the damage was already done.

Axel carried Fyer into the light, and the corridor shut behind them.

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For once, Marluxia had nothing to say. Ansem was still facing him, uninjured. Lexaeus and Xaldin had been fighting, leaving those two out of the way. But now the pair were silent, having been brushed clean of their memories of Fyer. Ansem smirked. With a simple command, Marluxia would be facing insurmountable odds. It wasn't even Ansem himself that was the problem; it was the seemingly harmless girl at his back. With the mere flip of her writing utensil, she could manipulate the minds of even the most powerful. She was a weapon far greater than any of them could hold. He needed to be quick before her influence tore his memories away too.

"Lexaeus, Xaldin," Ansem said suddenly, breaking the seconds of silence that had passed. Before he could continue, Marluxia attacked. He went straight for Ansem, but his energy wasn't in it. Ansem braced himself and snagged Marluxia's arms, halting their path as they grasped his powerful scythe. Marluxia grinned despite himself, knowing Ansem's full attention was on him.

Unsuspectingly, behind him, vines tore up out of the floor, shattering stone and flailing swiftly around the room. In seconds, they had his fellow Organization members pinned, and had formed a thick pillar around Namine. She jumped in shock, her carefully placed pages scattered, but she was unharmed. Ansem looked back in shock, annoyed he had been so careless. He turned his attention back to Marluxia, eyes narrowed.

"What do you hope to accomplish with this? She has the power to take you down without ever touching you, and you believe you can take control this way? By frightening her, you only hasten your own defeat. Foolish man," Ansem hissed, putting force into his palm as he brought it against Marluxia's collarbone. The rose-wielder skidded backwards, regaining his stance a second later. It hurt, but he didn't show it. His eyes only held amusement as he straightened.

"Have you not done the same thing, but in a different way? What did you do to make her so obedient?" Marluxia asked, glancing over at the girl as she looked around her cage of vines, confused. Ansem watched him closely. Marluxia had not gained the upper hand. The girl still believed Ansem was going to set her free when she finished erasing Fyer, and Marluxia had only further distanced himself by trapping her. He had to be missing something; the man was still smiling. Xaldin and Lexaeus struggled in their bindings, barely being held. Marluxia was expending a fair amount of energy to secure them, but he only needed them there for a bit longer. Now all he had to have was one more distraction.

Namine continued in her work, hurrying. Unbeknownst to Ansem, or even to her, a collection of papers dangled in a tightly twisted crest of vines, all bearing Marluxia's violent memories.

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Fyer opened her eyes as the light flooded across them, though weakly and intermittently. A breeze hit them that carried a smell that Fyer could never forget. Axel trudged forward, through the shadows and through the trees that he had brought them to. It was the last place he knew she wanted to be, but he couldn't take her anywhere else that would be safer.

Even from where they were, Fyer could hear the ocean hissing softly as it swayed hungrily toward the sand. She was back here again, where her hope had died. This was where she had lost what remained of her strength and she had sat silently on the beach, contemplating her own worth. She saw nothing before her but the ocean…until Xemnas appeared.

Nothing would be the same; it had been a strange event of chance that he had sensed her, and now that Ansem had torn them apart at the seam, there would be no repeat. It was something that wasn't supposed to happen, and Fyer had gotten in their way because of it. It would be assured that it would not happen again.

Fyer grasped Axel's jacket tight, shivering. Somewhere deep inside she knew Xemnas was growing further away from her. He had forgotten, then tried to kill her. Had he forgotten even more, until he didn't even know she existed? When she felt it, the pain in her chest grew.

Axel slowed down and his eyes swept the area, searching carefully. She had to be safe, that was his absolute priority. If Xemnas intended to kill him when he returned, so be it. As long as Fyer was out of his reach, he could take it. He glanced down for a second to see her face again. He wouldn't forget it. He couldn't. How was it possible that someone had the power to make every moment with her just vanish like it never happened?

Axel finally stopped and dropped to one knee. Very carefully, he placed Fyer in the sand, holding onto her shoulders until she was leaning against the tree whose roots Axel had set her between. Axel's hands drifted down, pausing as they reached her own. She was shaking, eyes closed again, as if she was struggling to hold everything inside. The face he studied was the same one he had seen when they first met, but the turmoil raging inside had already changed her. That brilliant smile she had would never be as bright after this, if she ever smiled again.

He could almost taste the despair radiating from her in waves. The feeling of it gave Axel the powerful urge to wrap his arms around her until her shivering subsided. But he knew if he held her, he wouldn't be able to let go. This darkness they faced would not stop until she was completely alone. Axel feared if he stayed much longer, he may forget too…and he would betray her just like Xemnas.

A cruel decision now lay before him. He loved Fyer, so much that it hurt to see her this way. He regretted not being the one Fyer had fallen for, but he had long since put that away as long as he could still be someone she came to when she needed companionship. He had only wanted to see her happy. And now there wasn't any way he could take her pain away. To leave her now would be terrible; alone in these trees with the knowledge that she would never know the same happiness again. But if he stayed…every moment that passed could be a moment that Axel forgot and raised his own weapon against her.

"Fyer," he whispered, receiving no response. The hands that were placed on top of hers tightened, willing her to look at him. She finally did, but the eyes were dull with an agony that Axel that couldn't know. The icy blue-white pierced through him like a shiv, straight to the place where his heart should have been.

"Please…forgive me. I have to go. I can't stay here, and risk being the one that…," Axel began, forced to pause. He was experiencing emotion more powerful than he had ever felt. Is this what it's like to be human? Is this what Fyer has given us? How is it fair that she has to be taken away from us, when all that she's ever done is wake us up from this desolation we live in…?

Fyer instantly reached out and grabbed his jacket, eyes opening a little wider. She couldn't speak, but she didn't need to. The look in her eyes said it all. Don't leave me.

Axel wrapped his hand around hers, his resolve wavering. He couldn't be sure that they would all forget, but it was inevitable. The enemy intended to erase her completely, and that meant everyone's memories. If he stayed any longer, he risked her life. Even knowing this, he knew either choice, to stay or leave, was cruel. It hurt Axel, so much that he felt tears coming into his eyes; a rare occurrence. But no matter how much it hurt, it could not compare to Fyer's.

If he was doomed to forget, he could not change it. But if he had emotions, something had changed in him. Simply forgetting about Fyer would not take that away. Deep inside, there would be an affixed sensation of something missing. Fyer had given them their emotions back. If it was only because of her presence that had brought them, his mind would somehow know something was missing, without really knowing it. Xemnas' emotions had fallen away instantly, but had he felt an emptiness deep within him? If he had, he hadn't shown it. He had delved immediately into violence, and that made Axel lose hope again. If not even Xemnas could resist, how could Axel hope to make a difference?

"Fyer, I'm sorry. I don't want to leave you…ever. But if I stay…I might kill you," Axel whispered, reaching out to touch her face. Her emotions were so plainly displayed that it made his chest ache. Why must they forget? Fyer's mouth trembled and her eyes lowered. She knew he was right, but she couldn't accept it. If she could speak, she would have asked him to stay anyway. It didn't make any difference whether he killed her or not. If he did, the pain would vanish, and if he didn't, she would only be left alone to suffer until this agony in her chest finally took her under.

Her grip on his jacket tightened, and Axel closed his eyes.

"If…If I don't come back, or ever see you again…forgive me. It is the desire of a heart I may or may not have, to see you once again. If I forget, I'll fight every day to remember. They can't win this easily. Nothing can ever truly be forgotten…it can't!" he growled, as if trying to convince himself. The emotion in his voice was astonishing. He finally opened his eyes again. "Until that day when we all remember…survive. Please. Don't give up on us. I…won't give up on you. Just survive, please. I love you too much to think you'd…I'm sorry you have to be alone. Forgive all of us."

Axel leaned over her suddenly and kissed her, shocking her. Her mute state would have made no difference now, for any possible words suddenly left her mouth. He was gentle, but Fyer tasted his tears. An instant later, he pulled away, back out of her reach.

An abyss opened behind him, waiting to devour him before her eyes. They traveled up to his face one last time, wishing she could call out his name. though any more waiting was torturing them both. Axel gathered his torn emotions and suffocated them, trying to give his legs strength to move. He shook, clenching his firsts. His green eyes were terribly pained.

"Farewell…until we meet again, Fyer. I promise…we will."

The portal closed and Fyer's muscles that had been tensed with her trying to stand relaxed. Her head turned to the side as she rested it against the tree, dull and empty. Her soul had been trying to tell her that happiness never lasted, and she had not listened. Now it had been sucked out of her, leaving this shell behind. It had already been broken and repaired so many times…she was not sure it would happen again.

Her chest grew even more painful, and she hugged herself, not fighting it anymore. All she was trying to do was bear it and hope it ended soon. If it took her life, all the better. Axel had asked her to survive, but how could she? How could she, with an eternal life and memories that could never be erased like theirs?

Fyer closed her eyes and waited. All she had left was time. Her clock was frozen; a last, cruel gift the Organization had given her before leaving her alone once again.

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Faster than before, the Organization members fell.

Zexion's defenses dropped a second before he did. Vexen leapt back, suspecting a trick, but there was none. Zexion was out cold. Even stranger, Zexion's eyes had closed a second before a shadow came over his face. He lied silently on the floor, unmoving. Vexen refused to approach, but his turn was inevitable. He saw the shadow a split instant before it struck him, not nearly enough time to flinch.

Vexen fell to join his companion in the unconscious darkness, and the shadow moved on silently.

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Saix faced Xemnas, wounded and soon to fall in defeat. Xemnas knew his true target had escaped, and his rage could only be spent on the disciple before him. As he moved forward to strike down Saix for the last time, the shadow came. Saix blinked in shock, unable to comprehend what he was seeing. The figure in front of him…?

Namine's eraser finished its work and Saix felt the irresistible tug of the abyss. As he fell victim, the shadow came toward him, reaching out to catch him. As his memories faded swiftly, he was shoved even further into the darkness, unable to reawaken on his own accord. The battle ended there, reconciled by the shadow that continued on through the Castle.

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Axel and Luxord had both forgotten the moment they had stepped into the dark corridors back from their missions. Unable to recall where they had been, they entered the Castle.

Luxord was first. Before he could fight, the darkness struck. Axel stood for a moment inside the Castle, trying hard to remember where he had been and why. As he stood there, he felt the urge to move, to go back to where he had come. Somehow this gap had grown from the moment before the meeting called by Xemnas and this moment. What lay in it? Axel heard movement and glanced up, pulling himself from his thoughts. He saw darkness blooming out before him, shockingly fast. However, Axel was known for being one of the swiftest in the Organization. He had his weapons at the ready as it reached him, but only too late did he realize it would do no good. The shadow had no form. It was only a cloud of darkness swirling wider as it approached. Only when it reached him did it take a form, and by that time, he could not strike back.

It was the same with all the others. As they stood gazing at the white walls in confusion, or fighting each other in disorientation, it came for them. When all of the stragglers were unconscious and far beyond waking, the shadow moved to the depths of the castle, where its last objective awaited. Soon, it would all be finished and forgotten.

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Ansem and Marluxia were locked in combat. In the meantime, the vines still remained. Namine was still working away inside her thorny prison, and the other two Organization members had freed themselves. In a second, they would be coming for him. He had miscalculated this time. Now that he had come close to killing Namine, Ansem's full attention was on him, giving him no time to collect his memories that had been stolen away from the girl. Still, he did have a bit of an advantage. Until he was taken down, Namine would not be able to erase Fyer from him.

"You have grown in strength. How is this possible?" Ansem hissed, leaping away. Marluxia stopped, glancing quickly over at his former comrades. They were hesitating, which gave him another moment.

"It's the Castle. It has chosen me as its ruler, and thus my power grows. Does it make you uneasy knowing that my power is still increasing every moment?" Marluxia taunted. He needed Ansem to make a mistake. If he had even a little bit of an advantage, he could take Ansem down, along with his comrades, and use the Nobody girl to his advantage. There wouldn't be any of his enemies that he couldn't essentially control with her.

Ansem narrowed his eyes and attacked, but long range. Marluxia was prepared for this, having anticipated it. He lifted his scythe swiftly, and switched his footing as the dark blast collided with him. He took the attack with no damage, and with a battle pose still ready. Ansem was already heading toward him, more magic at the ready. Marluxia moved forward to meet him, ignoring his former comrades, who were conversing quickly with each other, but making no moves to join the fight.

As the pair clashed again, Marluxia was shocked to find himself overpowered. Ansem shoved him down with powerful force, darkness flowing out of his hands in a shockwave. Marluxia gritted his teeth and pulled himself up, staring up into Ansem's furious expression. Marluxia brought his scythe around again, calling more vines to assist him. Then something odd happened.

Both Xaldin and Lexaeus fell, out cold. Ansem spared them a swift glance before looking down menacingly at Marluxia again, thinking he was responsible.

"Do you fear interference? I'm afraid I don't need either of them to finish you off. As far as I'm concerned, you're a nuisance we can't afford to spare. The Organization won't be 'intact' after this, but it will be better off," Ansem growled, terribly angry. He had been thwarted long enough, and he could not allow this vermin to drag him back any longer. He had to be destroyed before he upheaved the entire operation. Even if the Organization was restored, the one had proven he intended to uproot Xemnas' rule, and ultimately, the 'plan'.

A could of darkness suddenly appeared behind Ansem. In the midst of his attack, Marluxia saw his expression of surprise as he sensed the presence. Then, Ansem was struck, and he fell to the side, completely unconscious.

Marluxia rolled and stood, weapon at the ready.

"Fool. He knew what the orders were," the shadow said, its voice heavily distorted and muffled. Marluxia stared fixedly at it, trying to discern its form. When it began drifting toward him, he took a few steps back, scythe held out forward, trying to warn the shadow back. The blow to Ansem shouldn't have knocked him out that easily.

"Who are you?" Marluxia demanded, eyes narrowing. He glared as it came closer, forcing him back. The shadow had created the diversion he needed, but now it appeared he was the next target. What was it doing here?

"I must admit, I am impressed. Your cunning got you this far, and you even fooled Ansem for a bit. But you can hide nothing from me," the shadow said softly. At that moment, Marluxia's vines began to splinter, and his stack of memories fell gently to the floor around Namine, who looked around in surprise. Marluxia twirled his scythe, calling up a deadly storm of thorn-ridden leaves toward the shadow. To his dismay, it truly had no form, and the leaves blew harmlessly through.

Namine gathered the papers around her and began her work quickly. She realized this was the one still imprisoning her. If his memories faded, perhaps then she would be free of the menacing thorns.

"Show yourself!" Marluxia cried, growing furious. He was being thwarted by a cloud of dusky smoke, and he would not allow it He had come too far. He focused his power into his scythe and swung, sending out a razor-sharp shockwave toward the shadow. It dispersed, but only for a second. The shadow came back together, and to his surprise, the entity obliged his request. Light glinted off the figure for a second, and he realized who it was.

"You bastard," Marluxia hissed, gripping his weapon's handle tightly. Namine was having trouble with Marluxia's memories. She had erased much of the events that involved Fyer, but the girl had drifted through his thoughts up until this moment, and she was struggling to erase them all. As the figure closed in on Marluxia, his thoughts became paralyzed, and Namine reached the end at last. With a swift movement, Fyer's name vanished completely out of his memories.

With a gasp, Marluxia's conscious slipped and he collapsed. The figure leaned forward and caught him, the mere touch forcing him down into a sleep like the rest of them.

The vines around Namine crumbled into dust and fell silently around her. She grasped her pencil tightly and turned around to see the newcomer, fearing another violent person like the rest. She gasped at the sight and moved back quickly.

"Do not fear. I mean no harm. I only have a request for you. Then, I will leave, and take the rest of them with me," the figure said. Namine watched it warily as it took a few more steps forward, completely out of the darkness. It was a man, with collection of red lines branching out on his chest, and wearing a black, glinting helmet. With a quick movement of his hand, his visor moved, and she could see his piercing yellow eyes. She tilted her head, unsure. Ansem had promised to release her, but even he had shown his dark side moments later. This man had defeated every threat around her with little effort…could she really afford to refuse anything he asked?

He dropped to one knee so that they were nearly at level ground. He watched her intently until she met his eyes again.

"Make sure her name is gone from every page. Not just the Organization members. All of them, except for you and I. Then, you will erase the Organization members back even further, so that this entire ordeal was never even close to happening. This will start over, and Fyer will not be in the way this time," Vanitas explained. It was a simple task, but she was confused. She didn't understand what was so important about this 'Fyer.'

"From all but you and I?" Namine asked quietly. Vanitas nodded, pausing.

"At least until the end. Then even you must forget. You must go back to the beginning of your existence," Vanitas said softly, noting her expression of shock.

"Why must I erase my own memories?" she asked in a high voice, flinching when Vanitas stood. His expression turned grave.

"There must be no mark of her, no mention or whisper. The only one I can trust with the memory of her existence is myself. I must make sure all of this is reconciled, including you," Vanitas said darkly, looking displeased. Namine looked down at her papers, now placed around her in neat order. It would not take her long to complete her task. And then her own pages lie nearby, which would be completely blank soon. It was terrifying.

"Then, when I finish…will you help me escape this place?" she asked, uneasy. Vanitas focused on her again. He shook his head slowly.

"You must stay. There is someone who will come for you. Only he will be the one to save you," Vanitas answered cryptically, turning away. "It must happen that way," he continued in a low voice, more to himself than anything.

Namine shifted the pages around and began working again, but paused. She picked up Fyer's pages; she had not noticed them before. She flitted through them, all the way to the ending. Her eyes widened.

"Fyer…the one I am erasing…is she supposed to die?" Namine asked in surprise. Vanitas walked over and carefully took the pages from Namine's hand. His eyes scanned them quickly, and he lowered them. His expression was something akin to satisfaction.

"I thought as much. This girl…she shared a heart with Xemnas. Whether she intended this or not, I'm not sure. Their bond was powerful. They would continue to share it even past death. The only thing that could break it was one partner denouncing love. Ansem intended this, but he was unaware of the other circumstances to come with it. It appears it wasn't necessary to 'finish her off' after all," Vanitas realized. He allowed her pages to fall unbidden from his hand. Namine looked at him wide eyed as he continued. He crossed his arms. "When Xemnas forgot Fyer, he also forgot his love and that he was even capable of it. The heart they shared…he unwittingly tore it in two when he abandoned her. She should have died instantly, but since Vexen gave her strength and immortality…she suffers slowly. It has always been unseen what happens to a person that gives their heart to a Nobody…now I know. It only ends in death. Fyer faces it now, and it's only a matter of time. Soon, she will be gone, and the Organization members will reawaken in their beds, unaware of what they've forgotten. Even Riku and his Replica, as they revive in the Dark Veil, will return to their proper places, as well as Ansem. They will continue toward the ultimate goal, and Fyer will not be there to cause them to stray again."

"With half a heart remaining…torn and dying…does it match the pain to know the other half is dying in the chest of your lover who doesn't even remember your name anymore?" Vanitas asked quietly, no emotion in his voice. Namine turned away, shivering. She would be glad when her duties were finished and she could wipe this terror from her own memory.

Whoever you are, Fyer…I'm sorry.

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"Oh!" Hatter exclaimed suddenly, rousing everyone at the table. March Hare huffed and adjusted his clothes, staring at Hatter with narrowed eyes.

"Whats with your exclaiming during our nap? Did you have another of your wondrously useless ideas?!" Hare cried, annoyed at having been woken up.

Dormouse continued sleeping, and Cheshire cat rose from where he had been lying on the table, tail twitching back and forth.

"My, it is rare for me to sleep so easily. I must have been sleepy indeed! What were we doing before our nap?" Cheshire asked, having trouble remembering. He had been drifting lazily through the forest, then he had come to Hatter's table for afternoon tea. He couldn't remember the exact moment…must have been a lull in the conversation.

Hatter rested his head in one hand, holding out his other for his companions to see.

"No, no, you see, it wasn't an idea that made me exclaim. It was this! Right before our nap…there must have been something important, yes, something very important," Mad Hatter said seriously, pointing at his little finger. Upon it was a tiny thread, tied carefully with the ends drooping to each side. "What is it I am forgetting? What was I supposed to remember, friends?"

"It appears your lack of remembering what you were supposed to remember is going to turn your attempt to remember….into a riddle, yes?" Hare asked, one ear perking up and the other flopping. The Cheshire shook his head.

"No. it cannot be a riddle. It is simply a game of investigation. We must discover what Hatter is forgetting," Cheshire corrected, at the exact moment Dormouse woke from sleep.

"A riddle?! I love riddles! Why did you start a game of riddles without me?" the Dormouse exclaimed, appearing angry. March hare shook his teacup at his companion.

"We haven't started yet. We were just about to play investigation riddle, isn't that right, Hatter?" Hare exclaimed, glancing over at his eccentric friend. For a rare moment, Hatter appeared to still be stuck in a mode of seriousness, staring at the string tied around his finger.

"I always remember important things…why then, is this tied around my finger?" Hatter murmured, gazing off into space.

Nearby, nestled carefully in a basket set in the middle of the table, was something none of them had yet noticed. A small glass vial containing green liquid bearing a tag sat quietly, waiting to be discovered. The note upon it read:

"For the Alice who is NOT Alice."

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Fyer's eyes opened suddenly, aware that the pain was fading. What was this?

She sat up slowly, careful in case the pain returned. It didn't. Only a dull ache remained in her chest. She tested her legs and discovered that they were working again. She stood carefully, shifting her weight a few times to make sure her legs could hold her. They didn't give in.

Fyer moved through the trees, toward the sound of the thrumming ocean. Her eyes barely saw the path in front of her. Her tears had faded for the moment; her body was exhausted and unable to take the despair any longer. She was a hollow shell of sadness.

When the trees finally parted, the beach stretched out before her. She looked over at the ocean and realized the sun had set. Though there was only a sliver of a moon, she could see it all with perfect clarity; another of Vexen's 'gifts'.

Her grief grew when she recognized the beach, and the driftwood pile that still sat silently upon it. Even though the moon was barely shining its light down upon her, everything seemed to glow. She approached the driftwood pile and sat down carefully, in the same exact spot when Xemnas had come for her that night. She tasted the salt air and sighed softly. She found bitter irony in the fact that she was here again, feeling the same worthlessness in her existence as before. Though she had been asked to survive, she didn't want to. The pain deep in her soul was burning, eating her away.

She didn't want to forget, though she knew doing so would ease her suffering. But she would always know that a part of her was gone, and it would sadden her anyway. She closed her eyes, trying to hold the tears back. There was no one here to judge her, but she still didn't want to cry again. They would fall, completely useless, and become one with the tide. It didn't matter how much she hurt or she grieved. Nothing was going to change it back.

Fyer lifted her head and saw something out of the corner of her eye. She turned dully to look, assuming it to be part of the driftwood pile sticking out beside her head. Her eyes widened and she gasped. She stood and stumbled back, falling into the sand.

The thing she had seen out of the corner of her eye stepped forward, pushing the hood back from his face. Fyer shook her head violently to make sure she wasn't seeing things. The figure tilted his head, blinking.

"X…Xemnas," she whispered, shocked to hear her own voice. Xemnas nodded very slowly, though his golden eyes seemed sad. He took a step toward her and she began to move back further. Seeing him only worsened the pain. He couldn't be here. The man she loved was dead, and the only one who could be here was the one who wanted to kill her.

"Please, don't run from me. I'm sorry," Xemnas whispered, reaching out his hand. To her surprise, there was no glove on it. She looked up at him in shock, unable to comprehend it.

"Are…are you real?" she asked, not sure whether to be overjoyed or terrified. He didn't answer, only continued to hold his hand out to her. Unable to resist, Fyer took it gingerly. Xemnas lifted her from the sand, and they stood in front of each other, silent. Xemnas looked down and touched the half-heart dangling from her coat still.

"Y-you promised you'd always love me," Fyer said shakily, tears threatening to spill over again. Xemnas' eyes grew softer, and sadder.

"I know. I'm so sorry Fyer…I tried not to forget…but I didn't stand a chance…but my heart…the part of your heart that was me, still loves you. And will…all the way until the end," Xemnas whispered, pulling her to him. Fyer shook, still dreading to believe this could be real.

"I-I can't make it without you, Xemnas. You're everything to me," Fyer whimpered, clutching him tight. Xemnas' hand stroked her hair, just like he had always done when he was trying to comfort her.

"And you are everything to me…I will be with you, until the end. As I promised," Xemnas whispered, holding her tighter. To her shock, the pain began to return, growing steadily stronger. She gasped and clutched his coat, but he didn't let her go. "You gave me my heart…you are my heart. My love for you is eternal. No matter how long…my love will never be for any but you. I learned it from you. It came through me because you shared you heart with me…I'm sorry that I broke your heart…but I carried this half back with me…so that your heart could be whole…until the end."

Xemnas held her and did not let go even when she was crying again. He didn't let go as her strength began to give in. He collapsed with her, under the moonlight.

"Until we meet again, my dear Fyer. My love. One day…I promise, I will make your heart whole again."

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In the trees, Fyer's head tilted further to the side, eyes half open. The dim glow in her eyes faded away. Her body relaxed and she slumped down, causing the hood of her cloak to fall over her face.

The beach was silent, untouched even by the wildlife. For once, not even the wind dared break the quiet. It was as if even the ocean mourned her.

A breeze suddenly passed by, undetected. It slipped through the leaves, under the roots, between the grains of sand. It drifted up, and then down, over a silent figure lying in the trees.

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And seen by none but the breeze, the eyes began to glow again.

END

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Author's Note Below

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This marks the end of the "A Heart for the Nobody". I officially intended to end it here completely.

After sharing some thoughts with other writers, and a few readers, I have gotten an interesting request to continue.

There is a sequel.

The title is "The Other Half".

It can be found by visiting my profile, or by searching the name.

Thanks and enjoy!

~ViridianRose~