Well...I'd like to start for saying I apologize for being the biggest asshole in the history of author assholes and not updating until now (big thanks to 3Hearts, RO-VAN, and my sister to kicking my ass in gear). I went through some shit in the past few months, and I'll leave my shoddy excuse for not updating at that. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm SOOOO sorry.

This will likely be the last fanfic I publish. A huge thanks to all my readers, especially those of you still reading after my inexcusable and unexpected hiatus. I think my interests have of late been turning away from fanfiction and moving to...well, regular fiction. Again, a huge thanks to everyone. Here's the long-awaited final chapter. Sorry if it's short or sub-par. Please don't hate me :(.

CHAPTER 9-Be Happy

On Monday, Vanitas was gone. I sighed and stared at his empty seat in the lecture room. When the bell rang, I headed out and made my way to my locker. The hallways cleared out fast, and soon I was alone, trying to pick out the right books and keep all of the junk inside from falling out. After finishing, I closed the door, and jumped at the blue eyes that stared back at me.

"Riku! You scared me." I said.

He smiled. "We never got to talk."

I shook my head. "What's there to talk about?"

"What do you mean? Everything. Look-"

"Riku, it's alright. Vanitas laid out the situation for me, pretty clearly."

He gave me a look. "I thought you hated him."

"Do you want to know what he said or do you already have a good idea?" I asked, glaring at him. Riku scowled back. That was the first time I'd seen him angry; the look didn't suit him.

"You're gonna believe a psychopath over a friend?"

I laughed. "It might have done Vanitas some good not to trust his friends, from the sound of it."

He grabbed my arm. "What's this all about, Xion?"

"Let go of me."

"What lies did he tell you?"

I scoffed, trying to wriggle out of his touch. "none. Although he did give a very detailed picture of your time at Radiant Gardens. Boozing and partying your way through freshman year, huh?" He yanked me closer, but I kept going. "You know, I wouldn't have expected you to be that reckless. Then again, I don't really know you at all, do I? For all I know, you could be-" His grip tightened.

"Xion-"

"And what do you know about me, that makes me so attractive to you?" We've only really talked, what, five times this whole year?" He sucked his teeth and let go.

"Fine," he said, shaking his head. "Looks like you're a lost cause. You really let that freak brainwash you-"

"Does the name Belle mean anything to you?"

He frowned. "What do you know about her?"

"More than you'd like me to...I know what you are, Riku." This was total, Mean Girls word vomit right now. My head was terrified but my mouth kept running like it had no idea of mortality.

He snickered. "What am I, Xion? Please, enlighten me."

"You're a...a" The smug look on his face threw me off.

He leaned in and whispered, "a what, Xion?"

I stumbled back. "A rapist!" I yelled. I hadn't meant to shout, but as soon as I did he grabbed my arm and pulled me to him.

"Careful, Xion." He hissed. "You don't know who you're talking to."

"Apparently I do."

"Xion-"

"At least have the decency to deny it!" He scoffed and let go again. His gaze roamed around the empty halls. I scanned his face for anger, hate, incredulity, something, anything. He just looked calm. Indifferent. "You really did do it, didn't you?"

His eyes caught mine. "That's up for debate," he sneered.

The bell rang and made us both jump. I turned to sprint to my next class, but Riku closed a hand around my shoulder to stop me. He mumbled a half-hearted "Xion, c'mon. You know I didn't."

"...Are you so sure of that?" I said.

He sighed. "Don't go around spreading rumors." I tried to shrug out of his grip, but he had control. "These next few years may be hard for you, if you do..." He let go, sniggering. "Run along now, babe."

I scoffed at the smugness in his voice as I made my way to home ec. The creep handled me so casually. I was gonna need to take a shower to get the grime from our conversation off. To think...how Belle must have felt that night.

xxx

On Wednesday morning, Selphie came running to me.

"Xion, did you hear? Did you?"

I rubbed my eyes. "Hear what?" I yawned.

"Roxas and Namine-they're back together!"

"What? Really? How?"

She laughed. "No idea. We'll have to interrogate the two of them at lunch."

I worried about the terms they'd be on. I mean, Roxas had just broken up with her two weeks ago. I was supposed to believe everything was peachy between them now? I doubted it, and braced myself for awkwardness at lunch.

xxx

Lunch awkwardness arrived, although it was a different brand than I expected. When Selphie and I made it to our table, everyone else was already there, including Roxas and Namine. The two actually seemed happier than before. They talked with each other most of the period. Namine laughed at all Roxas' stupid jokes and Roxas told her she was beautiful and the two of them smiled the entire time. Selphie, Olette, Aqua, and I stared at the scene in shock.

They headed out early so Namine could help Roxas do some last-minute studying for his math test.

"I'm sorry, but what the hell is going on?" I asked after they left.

"No idea," Olette mumbled.

"Ahhh. Teenage love," Aqua sighed. We gave her a look. "What?"

xxx

When I got home late on Friday, Mom was already there.

"Hello, sweetheart." She said. She sat in the kitchen. "How was your week?"

I thought back to Riku, and then to Roxas and Namine. "Weird."

"That's nice..." Mom said. She must have been zoning out again. Ever since the phone call, she'd been doing that a lot. When Dad got back, he told us how much bail was posted. I think it killed them to finally know where Kairi was, but to lack the funds to bring her home.

Like I said earlier, we weren't poor. We didn't have a couple million munny to shell out at the drop of a hat, either. And unfortunately in this case, that was what we needed.

When the phone rang, I answered.

"Hello?" I said.

"Hey, Xi? That you?" My heart stopped. That voice-it couldn't be. Could it? "You there? Heeellllllooooooooooooo-"

"Yeah. Yeah Kairi, I'm here." Mom straightened up at the mention of her name.

"Xion," Mom said. "Honey, give me the phone." I handed it to her. "Kairi? Kairi, is it really you? How are you, sweetheart? They're not treating you bad, are they? Xion and I will come visit as soon as we can-What?...What do you mean you don't-" Mom turned away from me and lowered her voice. "I don't really care whether you want us there or not. We're coming...No-No. Sweetheart, listen. It's been almost two months, do you understand? Your father and I thought, we thought you were-No, of course not...No I will not...Because I want to talk to you...Kair-Kairi. Wait. , don't do that. Wait. Kairi? Fine. Fine, I'm giving it to her now."

Mom handed the phone back to me. I thanked God that it was a cordless one and ran up to my room with it, slamming the door behind me. "Kairi? How are you? What's going on?"

"Not much. They had me in a holding cell..."

"Why? What the hell did you do?"

She laughed. "Love the accusatory tone, Sis."

"Kairi."

I heard her sigh into the receiver. "They might have caught me at a certain place that may have contained drugs. But they can't prove I was using them.."

"...Did they get urine or blood samples?"

"Yeah, but...oh. Guess they can."

I facepalmed. "Kairi, what the hell have you been doing? Do you have any idea what it's been like here? Mom's had nervous breakdowns, Dad's just started talking to everyone again."

"I told them I'd leave if they kept-"

"Dammit Kairi!"

"Oh, so you're mad at me, too?"

"You better fuckin believe I am! You took off, made Mom and Dad worry you died, drove me damn near crazy for two fucking months, then call here from a fucking jail cell, talking to us like nothing happened."

"Preach, sister!"

"If you were here right now, I'd wring your neck..."

"Xion-"

"No, you fucking listen to me. Find some way to earn that munny yourself. I will not let Mom and Dad break their backs for an ungrateful little bitch like you one more time." I hissed.

I hung up, only to have the phone ring a few seconds later. I didn't want to answer, but I felt like I had to.

"What?" I said.

"Xi," Kairi started, "I'm sorry, ok?"

"It's Mom and Dad you need to apologize t-"

"I need to apologize to all of you. I'll have to work up to Mom and Dad, though...Look, Xi, I actually called to tell you guys I made bail."

"What? How the hell did you do that?...Is some loan shark gonna come to our house and try to kill you in a few days?"

"No, no way. I'm not that dumb."

"Well, you'll excuse my concern." I said. "What did you do?"

"Nothing. Apparently, I have friends in high places. Some rich guy bailed me out, even bought a train ticket to bring me back to Twilight Town. He didn't leave a name, though. And he told me not to tell anyone about it."

I facepalmed again. "And that doesn't sound the least bit sketchy to you?"

Kairi sighed. "Xion, you worry too much. I'll be at Twilight's station in an hour. Just wanted to call to let you know." The phone clicked and I heard a dial tone. Great. Now some creepy rich stalker was probably going to try and steal her from the terminal. I called Mom, and we put on our coats and headed out.

We got there just as the train arrived, although I was too busy scanning for suspicious looking rich men to see Kairi come in. Mom jumped up and ran to her, and when I noticed she had, I followed. We both tackled Kairi, and after two month's worth of hugging Mom grabbed her bag and we walked back to the car.

The drive home was silent and tense. I couldn't tell how Mom felt, but I knew I floated in an odd mixture of happiness, resentment, and relief. I was still majorly pissed at Kairi for...well...everything. But she was home. Finally. And maybe this time she'd actually get better.

I wiped the wetness from my face as I watched Twilight's shops and street signs pass by. For now, just having her back was enough.

xxx

On Monday morning, I bumped into Namine on my way through the double doors. Kneeling, I helped her pick up her books. She started to walk to her locker, but I stopped her. I was itching to ask her a few things.

"Hey, Namine," I started. "Can we talk, girl-to-girl?"

"Sure." She smiled.

"You and Roxas..." I said. Her smile faded.

"What? Did Roxas say something to you?"

"Huh? Uh, no." I scratched my head, "just...are you guys doing ok?"

Her face brightened up again. "Yeah. Of course we are."

"Oh. So, you're like, totally fine even though..." I blushed. I felt like I was overstepping my boundaries. To my surprise, she answered.

"Actually, I was worried about us before he, well...broke up...with me." Her eyes glossed over at the phrase. "I...didn't really think he liked me. He always seemed so hesitant, and whenever I asked him if he wanted to do something, he just went along with it. I thought he was trying to be nice."

I sighed. "You two really are made for each other. Roxas said the exact same thing to me."

Namine laughed. "Yeah, that's what Vanitas said."

"Vanitas?" I said. Namine's eyes widened.

"Um...never mind. I gotta go, Xion. See ya later!" She took off like a bullet.

Vanitas? What the hell did he have to do with this? My mind processed what I knew for a moment. Did he repeat my word vomit from Black Friday to Namine? Wait, was that why she and Roxas were back together?

...Hm. A rich guy paid my sister's bail out of the blue, and just now Namine mentioned Vanitas when I asked her about she and Roxas getting back together...This all sounded very connected. I smiled, chuckling to myself. He was a better man than I gave him credit for. I had to admit, I would possibly miss that jerk.

xxx

That afternoon I stepped out into the cold after classes. Kairi had made an offer to drive me home, but my parents immediately refused and forbade it. They had decided to put her on home lockdown after a considerable amount of protest on her part. Anyway, Dad said I should take the bus. But the bus meant getting home earlier, and I really didn't want to deal with the awkward family tension any more than I had to. Besides, the air wasn't too cool. It would be a nice walk.

xxx

Fifteen minutes later, my teeth chattered. "It'll be a nice walk, she said." I mumbled to myself. I should've just taken the goddamn bus or asked for a goddamn ride. I leaned against a tree in some stranger's lawn, rubbing my hands together. Breathing heavily, I wrapped my coat tighter around me. I jammed my hands into my pockets, then looked back up at the road ahead.

My eyes fell on a stranger in the distance. As he came closer his features came into focus, I began to recognize the shock of black hair, the golden eyes. The brow, no longer furrowed. I froze. Vanitas walked towards me, until we stood face to face.

"Xion."

"Vanitas...I thought you had moved."

"No. No, I did not." He smiled. "I changed schools, but we're staying at our estate here."

I nodded. "How are you?"

"I'm well, thanks. And you?"

I smiled and stared into his golden eyes. "Well, and not so well." He gave me a confused look. "I'm happy because my sister is finally home, and my friends are together and happy again."

He smiled, but the smile faded slightly after a second's lingering. "But you are not well, also?" He asked, inching closer. "Has something been overlooked?"

"No. No, not by you. But, I've been an idiot. I've been wrong, and you must know how much it pains me to admit that."

He grinned. "What have you been wrong about?"

"All this time, I've treated such a good person so horribly." I said. "It turns out I just didn't understand him." When I noticed he was shivering, I took his hands. "You're freezing."

He seemed to hesitate, then he spoke. "Then...have your feelings changed? About...about you and me?" His voice cracked at the last syllable.

I smirked and warmed his hand. "I would have thought the boy at the top of his class could figure out the answer to that."

He smiled. And I caught a certain glimmer in his golden eyes, just before I leaned in and pressed my lips to his.

THE END