Didn't want to, but it was necessary to switch POVs. Last chapter.

***

Chapter Four: Tears

Roxas shook his head, kneeling down and gripping his Keyblade.

She was gone.

He had looked for her, only to have her attack…in the form of Sora?

But…that wasn't Xion anymore. She had been reprogrammed the last time Axel had dragged her back. She was a person, right? What gave those people the right to completely alter her?

She had attacked him, the insanity in her eyes so clear…

Now, she had been absorbed by him. She had let herself be, willingly. He would never have…

Roxas closed his eyes tight, stunned by the tears leaking down his face. Nobodies couldn't cry…But he was. Crying because she was gone, inside of him, and he couldn't help her! Couldn't see or…

***

Xion was dragged bodily by Saix's Berserker guards, unconscious, as they headed down the steps.

"Allowing her to develop freely was our biggest mistake." Xemnas informed Saix, who bowed low.

"Yes, but since Vexen is no longer here, I am not certain we can-"

Xemnas cut him off. "No, I will attend to this matter personally."

Axel's eyes were wide in horror. "Xemnas, you can't be serious! A complete-"

"You would do well to silence yourself, Axel, unless you wish to be turned into a Dusk." Saix informed his former friend.

Axel's eyes narrowed to slits, but before he could say anything, Xemnas added,

"Axel, patience. I forbid you to interfere with this. There is no reason for Sora to reawaken, so as long we have Xion and Roxas. If Xion defeats Roxas in combat, then he will be weak enough to absorb…" Xemnas suddenly vanished, taking with him Xion and the Berserker guards.

"W-what?" Axel stammered.

"Yes, Axel. Did I not warn you? Getting too close to Roxas will be your downfall." Saix smirked, his lips twitching upward. "I'm assigned to watch you; the Superior knows you will try to interfere."

The Flurry of Dancing Flames sighed, leaning against the wall. He had to hope that Roxas could beat Xion…

"I'm sorry, Xion." He said, shaking his head slightly. A single tear went down his face.

***

Riku grabbed Namine's chair, hauling it toward him, and spinning it around. The girl yelped, trembling slightly, gripping her sketchpad.

"What?" Riku demanded. His eyes shone a dangerous amber color, his blindfold beside him. Unending anger surged through him, and hate. This absolutely could not be true.

"I'm sorry, Riku. I couldn't see…" She shook her head. "But I studied Roxas's memories, and it appears Xion attacked him. I…thought it was Sora…"

"Can't you fix her?" He growled, shaking with fury. Darkness clawed at his heart, twisting and molding, flattening itself to his body. He could feel that wretched armor he hadn't used since Maleficent and Castle Oblivion, throbbing and pulsing in tune with his pounding heart.

"No, I'm sorry." She apologized again. "I can't. I can mess with her memories, but she's…insane, Riku. Or was."

His heart stopped, and the dark armor trailed away from his skin. "What? What do you mean, was?"

"Roxas defeated her." She admitted. Namine blinked her ocean blue eyes, and Riku saw traces of fear.

He pulled back, realizing what he had just done, probably scared the poor witch. He took a deep calming breath, slipping on his blindfold.

To hide from the truth, because he didn't want to see it in her eyes.

"Maybe, this is for the best." He stated. He "saw" Namine's shadowy form nod. He "saw" the outline of everything, a lighter black against darkness, and Namine was no different.

"If that is what you believe." The girl gave a tired sigh, turning around in her chair to draw again. It was all she did, all she had ever known. Drawing. "DiZ wants you to go get Roxas, he's needed to wake Sora up, and since he's already with Xion…It would have happened anyway, Riku." She add gently.

Riku closed his eyes, but even then he could see. That didn't stop the tears. "Yeah. I'll go get Roxas."

He turned around, hesitated, then added, "I'm sorry, Namine."

She gave a sad laugh. "I know."

***

Riku waited patiently on the skyscraper.

He'd come.

He knew he would.

Riku leaned back, remembering meeting Xion on this very tower.

"…I bet you're the hero, right?"

He shook his head, standing up again with a sigh. "Heroes don't let their damsels die, Xion."

Suddenly, he saw him. Roxas had his hood up, pacing down the streets in the rain, Keyblades drawn. He launched himself into a barrage of Heartless, slashing and destroying everything in his path. He leaped onto the platform below the skyscraper, looked up, and spotted Riku.

A snarl twisted his face, and he jumped up the skyscraper, still decimating the Neoshadows as they scaled the building. Riku prepared to jump off when-

Riku.

He froze, shaking his head.

Riku. Don't let him fight Xemnas yet. He's not ready!

…Xion? He asked.

No reply. The exchange had been so brief, that Roxas was still leaping up the building. Riku jumped off, catching the Keyblade that had been suddenly thrown at him. While he fell, Roxas about to turn around and leap off again after him, Riku was certain he saw Xion's eyes looking back at him through Roxas's…

***

Roxas struggled vainly in the grip of the Heartless, that monster creature that Riku had summoned from nowhere. His vision clouded as punches were rained down on his body, sending bursts of pain across his body like fireworks.

His vision blackened completely, but suddenly he saw…

"Xion!" He called, his voice strong only in this strange place his mind had conjured up.

She smiled, clasping her hands behind her back. Her eyes were clear again, devoid of insanity that had left the scars on her gentle features, her eyes no longer had the black marks underneath, and her smile held no mocking undertones.

"Roxas, it'll be okay." She promised. "Even though, you won't remember me, I have my memories of you, and that'll be enough. I'm glad I had friends like you. And…" She leaned forward, rocking on her feet, almost looking carefree, her eyes thoughtful. "I'm not mad at Axel. Doesn't matter if I tell him or not, you won't remember this."

"Why…not?" Roxas asked, feeling his consciousness slipping even faster.

"Namine." She said simply. "You won't remember me telling you this, why even bother?" She giggled a little, and then sighed, her eyes turning sad. "I'm glad I had friends like you and Axel." She repeated. "Don't be mad at Riku either, he wants to wake his friend up. Wouldn't you do this, for Axel? I hope you and Sora are with Riku often, because…." She smiled ruefully. "He really is just a big softie sometimes." Her tone when she said this was soft and he had almost missed it.

"X-Xion…" Roxas didn't want to forget her, he wanted to remember her like this, shy, smiling Xion…

She slowly turned around, her back to him. Roxas's last memories of her played, but as soon as they were finished, he forgot them, instantly.

The paopu tree, the trio leaning in positions so reminiscent of those three…

Meeting Xion for the first time, seeing her face…

Xion turned around, smiled, and then vanished…

***

"Do you have to, Namine?" Riku asked warily, hating how the witch could manipulate his memories.

"I have to. Memories of her-"

"I don't care!" Riku growled, standing away from her. He sighed. "I never got to tell her sorry. Never got to tell her…in the right way, I loved her." He shook his head, his deep voice thrummed with pain.

"She already knows. And you know, too, I can't touch memories in the heart. Sora was proof of that. If she is your Kairi, then you know I cannot remove it forever. Just the faintest hint will draw her back. Riku…" Namine pushed her hair behind her ears. "If she's that important to you, your heart will call all the memories of her back."

"Do you think so?" He asked, defeated.

"No one knows better than me."

***

There, finished, not very good but good enough. Review!