~Saturday December 25th~

~Zexion Shiki~

The sound of my phone ringing from the bedroom draws a sigh from my lips. I can only assume that it's Axel once again. He tends to call rather frequently after all. I turn the knobs on the sink and once the water quits running I reach for the towel. Drying my hands as I walk, I can only wonder what he wants this time.

Despite the happiness from being together, the foreboding feeling has yet to leave me. My stomach is constantly in knots from it and if it weren't for Axel practically living with me I might not even realize I need to eat. All I can think about is when this will all be over.

And at what cost.

I nudge the door open and flip the towel over my shoulder. The phone vibrates on my nightstand and I hurry to it. However, as I reach for it I notice something different. The name on the front is most certainly not Axel but rather that of an old friend I haven't heard from in some time. Part of me doesn't want to open it, doesn't want to admit that I miss those days of brief serenity with him. But I do so nonetheless.

"Hello, Zexion speaking."

A hearty chuckle reaches my ears and I tighten my grip on the phone. "I hope so. Merry Christmas Zexion."

"Merry Christmas to you too Lexaeus." I wait a moment before prying a little further, not sure whether or not I hope he's flown back here or not. "Are you still in Radiant Garden?"

A gentle sigh is all I need to hear, but he explains anyway. "I tried to make it back but with the threat of a snowstorm I couldn't get anywhere."

I shake my head even though I know he can't see me. "A call will suffice. No need to come here just for me."

Pausing, I try to think of something – anything- to try and tell him thank you. Something I don't think I've ever done. After all, he was practically the only friend I had before he left with an outstanding scholarship and a promising job on the horizon. But I don't get the chance as the door slams and boots thunder toward the room.

"Hey Zexion, I'm back!"

"Ah, I didn't realize you had company." Lexaeus begins to backtrack and I can only groan inwardly, reminding myself to smack Axel later.

Axel storms into the room and grins at me. Mouthing the words to shut up, I'm surprised he does just that. Although not how I would have planned. He goes straight for the bed and plops down on the edge before reaching out for me. I try to shimmy away but he grabs me, yanking me down onto his lap. "It's no one. So how are you doing?"

"Fine. I don't have very many days off so it's hard to make time for certain things. How are you holding up Zexion?"

Lips touch my neck and it's all I can do not to elbow Axel. "Ah.. I'm fine," I try to respond, not wanting to explain anything about Axel to him. Holding the phone away from my mouth, I whisper to Axel, "Stop it or I'm going to hurt you."

"Is this a bad time?"

Warning bells go off in my head and I do the only thing I can think of. "Actually, I'll call you tomorrow I have to take care of something." Before Lexaeus can say a word in return I end the call and drop the phone onto the bed.

Axel leans his face onto my shoulder, "Are you really going to kick me out? I even brought something good back."

"Yes."

"Well then you just won't be able to get up to do it."

Axel's too fast for me to do anything about. The next thing I know I'm lying on the bed, face down as he hovers over me. His lips kiss at my neck as he pins my arms. All the while his rich laughter echoes around me and I can feel my face growing hot. "Axel, stop it right now!"

"Yes. Please stop. This is getting rather disgusting."

I turn my head to the other side to see Marluxia standing off to the side. Axel, always on the edge because of him, rises to his knees and jumps off the bed. His fist seemingly catches fire as he goes to punch at the demon. But it's not worth it, not to me and I fling myself at Axel. I wrap my arms around his waist as I dig my knees into the lip of the bed. "Axel, stop, it's not worth it."

Marluxia disappears with a smirk and Axel finally lets the anger die. His hands, now lacking fire, reach for my own and pry me off. He turns around just in time as I sit back on my legs. Reaching out, he smacks at the side of my head. "Idiot, it is worth it." A grin slowly curves its way onto his countenance. "Now, lets go eat dinner. I bought you something extra special."

~ Squall Leonhart~

A yawn breaks from my lips before my eyes can even open. I'm sure it's probably late into the afternoon. We were both exhausted after staying out so late the Christmas party some of the officers held. As my mind drifts to Zack in particular I notice that his arm isn't around my waist – where it usually is when I end up in his bed. I roll over and my arm hits where he usually lays. The sheets beneath my hand are still warm and for a second I let myself think that he just got up.

It's the sound of something hitting the ground in the living room that brings my eyes to opening. Panic surges through me and I can't get out of the bed fast enough. The sheets wrapped around me don't let go and I hit the floor on my knees. A grunt is all I dare to give before shimmying out and leaving the sheets pooled on the ground. My feet quickly gain traction as I sprint for the door, almost stumbling. I cling to the door frame as I skid out into the hallway. My foot catches on the edge of my sweatpants as I go to run forward and barely keep myself from hitting the ground. My heart beats loud in my ears as I finally come to a dead stop, standing in the threshold of the living room.

Everything is wrong before me and I want to sink to my knees more than anything. Furthest away from me is Sephiroth. And not how I normally see him. While he's usually solid in my eyes now he seems real – as if I could reach out and touch him. The air about him is more than just dangerous, it's deadly. It matches the way he stands with his arms drawn up, gloved hand s clutching at a rather long, slender sword.

And it's pointed straight at Zack.

Although, much to his credit, Zack doesn't seem frightened in the least. His body isn't tense at all as he holds his gun level, aiming straight for Sephiroth's head. Even his old t-shirt and pants he looks intimidating, finger on the trigger. He notices me from the corner of his eye, but never takes them off of Sephiroth. "Squall, go call the police and hide. Now."

Sephiroth however doesn't mind looking away from Zack and straight at me. In fact, he almost looks amused with the situation. "You are fully aware that they can do nothing to me, aren't you Squall?" Sephiroth readjusts his grip, tightening it around the hilt of his weapon. "In fact, Squall invited me here and by the end of the year he'll be alone, begging me to save him."

The words barrel into Zack like bricks and he drops his guard, confused and thrown off. Against his better instincts, Zack turns toward me – with his gun still aimed at Sephiroth – and lets me see the damage. My eyes glance about the room and my mind reels, trying to take it all in. Between them there's a small nick in the side of the couch and the vase on the table is shattered on the ground. But most importantly is the blood dripping from Zack's left cheek and onto his shirt. I dart my eyes back over to where Sephiroth is and as I do Zack must realize that he let his guard down. He turns around as well only to see exactly what I see.

Nothing.

Sephiroth is completely gone from sight, as if he never was there in the first place. Although the aftermath dares to prove otherwise. Suddenly I feel small – the size of a spec of dust. I do only what I can think of. I hurry over to Zack and tug him over to the couch. As I force him to sit down next to me, he merely runs at a mile a minute.

"What just happened? Where did he go? Did you really invite him here? Squall, what is-"

"Zack, please just shut up and let me heal you. We'll talk when I'm done."

The strict tone does exactly what I had hoped and he falls silent. Instead he watches as I hover my hand over his face, healing the cut completely. As I begin to pull away I find myself already explaining, being as blunt and to the point as possible. And the whole time he keeps his eyes locked with mine.

"That man you just saw isn't what you think he is. He's a demon that's haunted me since my mother died. That man that comes around, the blond, is Cloud. He's an angel trying to get rid of the demon. They both warned me this would happen. And I'm sorry."

Standing up, I don't give him a chance to say a word. I simply step around him and plan to head to my room. But Zack grabs my wrist as he stands as well, stopping me in my tracks. "Where are you going?"

I take a deep breath, steeling myself for the worst. "I'm going to pack. You either think I'm crazy or you believe me and want nothing more to do with someone with a demon hovering over them. It's best if I-"

"If you what? Leave? Are you that stupid?"

Zack gets closer and I can feel his body press up against mine. He lets my wrist go only to wrap his arms around me, pulling me tightly to him. He rests his head against my shoulder and I find myself worrying. Zack covers one hand over my own slightly trembling one. He buries his face into the crook of my neck and leaves a soft kiss on it.

"It doesn't matter if I believe you or not. And it's a hard pill to swallow and I will eventually. But the point is, is that you need someone right now and that's what I'm here for. And hey, if you're crazy then we can be crazy together."

I find myself shrink back into his embrace, letting him pull me back towards the couch and onto his lap. I can't barely think, much less comprehend that there's someone – someone – out there that doesn't care what the reason is. They just want to be there.

~Sora Kaze~

Riku's been absent rather frequently lately, something about all of this coming to an end soon. Not that I care to think about it. I wish I could go back to the way things were before everything happened; my parents, Roxas, Marluxia – everything. All of the sadness and despair wells up inside of me and it's increasingly hard to hold in with a smile and hopeful determination.

Not wanting to sit around in that place for another moment, I stride into a nearby park. It's exceptionally small and with snow constantly falling no one is around. A small quiet place where I can just not think. But as I reach the benches sat around the base of a large tree, I'm surprised at what I see. The last person I'd ever expect to run into sit with his head in his hands, leaning forward - Seifer. His emotions roll off of him in waves, hitting me before I can even think of getting close.

His short blond hair is speckled with bits of snow and he lacks a scarf or earmuffs. The only thing he wears is his trademark white jacket. Suddenly I realize how warm my own clothing is and how lucky I am to have Riku. Something about him screams loneliness. And it's exactly why I stride straight for him and sit down on the bench. "You'll get sick if you don't dress properly."

Hands fall away from his face and I'm granted the rare opportunity to see the sadness in his blue eyes. "Tch...what do you care?"

I smile over at him, "I don't."

Seifer can only chuckle bitterly. It dies down rather quickly and he takes on a more somber tone. "I heard about Roxas." The name strikes deep and it's all I can do to not fall off the bench. "I'm sorry."

Shock is hardly what wraps around me. There's a level of appreciation of understanding that reaches around both of us. Sora turns his gaze away from Seifer, simply looking over the park before me. "Thank you." He begins to mumble something and the words are so low and hidden from me that the only thing I pick up on is to do with him being an ass to Roxas. I smack my hands down onto the bench and grip at the edge, beginning to gently swing my legs. "You should just give it up. At least to me you're not a bad person. You just have problems like everyone else."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

I stand up suddenly, jumping up to my feet and unwinding the pale blue scarf from around my neck. Once it is I drape it over his shoulders, causing him to look up.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"If you stay out here any longer you'll get sick. So consider this as a Christmas gift."

He smirks and shakes his head. I plop back down onto the bench just as he stands up. Seifer doesn't look back nor does he say thank you. Not that I expect one. Instead he begins to walk away, "Don't expect one back."

It makes me want to laugh. He's just the same as he's always been; tough on the outside and as soft as pudding on the inside. The bench creaks and I don't even have to look to see who sits down. "Merry Christmas Riku."

"Merry Christmas Sora."

His hand reaches for mine, his bare fingers wrapping around my gloved ones. It's still unnerving that he barely bundles up compared to my two or three layers of clothes some days. But I'm just happy he showed up. "Finish things up?"

Riku doesn't say anything at first and the only emotion I can sense is sadness. And yet at the same time there's a small bout of happiness in the center barely hanging in there. A sigh leaves his lips as he scoots closer to be, our arms touching. "I never told you why I'm here."

It's far from a question I'd ever ask or one that would be answered. So instead I lean my head against his shoulder.

"I was having doubts. They were concerned I'd fall so they sent me here; one last chance. Cloud came to monitor me. If I complete this mission I can go home." I squeeze his hand as he takes a shallow breath, one that shakes just enough for me to notice. "I've watched countless humans suffer. I started getting angry. There's no reason for it or at least that's what I thought until I met you."

Riku pulls his hand away and turns in his seat. I lift my head just as his fingers touch my face. He leans forward and presses his forehead against my own. The slight smile on his lips is all I need to close my eyes, smiling at him in return.

"You've proven me wrong. It only makes you stronger. That light in you never dies down to show the slightest hints of darkness that would otherwise lead you to that Demon. I don't want you to ever change... okay Sora?"

"Okay," is all I can say back. Mostly because Riku dips down and kisses my lips, pulling me into his arms in one sure moment. A moment that screams that while everything is wrong, this is right.

A/N: Heeeey, hot damn guess what chapter this is! Yup you got it, the chapter before the finale! *^* I mean, I get to write some fight scenes (wooo! -A- only problem is the first person thing -errr.). And then there's the epilogue with a setup for the sequel – which may or may not come. Still dunno about it. Especially with all that's going on. ;A; Just wish me luck – seriously.

The funny thing is, though, I started writing Squall's side of this right after I finished his side of the previous chapter. o.O I'm working a little out of order. But there's freedom with that when the entire remainder of the outline is detailed out.

Love ya'll and I hope you all enjoyed reading as well as had a safe Halloween!