I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

Kingdom Hearts © to Disney and Square Enix!

Akira © to Lucywind!

Joy © to NJoy!

Iunia © to me!

Chapter 9: On Paper

"Here you go." Isa set a mug of hot chocolate before Xion.

The girl sat at the kitchen table, a blanket draped over her shoulders. Gently, she took the mug, looking down at the marshmallows bobbing in the brown liquid. Isa took his own mug and sat in the chair next to her.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. Now, what happened?"

Taking a sip, she shuddered. "It's… nothing."

"Nothing? You were crying and panicking. That's not nothing."

"It was just a bad dream."

Isa looked at her face. "How often do you have these bad dreams?"

No response.

"It's every night, isn't it?"

She nodded.

"Do you usually wake up from them?"

Nod.

"Can you get back to sleep after?"

This time, she shook her head.

So, that's why she was always up so early.

"How long has this been happening?"

"It has happened since I was remade. It was better when we were all sleeping on the floor in front of the fireplace. I would wake up and see Roxas and Axel… and I'd feel safe. But-"

Isa nodded slowly. "You have your own room now."

"It's scary to be alone, but I don't want to seem ungrateful for everything. And I don't want to bother them." She wiped a stray tear from her eye.

Isa took another sip, his eyes fixing on the table. "Want to tell me what the dreams are about? Though, I think I can guess."

Xion said nothing for a while as she drank her cocoa. Eventually, she set it down, the cup empty. "I see the lab in the castle. The place Xemnas would send me when I was disobedient, to fix me(1). I see his face. I hear him telling me to hurt my friends." Her shoulders shook. "I see myself in front of this mansion, fighting Axel. And… and I see Roxas. I see me fighting him. Only, sometimes it turns out as it really did, with me dead. But sometimes, I see him dying in my arms. Sometimes it's him and Axel." She sniffled as tears began to run down her cheeks. "I never wanted to hurt anyone… I really didn't! I just wanted to stay with my friends! I didn't care about the Organization's mission. I just wanted to live!"

She broke down, her body shaking as she cried.

Isa felt his heart sting.

He'd been a part of doing that to her.

How could she ever forgive him?

Slowly, he moved over, gently putting a hand on her shoulder.

She didn't flinch or pull away.

Slowly, he pulled her into a soft hug.

She leaned against his shoulder, crying once again.

"I never wanted to hurt anyone… I didn't… I didn't…"

"I know. And I'm so sorry I was part of that past. I'm so sorry."

Her arms moved, to his surprise, and wrapped around him.

Sometimes-

Sometimes he forgot how old she really was. She looked fifteen.

But she was only two.

A little girl who just wanted someone to hold and comfort her when she felt afraid.

Why did he ever feel such animosity toward her and Roxas? They were just little children. Children in the bodies of teenagers.

He should've been there with Axel to help them.

Save them.

Somehow.

Xion and Isa sat in the kitchen until the girl spent all her tears. She pulled back, looking at him. "Thank you…"

"I'm honestly surprised you were ok with me here."

"You're different than Sïax. His eyes and voice were so hard and cruel. Yours is kind and soft. You're not like him at all." Standing up, she sighed. "I'll be in the library."

"You should get some sleep. If you want, you can camp out on the couch. I'll stay up and be there if you have another nightmare. I might pass out in the chair for a bit though. But I'll be right there."

"Stay up? But you have work tomorrow?"

Isa stood up, smiling. "I know. But you've been going weeks without proper sleep. One night will be fine. I'll just drink lots of coffee tomorrow."

"You sure?"

"I'm sure."

She smiled as she walked to the couch, laying down. Isa sat in the nice chair nearby.

Isa started a fire in the fireplace as the girl eventually drifted off to sleep. A little company was all she needed.

Something to make her comfortable and safe.

"Did you sleep any?"

Taking a swig of his coffee, Isa nodded. "Yeah, I waited for a little while, and you seemed to be ok, so I drifted off. Did you wake up again?"

"Once, but I saw you in the chair, and I was able to get back to sleep."

"Good." Isa patted her head. "What are you planning to do today?"

The girl shrugged. "I think Akira wanted to show me the Sunset Terrace since I'd never been there. Apparently, there's a coffee shop out that way that's pretty good."

"Well, have fun."

Axel and Roxas sat in the other room, chattering on about their plans for the day. Roxas seemed excited to practice for the Struggle prelims. That would be fun.

"Axel, let's go!"

"Coming." The red head chugged the last of his coffee and the two adults walked out the door.

As they went, Isa sighed. "Did you know Xion was having nightmares?"

"She was?"

"Every night actually."

"Gosh… poor kid." Axel glanced back. "Think she'll be ok?"

"I think so. Actually, I have an idea on how to help her. I think."

Axel smiled, nudging his friend. "You know, all that talk about you being her guardian 'just on paper' seems like bull to me. You've definitely gone out of your way to take care of her."

Maybe he was right.

But Isa would NEVER say that to Lea.

Ever.

"Thank you for your purchase." The shopkeeper waved as Isa left, carrying a large bag.

He glanced inside.

Hopefully this would help Xion.

Maybe she'd still be at the terrace, and he could surprise her.

Yeah…

Ok, Lea was right about the 'on paper' thing.

Isa did want to take care of Xion, even if it was just to make up for the past. He wanted her to have a good life. And he'd help that happen.

As he reached the house, things seemed quiet. Looks like no one was home.

Perfect.

Going into Xion's room, he pulled one item out of the bag and set it up on her nightstand, plugging it into the wall and testing it.

It worked.

The other thing, he left in the bag and set it on her bed, along with a short note.

There.

With a smile, he left the room, closing the door behind him.

Xion yawned as she walked inside. It was almost time for bed.

She and Akira stayed out so long, partially because Joy and Iunia joined them, and they ended up talking a lot.

"There you are." Roxas smiled, running toward her. "Did you have fun today?"

"I did. But I'm really tired."

Axel stood at the top of the stairs. "Bathroom's clear if you want to take a shower."

"Sure."

Walking into her room, she grabbed her PJs, her body and brain on autopilot.

Not noticing the new items.

Isa watched from the flower garden.

He smiled.

At least she'd had a good day.

She came back, ready to collapse into bed about ten minutes later.

Only now, she turned on the lights to her room.

"Huh?"

On her nightstand, she saw a round object with a lot of holes in the top. What was that?

And on her bed… a bag with a note attached.

Taking the note, she opened it.

Xion,

I hope these gifts help you feel safe and comforted at night. But if you ever need someone to talk to, no matter the hour, come find me.

-Isa

The girl smiled.

First, turning to the round object, she looked it over, finally seeing a button. Hitting it, the top brightened with light as projections of stars dappled her ceiling.

Not too bright.

Running over to the door, she turned off her light, looking up at the artificial stars that hung over her.

She smiled.

"It's a nightlight." Turning around, she saw Isa. "I figured a little light might help, so you're not just sitting in total darkness."

The girl smiled wider. "I love it! Thank you!"

"Did you open the bag?"

"Not yet."

Turning on the light, she ran over and looked into the bag.

Huh?

Reaching inside, she pulled out a large toy bear, nearly half as big as her. The soft brown fur brushed against her arms as she stared into the black eyes.

It was kinda cute.

"Um, what do I do with this?"

Isa laughed as he leaned against her doorframe. "Hug it. Especially when you're scared."

The girl looked down at the bear before pulling it closer.

Something about it, just hugging something warm and soft made her smile.

"What's its name?"

"You name it."

The girl looked down at the bear and then up at the stars on the ceiling.

"Stella."

"Stella is a good name." He turned to leave.

"Wait!" As Isa turned, back, Xion ran to him, giving him a hug. "Thank you. You didn't have to do this for me."

Isa patted her head. "I wanted to. You deserve to feel safe and at home."

The girl smiled. Her heart warming.

From further back, Roxas and Axel watched. Both smiling as they glanced at one another.

Gasp!

Xion shot up in bed, shaking again. Her eyes darting around in the early hours of the morning.

But not all was darkness.

Overhead, soft stars filled the room with a gentle glow.

She could see.

She was not in the castle.

Not in the lab.

Not in danger.

She was in her room.

At her home.

Beside her, propped against the pillows, sat Stella the bear. It's eyes staring off into space.

Pulling it close, the girl leaned against it.

Sniff.

It smelled like flowers… what flower was that again?

Oh yeah, lavender.

Taking in a deep breath, the girl held the bear tightly, closing her eyes once more.

As she felt herself falling asleep again, she thought of Isa.

She'd have to thank him in the morning.

Isa.

Yeah, he was her guardian.

But…

Not just on paper.

Footnotes:

(1) This is based on the scene in the 358 Days manga. At one point, it referenced Xion in a giant tube, and I saw it as a place where they tried to reprogram her after she tried to run.