Disclaimer: not mine

Chapter 17

Xion stared up at the mansion, it had been a very weird day, not that the others had noticed. But there had been something off at each of the 'wonders'.

"Well, they say there's a girl who appears at the second floor window even though no one's lived here for years," Pence explained what they were looking for.

Xion looked back up to the window. Inside, there was a white room with a long table and pictures on the walls, everything but the colours in the pictures was white. One of the pictures focused on Kairi with a Paopu fruit.

"Xion..."

"Naminé?" she asked and then she was standing in the room with the other girl.

One of the pictures is of Xion and Axel, both in the Organization cloaks, and Xion stared at it. "This is...me? ...And Axel's here too."

"You ARE best friends..."

"Very funny," Xion shook her head, not believing her.

"Don't you want to know the truth about who you really are?" Naminé asked, and Xion frowned.

She knew who she was, she was Xion. "No one knows me better than me."

"Of course..."

"But...I don't get what's been happening lately," she admitted softly, seeing another picture, this one of Sora, Donald, and Goofy, and another of Riku and Kairi.

"You know them all, don't you?" Naminé asked gently.

"Yeah. Sora, Donald, Goofy, Riku, and Kairi. They're from the dreams."

"About a year ago, some things happened, and I had to take apart the memories chained together in Riku's heart. But now... I'm putting them all back exactly the way they were. It's taken me a long time, but pretty soon Riku will be his old self again. The process has been affecting you, too, Xion."

"You mean...the dreams?" She asked and Naminé nodded.

"Yes... You, Riku, and Sora are connected. And...in order for Riku to become completely whole again... He needs you."

Xion saw a picture of herself with Riku and frowned. "Me? What for?"

"You hold part of what he is... He needs you, Xion. The memories from Sora you hold are not an issue, he is fine, but without you, Riku will never regain who he is."

"Naminé?" She was so confused but she sat when Naminé motioned for her to, sitting at opposite ends of the long table. "Naminé...who are you?"

"I'm a witch with power over the memories of those connected to Sora."

"A witch?" That was crazy!

"That's what DiZ called me. But I don't know why I have this power...I just do. I'm not even sure there's a right way for me to use it," Naminé admitted.

"Hmm...I can't help you there." She glanced over at the picture of her and Axel. "It's funny... suddenly I feel like I don't know myself at all... I guess I would like to know. What do you know about me...that I don't?"

"You...you were never supposed to exist, Xion."

"What...? How could you say such a thing...even if it were true?" Xion demanded shakily. Not meant to exist? How could that be?

"I'm sorry. I guess some things really are better left unsaid," Naminé looked away, ashamed.

"Xion! Xion!"

"Huh?" Xion blinked, finding she was being shaken by a worried Pence.

"Did you see her?" he asked.

"Yeah. Watch the window closely," she pointed up at the window, but Naminé was gone.

"Oh, lame. That's just the curtains moving. There must be a draft somewhere. I'm surprised this old place even has curtains," he groaned, looking away.

Xion stared up at where Naminé had returned to the window, their eyes meeting briefly before Xion looked away. "Yeah."

"Well, let's head back to the usual spot. Hayner and Olette are waiting."

,,,,,,,,,

Naminé watched Xion and the boy leave before moving away from the window. She had messed that up. It was too soon to tell Xion she was not meant to exist, but they were running out of time. Once Xion remembered the truth, then everything could be finished. She just…wished it didn't have to end, that Xion could live happily with her friends forever. Was there some way to save her in the data?

,,,,,,,

"Why did you show her the train?" Sora asked, wondering why he had let Xion see it.

"Because she missed the trip to the beach," DiZ answered from the large wooden chair he was sitting in, the low light in the room not giving Sora any trouble but the man had to be struggling.

"That's almost kind of you," Sora admitted suspiciously, since when did DIZ do anything nice for either girl?

"And you have let yourself become too close to them," DiZ warned him.

Sora didn't care, it didn't cost him anything to be kind, to be a friend. He liked them both and would gladly be their friend for life, if that was only possible.

"The haze over the memories of Riku is fading; very soon, to those who know him, he'll be like a good friend who's gone away for a year."

"I've waited, and now I want to know. What do you want? Why help Riku?" he demanded, watching DiZ closely.

DiZ studied him before answering. "Revenge."

"Revenge..."

Against whom and for what? Revenge was not generally a good thing to be aiming for, it opened the heart to Darkness.

"Now, for the finishing touches. First, we must dispose of Naminé. She did a splendid job with Riku, but it's high time she disappeared. Xion isn't the only one who was never meant to exist. Take care of it, Sora," DiZ smirked, and Sora stiffened.

He took a deep breath to keep from biting his head off…literally. "I'm not your attack dog," he barely fought back a growl. "I won't just kill because you think it needs to happen. Naminé comes from Kairi, fine, that doesn't mean she needs to die to go back. You want her gone, she'll be gone," he snarled the last and left the room to find Naminé. He needed to get her out of Twilight Town before DiZ decided to act himself.

,,,,,,,,,,,

"I know Sora, but I can't leave yet," Naminé said before he could speak. "DiZ won't act, not yet." The thought that he had wanted Sora to destroy her… it scared her, but she knew Sora would never do it. She looked at the vampire and he opened his arms, letting her fall into them, hugging her. She would miss Sora hugs. She gasped and he let go.

"What is it?'

"Axel is coming."

,,,,,,,

Hayner, Olette, and Pence were already in the Usual Spot when Xion arrived, the three chatting away.

She smiled at them and walked towards them. ""I couldn't sleep last night," she admitted but they didn't act as if they'd heard her. "Guys?" She reached toward Hayner and her hand went right through him. She stumbled back in shock, watching them laugh with no indication they were aware of her.

Hayner turned around and ran right through her, Pence and Olette following. Xion stopped and sighed, her eyes closing for a second. She picked up a picture nearby which showed Hayner, Olette, and Pence, but not her, despite the fact she remembered it showing the four of them. Xion left the Usual Spot and was cornered by the white creatures, and then Axel appeared.

"Look at what it's come to. I've been given these icky orders to destroy you…if you refuse to come back with me," he told her and she backed up.

"We're...best friends, right?" she asked, trying to sound confident in her words. He didn't look familiar outside of Naminé's artwork.

Axel scratched his head. "Sure...but I'm not getting turned into a Dusk for...Wait a sec! You

remember now!?" his eyes widened in surprise and hope.

"Y...eah," she lied nervously. She wished she did, wished she could, seeing how hopeful he was.

"Great! But, you know, gotta make sure and all. So, umm... What's our boss's name?" he asked, excited, but she couldn't answer, and Axel sighed sadly. "Can't believe this..."

Xion swallowed but stood her ground and the Keyblade appeared in her hand, letting her fight and defeat the white ones around her. Axel watched her but as soon as they were gone, he swung up his weapon to strike, and froze. Xion noticed and stopped.

"Xion, to the mansion! The time has come!"

"Hayner! Pence! Olette!" she yelled, but this time nothing happened, the world remaining frozen. Xion turned and ran, confused and terrified.

,,,,,,

Axel stumbled, Xion gone. He looked around but there was no sign of her anywhere and he dismissed his chakrams. "The Xion that I know is long gone. Fine, I see how it is..." he whispered.

He'd tried to find Sora to ask for help, but there'd been no sign of the kid anywhere and he was on the clock.

,,,,,,,,,,,,

Xion ran to the Old Mansion, turning around at the locked gates as more enemies sprung up behind her. "Don't call me and then lock me out..." she pleaded, and then blinked as she saw an image of Sora holding out his Keyblade. Xion stepped back from the gate and copied him, unlocking the keyhole in it. The gates opened and she ran quickly inside.

The Dusks tried to follow but were stopped by a hooded figure holding a Keyblade, not that she saw since she never looked back.

Xion entered the mansion and found the White Room, more visions of Riku's memories assaulting her. She blinked and stared at Naminé. "Organization XIII... they're a bad group," she said, and she'd been one of them?

"Bad or good, I don't know. They're a group of incomplete people who wish to be whole. To that end, they're desperately searching for something."

"What?" She was so confused, there was so much she didn't know or understand. She just wanted to be with her friends, except…that wasn't possible?

"Kingdom Hearts."

Xion blinked at that. It sounded…familiar. She shook her head and laughed softly.

"Funny?"

"It's just, I think…I've been running away from the question I really want ask," she admitted, walking up to the table to look down at half drawn images. "What's going happen to me now? Just tell me that. Nothing else really matters anymore."

"You are..." Naminé flickered.

"Naminé!" Xion called in alarm even as Naminé disappeared.

"There's no knowledge that has the power to change your fate," DiZ told her as he appeared and she backed away from him.

"Even if it doesn't, I wanna know. I have the right to know!"

"A Replica doesn't have a right to know. Nor does it even have the right to be."

"But what IS a Replica!?" what did he think she was?

"DiZ, we're out of time. Too many Nobodies!" the pickpocket announced as he appeared.

A portal sprung up behind DiZ containing Naminé. "Xion. Nobodies like me are only half a person. A Replica is a creation using data from someone else, to copy them. But you're different, you won't disappear," the other girl quickly explained.

"I'll...disappear...?"

"No further outbursts!"

"No, you won't disappear! You'll…"

DiZ grabbed Naminé and covered her mouth.

"Wait!" Xion called, reaching for Naminé only to be grabbed by the pickpocket.

"Stop this DiZ," he said, and his voice…she knew it, from her dreams…Sora?

"Xion! We will meet again. And then we can talk about everything. I may not know it's you, and you may not know it's me. But we will meet again. Someday soon. I promise!" Naminé called out as she was dragged into the portal.

"Let her go!" Xion struggled against Sora, but he only let go once they were gone and she spun to face him. "Are you him? Are you…Sora?"

He started, staring at her, but then he lowered his hood. "I'm sorry Xion, for all of this. I wish there was another way. Naminé is right, you won't disappear. The memories will go back where they belong, you'll be part of us," he told her, his tone much more gentle then DiZ's, his eyes sad. "We're out of time Xion, please. I know you don't remember right now, but you came to Naminé willingly. It wasn't meant to happen this way but the Organisation got too close too fast." He looked towards the outside. "I know you'll do the right thing," he told her, and then he was gone too.

She stared at where he had been before leaving the room and heading down the hall until she reached the library. On the table was an incomplete drawing and she drew in the missing piece, not sure how she knew it. She moved back as the floor vanished, revealing a hidden room beneath it. She walked into another basement room and found a large set of monitors and an odd machine which made Xion's head ache again, reminding her of a large white room with huge chairs, on which sat each of the Organization XIII. She saw DiZ and Sora, talking about her…

Xion's headache stopped and her anger rose, if she hadn't been so angry, she would have been shocked by just how angry she was. The Keyblade appeared in her hands and she began to hack away violently at the computer monitors. Once she'd vented her anger, a door across the room opened. She took a deep breath to calm down all the way, she didn't usually get that mad…did she? Xion fell back against the wall, fighting the urge to cry, why couldn't she…she cried out, pressing her hands to her head as image after image bombarded her mind.

Xion took a shaky breath and straightened up, looking down at her skirt, shirt, jacket, and heeled boots, so different to the black coat she had always worn. She knew who she was and what was going on… Sora was right, she had agreed to let the memories go back to Riku, to help him wake up, because she was failing. Maybe being in this world had stabilised her, but she couldn't remain forever.

Xion walked into the next room and was immediately surrounded by Nobodies. Xion defeated them easily, knowing their weaknesses. She looked at the door as Axel walked in with his arms crossed.

"Simply amazing, Xion," he praised but she could tell his 'heart' wasn't in it.

"Axel," she whispered and he stared at her.

"You really do remember me this time?" he asked, but then his expression hardened. "I'm SO FLATTERED," he yelled and she leapt back, calling the Keyblade as his rage caused the room to erupt in flames. "But you're too late!"

To both of their shock, a second Keyblade materialised in her other hand.

"Two!?" he gaped but them summoned his chakrams, smiling mirthlessly at her. "Come here. I'll make it all stop."

"Please Axel…just let me go," she knew he wouldn't say yes, but she had to try. Instead of answering, he attacked. They fought across the room, the fight far more intense than the one at the tournament, the heat intense, but she ignored it.

"Xion..." he dropped his weapons, the flames vanishing. He began to fade away and she dismissed the Keyblades, moving to his side.

"Axel... I wish…we could share an ice cream again," she offered, and he smiled weakly.

"Yeah. I'll be waiting," he offered.

"No, you won't," she choked as he vanished. Why would he wait for someone he didn't remember? She sat where he had been, getting her breath back. He wasn't dead, she hadn't killed her best friend. He was wounded and exhausted, but he'd recover.

Eventually, Xion got up and walked through the basement corridor. She stopped as she saw two capsules with familiar faces inside. "Donald...Goofy?" they were fast asleep, floating within the capsules and she knew…they wouldn't wake until Riku did.

She turned to the door at the end of the hall and entered. She dreaded seeing DiZ, but instead it was Sora who stood waiting for her, the hood of his coat down. It was strange to see him dressed like an Organisation member when she knew he wasn't one.

"I told you it wasn't goodbye yet," he said, and she nodded, proving she remembered meeting him on the Island.

She walked towards him, looking at the strange flower like device behind him. As if in reaction to her gaze, the flower opened up, revealing a pod…with Riku floating within. "So, this is him," she whispered.

"Riku," he confirmed.

"Will it hurt?" she asked.

"I don't know. Xion, I…"

"Don't, it's okay. This has to happen, I remember what was happening before, I was falling apart…" she tried to joke and then she leant back against him as Sora gently gripped her shoulder. "No one will remember me. Axel…"

"I'll remember you, forever. I'll try to look out for Axel for you, get him out of the Organisation," he promised. She nearly fell back as he flickered, looking at him in alarm. "Goodbye Xion," he smiled at her and then he was gone.

She turned back to Riku and smiled sadly. "Riku… you're lucky. Looks like my summer vacation is...over," she whispered to him.

,,,,,,,,

Sora stumbled, turning to glare at DiZ. "She deserved to have someone there," he snarled.

"You have an emergency call," the man told him, and Sora left to see who it was.

He stopped as he saw Axel, the man still worn out from fighting Xion. They stared at each other before Axel smirked.

"I was right," he said, and Sora cocked his head to the side in confusion. "I thought you were the imposter," he clarified.

"Had to keep them from finding this place, guess it mostly worked since you're the only one did."

"What are you going to do to her?" he demanded.

"I'm sorry Axel, she's giving Riku back his memories, and when she does that…" he sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Once it's done, you'll start to forget her."

"Never," he snapped, and Sora smiled, surprising him.

"Maybe you're right, I hope you are. She should be remembered."

"We gonna fight?" Axel asked warily, and Sora shook his head.

"You should go, DiZ won't appreciate seeing you," he warned. "Actually, there is someone you could help, Naminé."

"Naminé?" Axel asked.

Sora held his hand out and she darted out from hiding, staring at Axel who was surprised. "DiZ wanted me to…well, I won't. I owe you both."

Axel seemed to consider it before nodding. "Alright," he opened a Corridor.

"Sora…"

"It'll be okay Naminé, go. You won't be safe here with DiZ around."

She hesitated but nodded and headed for the portal. Axel stared at him and then blinked, rubbing his forehead.

"Go Axel," he told the older male, realising he was beginning to forget Xion which meant Riku and the others would wake any minute…and he had to go. He was breaking his promise but he couldn't ignore an emergency call for help. He could, however, send Mickey a message to let him know they were waking, asking him to meet them. He left the money pouch at the train station before boarding his ship and taking off.

,,,,,,,

'Riku?' a girls voice called his name

"Who's there?"

"Riku!" a different voice called.

"Riku, wake up," came another.

Riku struggled to obey, his eyes slowly opening, looking out through a clear window to see Sora's friends…Donald and Goofy…a cricket on Goofy's shoulder. Where was he? What was happening? He was….floating? Even as he realised that he felt warm liquid draining away, leaving him to stand shakily at the bottom as the front opened and he stumbled forward, the two catching him.

"Donald? Goofy?" he asked in confusion, he was so tired.

The two laughed and hugged him, shocking him, but he hesitantly hugged back. "You're okay! You got out from the Door!" Donald cheered.

Door…he blinked as he remembered helping to close the Door to Darkness. "How…?" he shook his head. "The King! I was with the King and…I don't remember," he shook his head, looking around the room. "Was I asleep?"

"Yeah, that sure was some nap!" the cricket answered and then bowed. "Jiminy Cricket, nice to meet you Riku."

"Nice to meet you too," he offered automatically. They were in a large metal room, with only the pod thing he'd been in, in it. No one but the four… "Sora!" he called, looking around. He looked at Donald and Goofy. "Where's Sora?" he asked desperately. He remembered Sora trying to reach for him, their fingers somehow brushing before the Door had separated them, he'd thought forever.

"Sora?" Donald called.

"Gawrsh…he was with us before."

"Maybe he's in another one of those things in another room? Jiminy, what does your journal say?" Donald asked, and Jiminy pulled out a tiny book, flipping through it.

"Gee, there's only one sentence... "Thank Naminé." Hmm... I wonder who that is."

Riku, Donald, and Goofy looked at one another and shook their heads, although…the name felt very vaguely familiar to Riku.

"Some journal that is," Donald grumbled.

"Well, what do ya say we find out where we are and where Sora is?" Jiminy suggested and they began to move out.

Riku leant on Goofy for a while, struggling to get moving. "How long has it been?" he asked tiredly.

"Well…judging by your hair, I'd say it's been a while," Goofy admitted, and Riku reached up to touch his hair, finding it a lot longer then he remembered.

Thankfully he was able to walk by himself by the time they reached the stairs, his energy returning. There was no sign of other pods or Sora and they were all very worried.

TBC…

There is a reason for her suddenly gaining the second Keyblade but it won't come up for ages, probably not till she's back.