Chapter Thirteen

Riku paced back and forth in his room, he was trying to come up with a reason for his madness. Of course, Ursa in her ghostly attire was the first image to pop into his head followed by Xemnas and pretty boy Roxas. Ha, just thinking about those two made him want to gag, she thought they were hot stuff when he knew that they weren't. Ah, but watching her drool over them was so irritating. He had never felt that way since Risa.

As soon as he thought of her, he began to remember their time spent together. How they first met, their awkward first date and the time spent together falling in love. He had only been jealous of her once and that was the time he spotted her with her cousin. In his defense, he hadn't known at the time that they were related. Of course, when it all blew over, she had teased him and finally told him she loved him. It was the first time she had spoken those three wonderful words.

He walked over to the nightstand and picked up the picture in the silver frame. Taking a seat, he studied the picture of her and her radiant smile. She had been his everything and he never thought of ever letting her go. Her long golden hair always reminded him of a flower meadow, her beautiful jade hues could always see right through him, her skin kissed by the sun which made pale women jealous and lips so kissable he didn't want to stop kissing them. As he continued to study her picture, he realized he had tried to replace Risa with Namine. They shared a lot of physical traits in common, even personality wise they were the same. When they smiled it brought joy to those around them, 'I am an idiot,' he groaned.

'If you don't want people to listen accidentally and agree with you, I would suggest you close the door,' Ursa told him as she walked by. 'Come on Everafter, let's leave the idiot alone so that he can continue to talk to himself.'

Riku placed the picture back down on his nightstand, got up and went after her. 'Hey,' she cried out as he grabbed her and whirled her around in his arms. 'What do you think you're doing?'

He couldn't help but admired the way her body felt flushed against his, it felt just right, 'Earth to Riku.'

'Why won't you let me see beneath the veil?'

It was the first time Ursa noticed how deep his voice was and alluring, which made her frown and more determined to get away from him. 'Sorry, but until I am good and ready, you'll have to wait,' she pushed against his firm hard chest. 'Now, if you'll please release me. I have a long day tomorrow and need to get up early.'

Riku's ran his hands down to her hips and slowly pulled them away, feeling the softness of her curves. She pulled away from him, opened her door and slipped inside without another word. 'What if I've already seen what lays beneath and don't care,' he mumbled, feeling empty that she was no longer pressed against him.

'Riku,' Amistad called out to her son as he stood before Ursa door, 'what are you doing standing in front of Ursa's room?'

'Nothing,' he mumbled as he shook his head and turned away back to his room. 'I was just leaving.'

'Alright, good night,' Amistad told his as she watched him leave.

'Yeah, nite,' he mumbled.

After he left, she turned to Ursa's closed door and wondered why he was looking at it with a bit of longing and disappointment. No, his face looked sadder as if he had just lost the one…she gasped. 'Could it be,' she asked herself. He had seen her old appearance before when she was sick, it was a possibility that his memory had returned.

If that was so, he probably wanted to reconnect with his old friend. However, said friend knew how to trigger his buttons and push him away. After losing the love of his life, Riku was probably looking for a meaningful connection and what better way to do that then reuniting with a friend. They just needed to stop bickering with each other and sit down and have an honest conversation.

Amistad walked over to the huge window at the end of the hallway and looked out into the evening sky. The moon was a beautiful crescent and she wondered if she had it all wrong. If she did, was she supposed to come between them or support them. After all they had their respective partners, so romance budding between them was close to impossible, dubious. Right? She sighed, if it was the latter, she couldn't go through another curse. She was getting too old.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

For a Saturday morning the day was beautiful and maybe a bit chilly, but that was to be expected with winter just around the corner. Soon the trees would lose all their leaves, and everything would be covered in snow. 'You seem to be deep in thought,' she looked up to find Amistad.

'Just trying to enjoy the nice weather,' Ursa said as she looked up from her seat on the back patio.

'Nice,' Amistad shivered at the absurd thought, the weather was too chilly.

'Maybe all my layers help,' Ursa looked down at the dress she was wearing and head piece.

'You could just shed your attire anytime you want,' Amistad offered as she took a seat across from her.

'I know, but I still don't think that it's time yet.'

'You think that it's something she'll use against you?'

'I have a feeling that once she's cornered, she try to reveal my appearance to get back at me as a way of humiliating me in front of everyone.'

'Hmm,' Amistad wouldn't put it pass Rose to do something like that. 'So besides trying to bring down your Aunt, how's work going?'

'Interesting, I am learning new things and I am getting new ideas for my next story. I am thinking that maybe an office romance would be nice and steamy.'

'Of course, with Xemnas there you must be living it,' Amistad asked nonchalant.

Ursa made a face and thanked the heavens for her burqas, 'He doesn't come over to the office as much as you think, but I see him often enough.'

'I see,' Amistad noted the lack of enthusiasm when she referred to him.

Ursa saw the expression of disappointment, 'However, he was my hero not to long ago. The company that has been trying to merge with the Frost Inc. approached me about my shares and when they didn't listen to me about me not selling. Xemnas shooed them away,' she knew that it wasn't to help her, but to keep the shares for her Aunt. When her Aunt found out about the news, she was livid at the fact that they would go behind her back.

'Sounds nice to have someone to help support you in times of need.'

'I guess,' her Aunt must be happy that she had Xemnas wrapped around her little finger. Which reminded her of her Uncle and what a nice and lovely man he turned out to be. It was a shame that he was married to such a vile woman. She wondered if he knew about her infidelity, probably not considering that her daughter didn't seem to know either.

'Do you mind me asking, but do you still like him?'

Ursa's lips pressed together, 'I think I was enamored by him. He was the first male that I found attractive and charming. He was also very attentive as well, but I think that was it. It was a moment of weakness on my part for falling for someone I hadn't truly gotten to know.'

'Did he do something to you to fall out of favor or do you just not have feelings for him anymore?'

Ursa didn't want to bad mouth him and have Amistad go into mom bear mode, worse get Riku involved, and have it blow up in her face before she could do anything. 'I guess my feelings changed and I realized I am perfectly content with the way things are right now,' she answered. 'Once I am ready, I'll see if there is someone out there for me.'

'I see,' Amistad nodded, 'but I think that he might be interested in you.'

'He hasn't said anything about having a relationship, but when he does, I'll let him down gently,' she should really beat the daylights out of him. He was using her, and he was having an affair with a married woman, talk about Prince Charming.

'That's good, if he doesn't take the hint, I'll have Riku talk to him,' Amistad informed her.

'I don't think that you'll need to go that far.' She could fight her own battles. She didn't need to have anyone else stand up for her.

'How have you been getting along with your cousin, I know that you had your reservations about her before,' Amistad put her fillers out on Riku and Namine's relationship.

'I feel bad for having misjudged her. She might look like her mother, but she's far from her.'

'That means I don't have to worry about her and Riku,' she slipped in.

Ursa didn't think that it was her place to tell her that Namine was already with someone else and that she had dumped her son. That was something for the idiot to tell her, so she gave the best possible answer, 'You don't have to worry about them.'

Not being able to see Ursa's face was a problem, she never could really go off her tone. She had mastered the art of disguising her voice, except in extreme cases, 'I guess, that as long as she is good to him, I will accept her.'

Ugh, if Riku didn't tell his mother about their separation and she saw Namine and Roxas together it would be terrible. Hopefully, he told her soon because they were coming over next weekend and it would not be pretty for her to be taken by surprise. She should probably change the subject away from Riku. Lately, he had been preoccupying her thoughts too much and it was annoying. Also, his skin ship was getting out of hand, she really wanted to clock him the other day because of his lingering hands and the way that he slowly and sensually taken them off her. It had given her goosebumps and heart palpitations. She really should go and see a doctor. 'In other news, my Mother wants us to come over for dinner tomorrow night at her house.'

Amistad's face soured, Lily really was trying to reconnect with Ursa, and it was making her upset. The only perk about it was that Ursa made it difficult for her to get close. She still held back and had her reservations. 'So that means you're going to take your veil off?'

'No,' she flat out refused. 'I told her that we would consider her invitation, but if I were to go, I wouldn't eat.'

'What did she say to that?'

'That we should come anyways and not to be afraid of take off my veil.'

'Well, I say that we stay home and enjoy a nice quiet evening, maybe Riku will be gone for the evening and you can walk about the house freely.'

That wasn't likely, unless he had anything to do, he wasn't going out. 'My Father asked if we could please consider the dinner invitation. It'll just be the family, Riku was invited too and said that if we went he would go.'

Amistad sighed, 'It would be good for you to interact with your parents more, so I think that we should go,' she grumbled.

'You look like you're forcing yourself too much,' Ursa pointed out.

'I am not,' she mumbled and looked over at her annoyed as Ursa began to laugh.

'What are we laughing about,' Riku asked as he walked out to join his mother and Ursa, 'and why are you two outside in this chilly weather?'

Amistad turned her head up to look at her son, 'We're just enjoying some light conversation and Ursa was making fun of me.'

'I was not,' Ursa defended herself.

'You want me to take her back in private and give her a lecture,' Riku asked his mother.

'I fear that if you did, she wouldn't listen and you'll come back crying to me,' Amistad teased him.

'That's true,' Ursa said as she looked over at him.

'Humph, and here I thought that I'd be nice to you and go get you a slice for your favorite cake from the bakery you love so much. Now I'll just go get something for myself.'

'Well, now we wouldn't want you to make hasty decisions like that,' she reached out and grabbed the sleeve of his sweater to stop him from leaving.

'No, you had your chance,' he turned back to look at her.

'But,' her voice softened and sounded like she whimpered a little.

'No,' he shook his head.

'I am sorry,' she said. It was sad to see how much she like cake and how far she was willing to go to get it. Riku shook his head again. 'Will it change your mind if I told you how handsome you look.'

'Maybe,' he loved the fact that she was sucking up to him, but also annoyed him that it was all in order to get a slice of cake.

She should have known that stroking his ego would be enough to make him change his mind. 'I hadn't realized it before, but you really are good looking and attractive. You're also brilliant and smart, no one can compete with you.'

Amistad watched them, she was sure Ursa didn't really mean her words, but Riku's reaction to her was intriguing. He acted like a schoolboy that enjoyed teasing his crush and Ursa either didn't realize what was happening because of her unawareness to situation or she didn't mind. However, just like he liked to trigger her buttons, she pushed him and next thing she knew Riku had refused her hold on him and was pulling her up. 'If you really want your piece of cake, you can come and get it yourself. Ma, we're leaving. Be back later.'

'Play nice,' Amistad watched as they left in disbelief at what she just saw.

Ursa felt like a rag doll being dragged around by an overgrown little boy, 'I can walk without you leading me.'

'Knowing you, you'll wonder off and get lost,' he told her as they reached the car, and he opened the door for her to get inside.

'Ha, ha, you're so funny,' she slipped her hand free and got inside.

Riku closed the door behind her, he went to go get in the driver seat and take off before she changed her mind. As annoying and infuriating as she was, he liked spending time with her and being around her. 'I am guessing the bakery is not our only stop. Where else are we going?'

'To the park, I need some fresh air.'

She turned to face him, 'You do realize that the house is surrounded by woods and you could easily go for a walk there to get fresh air.'

'Yeah, but I also like to watch life happen around me. Besides just watching my mother or a phantom walk about the house.'

'If you're so tried to seeing us, why bring me along?'

'You want your cake, don't you?'

'Yeah,' she mumbled.

'Good.'

Ursa turned away and watched as they drove out of the estate and turn towards the city. It was pretty rare for her to be out and about on the weekends, another change in her life that slowly pushed her out of her comfort zone. Thirty minutes later and they arrived at what seemed to be Riku's favorite park, which was beginning to seem like the place he liked to unload things on her. 'Come on,' he had gotten out and walked around to open her door.

He offered a hand, but she refused. Every time he held it, she would get a weird sickening feeling in the pit of her stomach. She still thought that she was allergic to him. They made their way to the trail that led to the children's playground. As they walked in silence, they encountered all sorts of people, some were on bikes, others jogging, some were out with their children and others were just couples young and old out for a stroll with their hands linked. 'I envy couples that age together and never lose the love that they have for one another.'

Ah, so they were there to talk about Risa. Maybe seeing the couples and the children playing reminded him of what was and could have been. 'I am sure that once you find someone, you'll be making some lonely sap jealous too,' she tried to cheer him.

'I always thought that Risa was the one I was going to grow old with, that I wanted to grow old with,' he confessed.

Oh, no, he was still pinning after Namine, 'You know that you'll always have Risa here,' she lightly tapped his heart, 'and I am sure that getting over her loss wasn't easy, still isn't easy but you'll find someone. I know things didn't go as planned with Namine either, but you're going to have to let her go. She seems happy and content with Roxas.'

'Right,' he agreed, 'and speaking of her I must confess that I did a horrible thing to her.'

'Please,' she prayed, 'don't tell me that you went over to her house and made a scene.'

'No, of course not. I understand when a person no longer wants to be with me and is in love with someone else.'

'Hmm,' she really didn't take him for the understanding type. 'I don't believe you, but what did you do to her?'

His right cheek began to twitch, but she was in her right to believe what she wanted, 'I used her as a replacement for Risa.'

'Oh,' she cocked her head to the side, 'so she was a rebound girl?'

'Yes, no,' he took her hand and led her to the closest empty bench. 'I didn't notice until last night.'

'What made you have that epiphany,' she tried to slip her hand away, but he kept a firm grip on it.

'I was looking at a picture of her and I started to notice the similarities between them. Not just physically, but personality wise too. It was no wonder that I was pull towards her. Yet Risa was more levelheaded than impulsive.'

'Is that why you're not chasing after her and trying to fight for your love?'

'There wasn't ever any love between us, we just kept each other company,' he looked out at the playground, but there weren't that many children playing about and that was understandable, considering what a chilly day it was.

'Eww, I don't need to know that you two were friends with benefits.'

'Don't be so childish and we weren't friends with benefits, we just got close,' Riku chided her for acting like a little kid.

It was strange, but at the mention of them not having relations it set her heart fluttering in elation which was weird. Why was she so happy, she wondered as she tried to control herself, 'Well, now you have time to think about what comes next. Or in this case who comes next,' she told him.

'I don't have to think too long,' he turned and smiled at her.

Her heart plummeted at the news, he already had someone he was interested in, 'That sounds exciting,' she half heartedly said.

'Don't sound so thrilled, I am not jumping back into the swing of things just yet. Otherwise, I'll scare her off and considering her demeanor, its a high possibility that she won't be so willing to accept me right away.'

'Sounds like a smart cookie,' she sarcastically stated. 'But why are you telling me this?'

'Because you're my confidant,' he told her.

'Usually, you talk to guy friends, not your employer.'

She was more than his employer but telling her his feelings now was impossible. She'd reject him and pull further away then she normally did, 'Ursa, you are more then my employer.' He lightly squeezed her hand, 'You're my annoying pain in the ass.'

She pulled her hand away and got up, 'You know, you sure are a charmer. I am sure things are going to go well with you and your next conquest. Now let's go and get my cake.'

There was something about the way she said that, and it somehow tickled his fancy. 'I hope so because I think this is the one.'

'Well,' she felt a pull on her heart strings, 'that's great.'

She began to walk away, 'Where are you going?' He got up and followed after her.

'Back to the car so that we can go and get my listening fee.'

'I am starting to think that I should look for a buddy to talk to that's not going to cost me so much,' he slowed down when he caught up to her.

'Yeah, I would recommend that,' she stiffened as he slung his arm over her shoulder.

'Man, for someone that used to be my best friend you sure aren't friendly. I hope this wasn't how you acted back in the past,' she froze and looked at him.

'You remember me,' she asked.

'Just what my mother told me, why is there something that she didn't tell me. Where you and I,' he gestured at himself and then at her.

'Oh, heavens no,' she sighed in relief that he didn't remember her old appearance. 'That would have spoke poorly of my taste in men.'

He pulled her close and gave her a playful nuggy, 'I'll have you know that I am an excellent catch and when I catch my big fish. You'll be telling me how right I am.'

'Fat chance,' she glared up at him and it almost took her breath away at how handsome he was with a goof smile. 'My cake.'

'Okay, you big baby,' he didn't release her as they headed back, he just enjoyed having her within his grasp.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Ursa looked up at the little bakery and smiled. Without waiting for him, she jumped out of the car and happily walked over to the little shop. 'Ursa,' Riku called after her and she looked back at him without stopping.

Not watching where she was walking made her run into someone walking out of the bakery, 'Whoa,' she cried out and before she could fall back one arm wrapped around her waist and braced her to regain her balance.

'Sorry,' she said after they stopped swaying and before she looked up.

'Ursa?'

She looked up and to her disappointment found, 'Xemnas, what are you doing here?'

'I was going to come over and surprise you,' he held up a box of cake slices. 'I remembered Amistad said you loved the cakes from this shop.'

'That's right,' she stepped away from him and took the box that he offered.

'What are you doing here,' he inquired.

She looked up from the box and over at Riku, 'I asked Riku to bring me here, so I could have a treat in-between work.'

Xemnas and Riku both looked at each other in challenge, 'Well it seems that I beat you guys here on a good hunch.'

'Yeah,' she mumbled.

'So does this mean that you're heading home now,' he asked.

'Yes,' she nodded.

'Good, I'll take you,' he told her.

'But I—'

'I am sure that Riku won't mind you riding with me,' he cut her off.

Ursa looked over at Riku and wanted to tell him to refuse, 'I have no problem with that.'

'See, what did I tell you,' his hand was on the small of her back and she stiffened. She hated his touch, it disturbed her to no end.

She found it hard to move, 'I'll have her home before you know it.'

Riku watched them leave and his fist tightened, he knew she liked Xemnas, but did she had to express her interest in front of him. 'I need to go and cool off,' he told himself after he turned away.

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A/N: Poor Riku, just when he comes to terms with his feelings. The girl that he likes gets taken by another. Too bad that he doesn't know her feelings for Xemnas and what she is feeling for him otherwise it would be a different story. Poor Amistad too, she knows that something is up, because she can see that her son has feelings for Ursa, but she doesn't know Ursa's feelings. On top of that, since she knows what happened in the past, she doesn't want a repeat of it. I feel her. Anyways, thank you for making it this far. As always, I hope that you guys are enjoying this story and thank you for the support. We still have a little ways to go before we get a proper conclusion to this story so please stay with me a little longer. Until next time! Happy Holidays!