A.N.) You know, I just realized I wanted to keep the ending I originally planned and the decided ending as hush as I could justify just in case it ruins it for any reader, but I then I was over looking the story's classifications and saw I technically gave it away a by the 1st chapter. Go fig.

I thought ChilledKitsune was on to me for a second. ;]

On another note, the end is neigh…

Disclaimer) I do not own Kingdom Hearts. (I've been doing this disclaimer. Always will do it.)

At First Sight

Chapter 11: Fate

"Listen to me, Sora," Lea emphasized, rubbing his temple. "Seifer had weapon and was trying to kill him."

"I don't think a Struggle bat qualifies as a weapon," Sora practically whispered with his eyes half open. The kid was dirt tired. Dirt-nap tired.

Lea sighed.

Sora wasn't thinking rationally, and never would if he stayed this fatigued. Maybe I can get through to the others…?

Nope. Kairi was swaying back and forth like a pendant, her eyes already shut before she'd abruptly start a little. Riku's hair fogged his face, but it only took a moment to see the Keyblade Master was resting his eyes while standing poised straight. Naminé was there a second ago, but… she disappeared again. Sora mentioned she'd vanish a lot this night, before yawning deep in the lungs.

He hated to use anything other than fire-type magic, but this was getting annoying.

"Wake up, you idiots!" he exclaimed, raising his hand to the air and released volts of lightning through his fingertips.

Each kid had their own personalized yelp as they were zapped awake.

Sora panted for a minute, panicking that there was an enemy nearby and he hadn't paid attention.

Lea growled, snapping his fingers to draw all three pairs of eyes. "Listen—carefully," he said slow and condescending. "Roxas did use his Keyblade against Seifer because—(See? Reasons!)—Seifer had his own special weapon, and was freely stabbing and tossing fire magic around. Roxas only knocked him out to prevent harm to others… You let his crew con you!"

All three glanced briefly at each other. Riku's eyes showed he was still suspicious, and that made Sora and Kairi doubt Lea's explanation.

Lea was about to start punching sense into their skulls, until the fast steps of sprinting Pence joined them.

Gasping for breath for a moment only, Pence glared at everyone. "Xion is dead! Roxas has disappeared! Someone stop him from doing anything dumb!"

The information sunk into Lea's head equivalent to the effect of getting a tiger uppercut in the gut.

"Xion's dead?" Lea repeated aloud.

"Seifer shoved her off the Clock Tower. They say she went all the way down."

"Wait!" Sora tried to interrupt, waving his hands. "Who's Xion?"

Lea's eyebrows furrowed. Hold on. "Who's 'they'?"

"Fuu, Seifer's crew…"

"Those punks have no idea what they're talking about, Pence!" Lea scolded. He pulled the Twilight local closer to Sora's trio. "Tell them about what Seifer did at the Sunset Terrance."

Understanding he was the supporting witness to that episode, Pence confidently answered toward Riku. Pence emphasized that Seifer received his weapon in a gust of light, how said weapon looked, and how it was used. Well, from what Pence had seen. But everything pieced together when Pence's story played with Lea's hearsay believably.

The truth was finally accepted. Sora ran his hands through his hair. "What exactly is going on, guys?" he sighed.

Lea pointed to the sky like a knowing teacher. "Roxas found Xion—"

"And Xion is…?" Kairi spoke for the first time in the conversation.

"Xion was originally a puppet, Number XIV of the Organization, created by Sora's strongest memories to replicate Roxas's power—"

Pence jumped in. "She looks pretty much like a slightly shorter, maybe younger version of Kairi with short black hair—"

Sora and Riku jumped back, each reaching that point of piecing past mysteries together.

"There was a girl with short black hair in an Organization coat in my dream world!"

"And the same girl was in Sora's heart!"

"That was Xion."

Lea looked stern.

Xion's story was pretty complicated, and not even he knew it's fullest extent; Xion often had intervals of distance between him and Roxas. Only she knew the whole tale. Despite so, he did his best to lay out the major chain of events, from first interacting with the girl himself to discovering her identity to… well, he told them of how Xemnas took her away but he didn't even know exactly how Xion met her demise.

And Roxas had disappeared after that.

"He was dense and thought to be heartless then, but from what I saw, Roxas did have an unusual attachment and adoration over Xion. And from what I saw out of him tonight, he was probably in love with her long before."

"That's so sad to have lost the one you love…" Kairi whispered.

Sora and Riku looked down with sympathy.

"When she died, everyone's memories of her faded away. Riku was actually a friend of hers, but as you can see, he does not remember her."

"I was?" Riku murmured, eyes wide.

"That's horrible!" Sora exclaimed, clenching his balled hands.

"Anyways, imagine Roxas's happiness when he discovered tonight that she had been revived with him and the other guys in Sora's heart, and was here the whole time with Seifer and his posse." Lea progressed to tell the Destiny Island kids (and Pence) the story of what had conspired this very night between Roxas and Xion to the best of his knowledge.

"And now she's dead again!" Kairi choked. "How tragic!"

"That's the problem—she might not be dead at all. Seifer's crew probably jumped to that conclusion. If Xion died, I'd reason her heart would go back to Sora or I'd have at least forgotten her again," Lea waved his hand, laying out the evidence and theory aloud so he could think. He needed to figure out what precisely was happening and how he could fix it.

There was nothing much to decided on except—

"We have to continue hunting Roxas," Riku bluntly intruded.

"Hunting him was what helped drive this," Pence put out.

"But now we need to stop him from doing something crazy. Roxas is, for the most part, a neutral leveled guy, but…" Riku gazed to the ground. "I do remember when I captured him in The World That Never, and he definitely acted crazy. He planned to fight Xemnas and get to Kingdom Hearts, and if I'm correct, it was probably because he was trying to get to that girl somehow. He shouted about how he wanted someone back…" He grunted in slight discomfort.

Lea sighed and shook his head. "Trust me, when Roxas gets emotional, he gets emotional. Irrational type of emotional."

"You're right," Sora nodded, piping up his dukes. "We have to find him at any cost! Where should we start looking?"

"Should we split up?" Kairi asked.

Lea took charge before Riku could. It was his best friend at stake. "Let's split into groups. Pence, go check on Hayner and Olette; see if they're good to help."

Pence stormed off with barely a reply.

"Now we'll be in pairs in case Roxas tries to fight back. Riku and Sora can expertly use flowmotion, so they'll check further out from this festival into farther parts of Twilight Town. Roxas might have decided to avoid this area altogether seeing that he thinks Xion, the main reason he wanted to stay close to the festival, is gone. Plus, he'd want to evade anyone stopping whatever he might be planning. Kairi and I will briefly check the Old Mansion and span out from there."

Roxas was on fire.

The boundless ocean that held all his love for the ebonette beauty boiled and erupted in geysers with each moment he thought the sacred name.

Xion…

Xion…

Xion.

Xion.

I love you so, so much.

Xion. Xion. Xion. Xion. Xion. Xion. Xion. Xion. Xion. Xion. Xion.

Memories of her, all the fantasies of their lives together, the warmth of her heart beating so close to his own, the love… Her name kept it from being taken away from him. He just wanted to stop the agony of being separated and meet her again. Somewhere. Wherever.

I should have just taken her and ran from the beginning.

I should have told Seifer the truth when I fought him, so I could have dealt with him. Not her.

I shouldn't have left her.

I should have told her I loved her more.

I should have showed her I loved her more.

The Key of Destiny no longer cared for his existence to last now; however long it'd take for him to make it to the Tower and take his "medicine" was all he needed.

Fury clouded over his judgment making him apathetic to any poor soul who'd dare try to get in his way. He tried acting for everyone's better understanding, and look where it had gotten him. That very person he loved and cherished more than anything was taken away. That was all he thought about. She was gone. And he had to get to her again, no matter what. Like a metronome, her name repeated over with his inner declarations of his love and where he planned to go.

Xion…

Xion…

Finally, he crept back into the crowded festivities through the shadows of rooftops and alleyways. Sora and the others were nowhere in sight, and that made getting to the Station Plaza simple. The way Roxas appreciated.

He maneuvered through small stacks of equipment and pieces of a constructible stage and noticed there were no workers around to finish constructing. Good.

When the entranceway into the Station was in clear view, Roxas was halted in his place and his fizzed mind was trying to rationalize what to do, what he wanted to do, and what Xion would want him to do.

Before him was Seifer, the one who dealt Xion her unkind fate.

Seifer didn't seem to notice Roxas at first, merely sitting on the front steps, glaring at the sky above, wondering exactly where everything went wrong.

Once they did make eye contact, hostility rose. Roxas hated Seifer for what he had done. Seifer gladly reciprocated that hatred.

"We were fine and happy before you forced yourself into our lives… You used her. You turned her against us!" Seifer launched from his seat, feeling the passion from within call forth power deep down. In a spark of light, for the second time, Seifer held his gun-blade.

Roxas did not answer him until his own Keyblade was ready in his hand. His gaze was lopsided and cold. "You just don't get it, do you? Xion's death and everything that went wrong tonight was your fault. Don't tempt me to do something too dark. My Xion is someplace bright and warm."

"'My Xion?'" Seifer roared. "She's dead and you still want to keep her!? I'll kill you!"

"Yes, I want to die. That's why I came. But not here. Up there," Roxas murmured so gently and lovingly glance to the Clock Tower's balcony. "I've had just about enough of you, so go away. Consider that your last chance."

Too mad to fear, Seifer jumped toward Roxas, lifting the heavy blade to let it slice down at the neck, but Roxas didn't want a long fight. Roxas wanted to carry out his plan. A quick dodge and merciful whack to the chest stunned Seifer, and made him fall. "Xion…" he moaned before going to sleep.

"You're so lucky Xion still cared about you…" Roxas whispered, as he went up the stairs to the Tower balcony. "You kiss and killed her. I wish I had the heart to have an even greater revenge."

Soon enough, Roxas was faced with that sign that explicitly said not to pass the door because of dangerous heights.

This was the time where he couldn't care at all.

Soon enough he was standing before his usual seat, pulling out the precious red apple, so vibrated and fresh. Roxas examined it closely, as he had done a few times sense it came into his possession. He knew that Moogle gave him something deadly, it was moist and cool like any other healthy fruit, but it had slightly darker patches on the skin. It was easy to overlook, but Roxas found blotches of blood red contrasting to midnight red, forming the face of a skull.

Preparing for his last moments, Roxas took one look at the sky being obscured by a closing barrage if neon fireworks. He missed when there were no booming colors coercing against the stars. That was only some time ago, when he and Xion lied there on the stone balcony, holding each other.

Just the memory caused his breathless sigh. He smiled, whispering "Xion... Xion…" It made his heart a bit livelier.

"I can picture you where you belong, Xi-Xi, on the beach of Destiny Islands with the waves bowing at your feet and the moonlight being complimented by your beauty. The breeze ruffling the flow of your white dress and a securely placed veil acting as a crown on your head, replacing that teasing feathered bell hat that would only tempt others to try and take you away from me." His heart thumped faster with the delight of envisioning a blush on her cheeks, sweet and salty breath escaping her petite pink lips, and the full glow in those gorgeous eyes that set themselves apart from both his and Sora's.

"If only I could reach you and talk to you. Your voice is enchanting. Your words and insight are riches. But I can't…"

He could…

Relaxing, Roxas looked down at his apple.

"Here's to us, Xion," he smiled. "I love you."

And he scarfed down a big bite.

That Moogle was a liar, he rejoiced as his heart numbed and his breathing was slowing. The effects are very quick!

As his vision darkened, he only could hear. The ruffs and slamming of his body hitting the wall behind was noted. Yet, he still waited, hoping his last moments of life would catch a note of Xion's voice.

Frantic, Sora and Riku zoomed as fast as they could through all the places that Roxas usually went. Both flew around street-to-street covering in violet aura.

"We have to stop him!" Sora screamed, pushing himself to going a bit faster.

Knowing Sora was in sync with his direction, Riku took a sharp turn to fly over some building as a short cut. Sora was on heel.

"He probably went to the Clock Tower where she supposedly died!" Riku shouted back.

They searched the farther regions of Twilight Town as Lea instructed, and had decided to stop in this small Moogle's shop they spotted. It was curious how happy that Moogle was, dancing with a little coin pouch. That saved them some time; hopefully, enough time to save Roxas. Riku pushed that Moogle till they were told he sold a spiked blonde kid a poison apple because he wanted to die and… he had a sack of munny.

Sora didn't just tell people Roxas was his brother for technicality reasons. He really cared for Roxas like a brother. So…

Sora chewed the unfortunate merchant out.

Riku had to keep things civil. If it were not for his quick delegating, they wouldn't have gotten the frightened Moogle to spill the beans. Even if they were too late to stop Roxas from eating the Poisoned Apple, there might still be hope.

"He wanted something that would kill him, kupo! I told him it would, but how would business be if it got out I was an apothecary, kupo? —No, all I sold him was a glorified sleeping pill, kupo!"

But only if Lea was right, that Xion was still alive.

"I almost let it slip that the Poison Apple more accurately puts the eater in a deathlike sleep, kupo. The antidote to the Poison Apple's Sleeping Death is true love's kiss, kupo."

If Lea was wrong, then they were screwed. It was the duo's goal to just make it before Roxas could do something really, really stupid.

Back on the Clock Tower, Roxas sat with his back to the brick wall, with his legs sprawled out, hands politely coupled together, and his head lopped to the side. The apple that dealt his coma had fallen out of his hands long before, plummeting to the bottom below.

It was quiet, like there wasn't a dead-like teenage boy resting there for a planned eternity in the hopes of finding the spirit of his true love in some kind of afterlife.

Breaking that silence, a gateway of dark energy and aura ripped between worlds.

And from that Dark Corridor, Xion all in white practically jumped out of the shadows, gasping a held fear that she'd never get out. For a moment, all she focused on was getting her footing, then adjusting her hat, and then looking around.

Her heart stopped.

"Roxas!" she gasped, her mind turning to a mess of rocks.

She was at his side instantly, clasping his hands in her own. Hysterically, she rubbed his knuckles trying to warm them. When that didn't seem to be helping, she wrapped him up in her devoted embrace and grasped him tight. She panted manically, not wanting to come to the conclusion she had. How? Why?

Broken, she closed her eyes delicately and cried in his neck. "No…" she moaned. "Roxas, no…"

This was awful. The worst feeling ever. To think she thought their happiness would end with her demise, not his. Her tender heart was in the worst anguish imaginable. A scorching blaze of sorrow and rage at the world was swarming against her mind. All she thought about was how she wanted to die. Roxas wasn't there in this plane anymore; it was her duty to follow him anywhere. They shared a paopu fruit. A symbol of their devotion toward each other through time and space, happiness and depression, and even life and death.

"Roxas…" she groaned. "What happened to you? Were you murdered? Did you just drop? Why…?" She became lost in her muffled sobbing. "I love you so much, Roxas…"

Meanwhile, Sora and Riku made a grand entrance to the Station Plaza and spotted no workers. Odd, Sora concluded.

"They're probably just having a hard time transporting a stage through crowds of people…" Riku stated, reading his best friend's mind.

With that fact out of the way, the boys had no qualms of continuing to use their ability of flowmotion to zoom past the obstacle of random towers of stuff the workers left to the Station's entrance. Riku abruptly stopped his flying, as Sora quickly followed.

Kairi and Lea had beaten them there, and were trying to shake awake a barely conscious Seifer.

"Get up, you jerk!" Kairi pressed as Lea shook his shoulders.

As the two groups reunited, they gave each other a glance of acknowledgement before turning their attention back to Seifer.

"He was here and knock you out again. Where is he now?" Lea growled.

Seifer groaned. "Why should I tell you?"

"Tell us for Xion's sake, if you really cared about her!" Sora scolded, tightening his fists.

"They loved each other…" Kairi mourned.

Seifer looked away, debating with himself.

"How about, 'Tell us where Roxas is because this situation right now is mostly your fault!'?" Riku asserted.

Something about that caused Seifer to twitch a bit. A second of squirming and deciding was what he took.

"He said he came here to die. Up there."

Sora whirled his head to look up and see the balcony. Understanding completely and petrified, he bolted to the stairs in purple energy.

She kissed his forehead.

She kissed his cheeks.

His neck.

The top of his head.

Her heart was in such brutalizing pain she shook jaggedly as she reached her hand out to call out her sacred weapon.

The Keyblade came. It rested so nicely in her palm.

Kneeling over Roxas's cold body, Xion twisted the position of the blade, making it point to her chest.

"Good thing I figured out how to call you forth while at the Destiny Islands…" Xion murmured, emotionally destroyed. "Accept taking my heart. Let me die and hopefully find him somewhere."

Cold and bluntly willing, Xion shoved the tip of her Keyblade to her heart. She heaved at the pain and choked at the numbness knowing that as her Keyblade faded, she was next.

Once her legs started to shatter into tears of light, she threw herself at Roxas and pressed her lips to his, a scared, longing peck.

And that was enough.

Roxas's eyes flickered wide open. He never expected to wake again. Especially not to such a sight.

"Xion!" he called reaching out to catch her.

What is going on?!

They both thought it.

She gagged, realizing her mistake. The picture of Roxas's shock, as if his heart was being beaten, was her last sight before her body had burst into fragmented sparkles.

"Xion!" Roxas cried, as she faded.

But something was left, a glowing orb of light that was jeering to soar somewhere.

The door to the stairwell slammed open by Sora, a grave yet determined look in his eyes.

"No!" was all the Keyblade's Chosen could shout before being tackled by that orb of light. Dazed, Sora held the door handle to keep his balance.

He felt stronger, and heavier somehow. "What's happeni—ah!"

Roxas yanked Sora's collar, practically choking him.

"Let her out!"

"Who—?"

"Xion! You just absorbed her heart! Let her out!"

"You know I don't know how!"

Too flustered to think, Roxas released Sora and turned away. He pounded both his hands to his head.

Xion…

Xion…

Xion.

Like a steadying prayer, thinking of her, repeating her name helped him come to one conclusion.

"I won't let her go!"

He whirled his glare back to Sora, who looked both guilty and confused by his outburst. "Sora, I'm going to unlock and dive into your heart. I'll drag her out if I have to!"

I'm falling… deeper… and deeper… into some darker extent. All alone.

This is so familiar.

I'm so sorry for what I did to you, Roxas. But it was all for you.

A.N.) Review and let me know how this is looking to you please. Who's to blame for all this?

We're almost there! :D