Vanitas was getting ready for the big night, or at least party night. Finals have come and passed and no one had nothing to worry about. Now they were having a party at Riku's place, since it was biggest of the house and had the yard space for it all.

"You do realize that you have to remember that Raven is very different from the other girls you spend time with, right?" Ventus asked the Dark man as they both crammed into the small bathroom to do their hair.

Vanitas sighed before doing his usual messy spike look. "Yes, she's more fragile compared to the girls I sleep around this. She's not just some weird thing I want to conquer." His gold eyes holding some emotion in them that Ventus had never seen in his old friend.

Putting a hand on Vanitas' shoulder he gave a warm smile. One that told his friend that he had his back and understood him. Both knew this was going to be a good night, one way or another.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Raven looked in the mirror has Aqua stood behind her, curling her hair with a curling iron. "This should help tame those curls of yours." She smiled meeting Raven's nervous eyes in the reflective glass.

Looking down at her outfit, Raven wasn't sure about tonight. It was a simple red dress that Kairi bought for her. It stopped above her knees and was thin strapped and it wasn't the amount of skin that was showing that bothered her, it was the fact this was supposed to be something called a date.

"He will love the outfit." Aqua assured her, pulling certain curls from around Raven's face back and pinning them. "He's not too picky about how you look."

"I hardly know him." Raven explained wiping her hands on the skirt.

Aqua felt like a mother explaining dating to her daughter, something she was actually looking forward to in the future. Raven was probably the best practice for her. Placing both hands on Raven's shoulders and gave a gentle squeeze.

"That's what dates are about, getting to know each other." She explained fluffing the curls around Raven's shoulder.

The new shorter hair looked much better on Raven than the overly long hair she had before. It was also much softer, though the curls had become much wilder. The stylist had changed Raven's part from being way over on the right side, to in the middle with her bangs framing her face. The red streaks somehow remained, but they looked nice in the purple-black hair.

"What if he doesn't like what's on the inside?" Raven asked suddenly.

Aqua let out a small laugh, "Raven, you are an open book. We all can tell how kind you are, even though you are the Heartless Guardian. Though you do have a lot to relearn about life, that's okay." Raven's eyes saddened some at these words.

"Then why do I feel like I'm hurting Xiro?"

Aqua wasn't sure how to answer that, "I'm not sure about that one. It could be because you remember your past with him. The fact you almost had a family with him as well, so you two were very close."

Certain memories flashed through Raven's mind. His reaction when she told him about the baby, he had been so happy about it all. The kisses they shared along with the nights and days they spent in bed together just because they could. They were happy memories but they caused an ache in her chest that she wasn't sure of. Was this a good ache or bad?

"Am I doing the right thing? Going on this date?" Raven asked as Aqua turned off the curling iron.

Aqua held a thoughtful look in her light blue eyes, "that's up to you. You could have said no but you said yes. So some part of you is ready to do this."

Raven nodded understanding what she was saying.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Several Bluetooth speakers were set throughout Riku's house to ensure the music played could be heard in all the rooms. Everyone was crowded together, dancing, talking, drinking and basically doing what normal college kids did.

Some couples were making out, nearly tearing each other's clothes off in view of everyone there, while some idiots played drinking games that only made them sick. All of these people made Xiro's stomach twist in rage. He wanted them all gone, all of them but Raven.

"Hey, you're good looking." A brown haired girl with green eyes stated with a drunk smile.

"That I am, but I have someone else in mind." He replied coolly before stalking off to find Raven.

It hadn't taken him long to figure out whose house this was and why she was living here. He did not like this Riku guy but Vanitas was the one that really got under his skin. Mostly because he was there the night he tried to take Raven back. He wanted her heart belonging to him alone, but Vanitas was the one to take her away from him.

"Vanitas is on a date with some stupid looking girl." A young woman whined her friends.

Xiro stopped and listened, Vanitas was on a date?

"Her dress is amazing though." Another commented.

The lead one scoffed, "the ditz couldn't figure out how to get beer from the keg."

The girls kept laughing and bashing on the girl, who Vanitas was with. Xiro wasn't sure who the girl was but the sound of these girl's made him wonder why Vanitas was capturing the heart of so many women without even trying.

"He'll sleep with me by the end of the night, I just know it." The leader stated before they went out back to the fire.

Xiro continued his search for Raven. He knew he would find her at some point in the night. The only issue was he hadn't seen any of the fools that hung around her.

XXXXXXXXXX

"So, I know you like horror movies." Vanitas started off on the back deck.

Beer in his hand as they were leaning of the railing, looking at the clear night sky.

Raven nodded, "I've almost finished the movies Riku has." She replied slowly stirring her beer, though she hadn't touched it.

"He's got a decent collection, but I got better stuff. I'll bring some over one night and we'll watch them together." Vanitas rested his elbows on the rail tilting his head back more.

Raven looked at him with stars in her eyes, "You really have better stuff? I thought Riku had great movies!" Her arms started to bounce up and down like crazy, slopping the beer all over.

Vanitas started to laugh when she realized what she had done - ruining the new dress she was wearing. "How about you go to your room and change, I'll clean this up," he said taking her hand in his and leading her back into the house.

She nodded though tears brimmed her eyes because Kairi had spent so much time in between studying and classes looking for this dress for her. Now it was ruined because she got all excited about a few movies.

Looking through her closet for something to wear, though she still didn't have a lot to pick from. Grabbing a black shirt and her black jeans, she found the red belt Sora had found for her at the mall a few days ago. It had a heart for the buckle but she liked it either way.

An all-black outfit with the red belt actually looked better than the red dress did. Plus the shirt had kinda long sleeves with a wide neck. She looked in the mirror for a moment, trying to figure if she should leave her hair or not.

She finally pulled the bobby pins out and shook her curls until they regained their wild look. It had helped that the lady who cut her hair had added something called layers to her hair. But nothing less she did seemed to make the thickness die down.

"Did you die in there?" Vanitas knocked on the door.

She went over and opened the door. She had yet to put on shoes again but his amber eyes looked her over.

"That looks better on you." He remarked with a sly smile.

She simply smiled before going over to the end of her bed and pulling on the heeled boots Namine had given her. Namine was given them as a present but they weren't her type of boot, called them hooker boots even if they stopped below the knee.

"I feel better." She stomped her feet a couple of times, taking in the clicking sound the heels made on the hard wood floor.

As soon as they got back downstairs, a group of girls ambushed them. Mostly Vanitas as one with honey colored hair threw her arms around his neck, planting a couple of kisses on his cheek.

"Vanitas, what are you doing with such a clueless girl?" She purred loud enough for Raven to hear.

Raven tensed while Vanitas looked nervous.

"Looks, I'm trying to look for something serious for once." Vanitas stated with an unimpressed look in his eyes.

Raven looked at him with wonder, something in her moved at his words.

The girl in Vanitas' arms did not like that statement. "You can have something serious with me, and you'll get treated well every night."

"Something serious it not about having great sex all the time. It's about taking the each other's wants and needs of life into thought and adding them into yours and growing together. Raven has a few things I realize that I need in life and I'm hoping to have something she needs out of life. Not that you would understand any of that." Vanitas explained looking at Raven the entire time.

Warm tears managed to slip down her cheeks as she looked at the man before her. Something told her that Xiro had never been like this with her. Showing her a new side of him she had never seen before. She wiped off the tears quickly.

"Yes." Was all she managed to say before she was pulled off the stairs.

"She's nothing compared to me!" The honey haired woman yelled, pulling Raven so that she tripped and started to fall down the stairs.

Raven let the fall finish, but only because she knew how to curl into ball before getting too injured. Once she was at the bottom, Vanitas was there helping her to her feet.

"You're not too hurt are you?" He asked softly as hair fell into her face.

She shook her head, "I'm fine."

The girls held looks of shock because of how quickly Raven got up. "Mandy, I don't think a fight with her is a good idea." One of her friends advised softly.

The Mandy girl didn't seem to hear because she went and smacked Raven across the face. The slap so loud it caught the attention of a few people in the area. Causing some of the chatter in the room to stop.

"What can you do to me?" Mandy asked with a hard look in her brown eyes.

Raven's eyes turned emotionless. "Kill you."

This broke Mandy's walls, no one saw that reply coming.

"Like you could get away with killing me." Mandy choked out trying to keep her cool.

Raven reached behind her and pulled out both her fans and handed them to Vanitas. "No weapons, just a normal hand to hand fight. I'm sure I could beat you to an inch of your miserable life in a matter of seconds."

"Those are metal fans." Someone pointed out.

Mandy's eyes searched the room for someone who would prove she was the worth one of Vanitas' affection but Raven's deadly words alone were scaring even the biggest guys in the room. How was that possible? How could such a small woman hold so much power over a room with just her words?

No, it wasn't words alone. Mandy could see that now. Raven carried herself in a manner that showed how serious she was. Her eyes had no emotion in them, yet they shone with a power that wasn't just words or physical.

"P-prove it then." Mandy managed finally.

Latching onto her forearm, Raven's fingernails dug into Mandy's baby soft skin before the floor was gone from under her. She found herself airborne before smashing into the floor several feet away.

"Raven!" Vanitas scolded suddenly taking hold of Raven's arm.

"She asked for it!" Raven snapped looking up at him.

The heels did nothing to close the height gap between the two of them but it wasn't height that was showing power here. It was oozing out of Raven, mostly because she was angry that someone was pushing her buttons.

Mandy's friends rushed to their friend's side and helped her up.

Once up, the honey haired woman charged at Raven, nails ready to dig into something. Raven tensed ready to throw a hit of her own, only with a fist, but someone caught her arm. While someone else completely cut off Mandy's course of action by throwing her over their shoulder.

"That's enough girls!" Riku barked with Mandy over his shoulder.

Vanitas had Raven's arm but she quickly finished her motion by turning it into a judo flip on him.

He gasped in pain but gave her a cheeky smile. "I get it, you're still pissed. I kinda asked for that!"

"Let me go!" Mandy yelled at Riku, grabbing his hair.

Only getting an annoyed look from the silver haired man, Mandy looked confused for a moment.

"Oookay, maybe Raven should finish the fight." He dropped Mandy without warning.

The whole room was thrown off by this statement from Riku.

Both girls froze in place trying to process the words. Both could figure out how all of this would turn out. Yet somehow, Riku's okay to fight killed the mood in both of them.

"I'm sorry." Raven whispered looking at Riku. "I've ruined your party…. You worked so hard in your classes and I ruined your party without thinking about anything else."

"Mandy here picked the fight from what I heard." Riku replied walking over and patting her head. "So, I'm not mad at you at all, upset that you got into a fight but no blame in on you for ruining the party."

Mandy got back to her feet looking stunned about all of this. "It's my fault?" She shirked like an angry cat.

"Yes, because you choose to pick a fight with someone you don't even know." Vanitas stated getting up from Raven's flip.

Shock filled Mandy's brown eyes but she kept herself together long enough to walk out the front door with her friends behind her.

XXXXXXXXX

Xiro heard there was a fight only once he got there it was over. Raven was there, standing between Vanitas and Riku. No way for him to get to her without some form of fight, and it would be one that he would lose because of numbers. He wasn't going to bring any Nobodies into the fight because they'd get taken out too quickly with all the Keyblade wielders here.

He growled before watching Raven give Vanitas a look of worry. Though the Unversed Guardian only smiled and tried to calm her down, she wasn't buying it.

The party went on, so Xiro used the cover of the crowd to watch Raven. He wanted her alone. All he wanted was to talk to her, maybe get her to come back to him with just words before he tried doing anything too drastic.

XXXXXXXXXX

Getting Raven alone for any span of time was impossible due to the fact Vanitas was always by her side and when he wasn't, Riku or someone else from the group was there with her. All the girls seemed to move together as a pack, but Raven looked so happy with them. Sharing jokes, talking about odds and ends about life, sometimes dates with boys.

"I can't get near her." Xiro growled trying to find his opening but suddenly the music in the house stopped.

"Alright, everyone clear out!" Terra called to the party folks. "Parties over, have a good rest of the night and be safe!"

Xiro cursed some while he took cover with the first wave of people leaving.

Tonight had a bad night to get to Raven, so he was going to have to find another time. But for all he knew she won't be alone too much now that her new friends knew about him. The chaos he had caused that one time was enough for them to know to keep him and Raven apart but it wouldn't last long.

"Her nature will bring her back to me." He reminded himself with an evil grin. "It always has."

XXXXXXXX

"This is a huge mess!" Raven complained once the entire house had been cleared out.

When the house was full of people it hadn't looked to dirty. Maybe a couple of cups or bottles laying around but nothing too bad. She learned the hard way that once everyone was gone, more cups, plates and other messes appeared out of nowhere.

"That's why we're staying the night to help clean." Sora explained handing her a black bag. "It gets done faster when we work together."

She saw Kairi and Namine working together to clean the back yard while Terra was putting out the fire. Aqua was in the kitchen cleaning up in there. Vanitas was given living room duty, Roxas was in the basement.

So she and Sora were stuck with the dining room while Riku was handling the bathrooms. Ventus was checking the bedrooms for anyone hiding before he covered the front yard.

Sora tossed a can, causing her to jump yet she managed to make sure it landed in the bag.

"Good catch." Sora laughed throwing a couple more cans and cups her way. "Keep up."

Raven nodded. She played the odd game of basket trash with Sora. Making the whole matter of cleaning much more fun than she thought it would be. She was all laughs and cheers when she catch the discard in her bag without doing too much to get it in. Sora was kinda mean by making her run around the room a bit though.

"So, you liked your small date?" He asked trying to break some ice.

Raven stopped and thought about it for a moment. "Had the fight did not happen it would have been great. But he promised to bring over some better horror movies for us to watch together."

"Yeah, he's got some of the really good stuff. If you don't get nightmares from his movies I'm going to think there's something seriously wrong with your brain." He joked.

Raven smiled, "But I'm the Guardian of Heartless, I'm where nightmares come from."

They both started to laugh a bit since it may as well been true with how her personality flipped like a light switch. Yet, she was nice to be around nothing too dark and scary yet not an over powering kindness that made you think she was fake.

"Raven, I hope you stay with us for a long time." He stated out of the blue.