Thank you all sooooo much for the reviews!! Second to last chapter!!

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts or Sweeney Todd. I only own the plot. :)

For three months Xion didn't talk to him.

Three months.

Riku sighed as he slammed his locker shut, the school had just gotten back into session after their winter break. He had spent Christmas with the Strife's, as per usual. Xion wasn't there, much to his disappointment. She had hopped on a train with Axel to go back to Traverse Town to see her friends and spend Christmas there.

It was a lonely holiday.

He started walking down the hallway, his shoes scuffing on the tiled floor. He ignored all the lustful gazes and the whispered words that were spoken about him, he'd recieved them since he was a freshman - something that his brother's had had to deal with when they were in school. Riku thought it was lucky that they were all in college and got to escape the fights.

Pushing a strand of hair behind his ear, Riku passed by a cracked open door but was stopped as he heard the conversation. Ignoring what people thought about him, he swatted down under the window to listen in.

"You understand where I'm going right? The two of them just haven't acted right for months. If all else fails, I want the two of you to keep practicing - you might find yourselves in a starring role."

"Do you have any idea what happened to them? They had such good chemistry, it made me smile to see that Anthony and Johanna were being played by them - they actually looked liked they were in love."

"You're a sap Rinoa."

Riku heard a slap and he stood up quickly before walking off. He easily recognized the voices. Mr. Raulaim, Rinoa, and Zack. His and Xion's understudies.

If he heard right, then Mr. Raulaim was preparing the other two for theirroles. Riku clenched his fists and resisted punching the wall. He shook his head, clearing it, before starting down the hall.

He had to find Xion, and fast.

- -- - -- - -- - -- - -- -

When he did find her, he was surprised. She was sitting there, under a tree in the courtyard crying. Riku's heart went out to the girl.

He knew that this past Christmas was her first without her mother. The first holidays are always the hardest, Riku learned. He had heard from Sora that she had spent a night at her mother's boarded up flower shop - sleeping with the flowers. Apparently, they had done that a lot back when Mrs. Strife was alive.

This holiday season had hit her hard, and Xion didn't seem like she was faring so well.

The slush crushed under his feet as he walked over to her. Xion didn't seem to notice him, or who he was for that matter, as he sat down beside her. The two just sat in silence, Riku knew that she would speak first.

He was right.

"My mom always told me to be happy during the holidays," she started. "She said that since you were with your family, you had to be happy. Nothing compares to the love of family. I used to think that my mom had been a hippie in a past life." Riku smiled.

"I spent the night in her shop. The flowers were all wilted and the floor was covered in dust. Did you know that dust is made out of dead skin cells? And that a person sheds 50,000 dead skin cells a minute," he knew that she rattled off random facts when she was upset. Today it was science. Sora had complained that he had been forced to listen to math.

"Namine and Kairi and Axel were all there, Reno even showed up for Christmas. Their mom was always very welcoming so I had a place to stay," she smiled, her eyes closed in a memory. "I visited my old director - and the theatre troupe. I even called up Zexion and his boyfriend and we had a webcam chat. It was nice being back there, but it felt empty inside. It was my first Christmas without my mom."

She slouched down and Riku put an arm around her, she cuddled into his warmth. The bell had rung, they were late to lunch.

"She was the kindest, most thoughtful woman that I've ever known," Xion said. "She cared about everything, from the ugliest of animals to the prettiest of flowers. She took care of everything with the utmost responsibility. Nothing could interrupt her from her work on saving the world - one flower at a time." Xion had a dopey smile on her face.

"I'm starting to think that I should've spent Christmas here," she said. "Despite all the memories of mom and being with all my old friends again, I missed dad. And the idiots - you'd know them as my brothers. Tifa's alright too, she could never replace mom - but she's doing a good job. Olette stopped talking to me back in November, did you know? Said that I was a waste of space. I talk to Selphie mostly now, she's become a good friend. She and Kairi would get along, they both love to shop."

Riku leaned his cheek on the top of her head, his hand slowly stroking her arm. He could feel her shiver and the goosebumps pop up on her arms.

"I missed you too," she whispered. "No matter how mad I am at you, I missed you. I still miss you. Can we be friends again?" Riku chuckled and put his other arm around her. She slouched into his hold.

"Of course, Xion. I'll always be here for you - you know that." She looked up at him, a content smile on her face. He kissed her forehead and her eyes closed. Xion laid her head on his shoulder and they sat outside all lunch period.

Content in the silence and each other's arms. They weren't together yet, by all means - and they still had the problem of the play on their plate. But for right now, everything was just perfect.

I can't be mean to characters, I just can't. Remember, just one chapter left. Be on the look out!!

-The Gray Rook